EN – Roztoczańska Konna Straż Ochrony

Brief characteristics of the association

Roztoczańska Nature Protection Mounted Guard (polish acronym: RKSOP)
assembles within its ranks students and graduates from Lublin
universities. Our main aims are nature protection, equestrian sport
popularisation, spreading the idea of broadly understood volunteering
and promoting pro-social attitudes and behaviors. Especially important
part of our statutory activity is running the Academic Equestrian Club in Lublin (polish acronym: AKJ),
whose main tasks are: providing horse riding lessons for students and
hippotherapy for disabled children. It should be emphasized that we are
the only organization of such type in Poland based on the principle of
volunteering.

For nearly 40 years of our activity over 500 members signed up to our association. Currently, in our ranks serve 30 active guards and 70
reservists, while the Academic Equestrian Club in Lublin has over 100
club members. Our herd of horses consists of 4 geldings and 6 mares at
present. During the academic year, RKSOP Guards patrol surrounding
forests and protected landscape areas in the vicinity of Lublin.

While over the academic holidays – from the beginning of July to the
end of September, we organize the so-called Summer Action. Guards and
horses move for that time to the Roztocze National Park (polish acronym: RPN).
While there, RKSOP members carry out over 100 horse and foot patrols,
during which they provide information and assistance to tourists, as
well as conduct preventive actions against unwanted and illegal
activities in areas of nature protection. Moreover, throughout the whole
year, the Association participates in and organizes many educational
activities related to nature conservation such as lessons for school
children regarding nature protection issues; „Cleaning up the World”
campaign; and “Ecopicnic”, where apart from our information and
educational stand, we also provide free rides for children on our
horses. Furthermore, we conduct numerous trainings in the fields other
than broadly understood nature protection, such as first aid and the
basis of veterinary medicine. These courses are aimed mainly to the
guards, candidates for guards who want to join the ranks of RKSOP and
members of AKJ. Our organization takes special care of the cultivation
of Polish cavalry traditions. Our guards often succeed in competitions not only in horse riding, but also in the use of sabers, lances and small arms.

We participate in reenactments of historical battles (including the battle of Komarów from Polish – Soviet War in 1920 or battle of Tomaszów Lubelski
from WW II). Members of our Guard also played in historical films such
as “Ogniem i Mieczem” (With Fire and Sword) and “Bitwa Warszawska 1920”
(Battle of Warsaw 1920). Every year, dressed in Polish interwar cavalry
uniforms, we participate in parades for the 3rd May Constitution Day and
Polish National Independence Day on 11th November. We are proud to
mention that RKSOP is the only organization in Poland that officially
received the right to wear colors and the right to award a regimental
badge from veterans of the 25th Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment
(Polish: 25 Pułk Ułanów Wielkopolskich). It is also worth noting that
based on Polish law RKSOP obtained status of public benefit
organization.

We finance our ongoing activities mainly from 1,5% personal income
tax transfers, donations, symbolic membership fees and funds obtained
from running horse riding courses. All revenues are allocated to the
maintenance of our horses and stables.

We invite you to follow us on our social media:

https://www.facebook.com/roztoczanskakonna

Roztoczańska Konna Straż (@roztoczanska_konna) • Zdjęcia i filmy na Instagramie

https://www.facebook.com/akjlublin

Contact

Commander Roger Guzik 793956787

Deputy Commander Stanisław Garlicki 508 349 438

Equerry Piotr Czernichowski

Treasurer Daniel Sadurski

Quatermaster Andrzej Druciarek

Head of Tradition Affairs Jakub Filipowicz

Secretary Karol Kapłan 531 666 883