Lajos Kassai
Hungarian bowyer who revived mounted archery as a modern sport.
Globetrotter19 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Lajos Kassai (born 16 September 1960) is a Hungarian craftsman of bows, an archer, and a horseman. He is best known for bringing back the traditional practice of shooting a bow from horseback and turning it into a modern competitive sport. For this work, he was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.
Kassai began making bows in the mid-1980s and found success in field archery competitions. Drawing on the research of Károly Cs. Sebestyén and Dr. Gyula Fábián, he used modern materials and techniques to recreate the traditional Hungarian bow from the time of the Hungarian Conquest. He was the first person in the world to put this style of bow into series production, and bow-making eventually became his main job. Besides Hungarian bows, he also makes other traditional types, including Scythian, Hun (asymmetric), Avar, and Mongol.
In the late 1980s, Kassai created the rules for competitive horse archery and began promoting the sport, first in Hungary and then, from the 1990s, across Europe, the United States, and Canada. He studied kyūdō in Kamakura, Japan, and traveled to Shaolin in China. He wrote a book called *Lovasíjászat* (Horse Archery), which has been translated into German, English, and Russian. He founded the Kassai-völgy, the center of Hungarian horse archery, near Kaposmérő. Horse archery centers following the Kassai school now operate in fourteen countries and hold regular world cups. In 2011, the University of Physical Education in Hungary accepted Kassai’s training method and began offering horse archery instruction; Hungary became the first country where one can earn a teaching diploma in the sport. His life and work were dramatized in the film *A lovasíjász* (The Horse Archer), which premiered in January 2016.
From 1994 to 2019, Kassai won every competition he entered, including numerous World Cup rounds, international equestrian archery events, and the 2014 Equestrian Archery Open World Championship. He has set five Guinness World Records. In 1998, riding twelve horses over twelve hours, he made more than 1,000 targeted shots in 286 competition runs, averaging 133 points per standard competition. In 2002, again riding twelve horses over twelve hours, he achieved a total score of 7,126.05 with nearly 3,000 shots in 323 runs, averaging 198.55 points.
- Born
- 16 September 1960
- Nationality
- Hungarian
- Known for
- Reviving traditional mounted archery, creating competitive rule system for horse archery
- Notable award
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2003)
- Guinness world records
- 5
- First guinness record year
- 1998
- Latest guinness record year
- 2011
Lore & Background
Lajos Kassai began making bows in the mid-1980s and competed successfully in field archery. Based on the work of Karoly Cs. Sebestyen and Dr Gyula Fabian, he reconstructed and, as the first in the world, started series production of the traditional Hungarian bow used in the age of the Hungarian Conquest, eventually mass-producing this style. He also makes Scythian, Hun (asymmetric type), Avar, and Mongol bows. In the late 1980s, Kassai created the competitive rule system of horse archery and propagated the sport first in Hungary, then from the 1990s in Europe, the United States, and Canada. He studied kyūdō in Kamakura, Japan, and traveled to Shaolin in China. He summarized his experiences in the book *Lovasíjászat* ('Horse Archery'), translated into German, English, and Russian. He founded the Kassai-völgy center near Kaposmérő, and horse archery centers based on the Kassai school operate in fourteen countries, organizing world cups regularly. In 2011, the University of Physical Education accepted his education practice and began horse archery training, making Hungary the first country where one can earn a teaching diploma in horse archery. His life and work were dramatized in the film *A lovasíjász* ('The Horse Archer'), premiering in January 2016.
Reader's Guide
Kassai's significance lies in his systematic revival and modernization of mounted archery, transforming a historical practice into a structured international sport. By creating the competitive rule system and establishing the Kassai school, he enabled the sport's spread across fourteen countries with regular world cups. His inclusion of horse archery training at the University of Physical Education in 2011 marked the first time such education was offered at a university level, and Hungary became the first country to offer a teaching diploma in the discipline. His five Guinness World Records, set between 1998 and 2011, demonstrate his personal mastery and helped publicize the sport. The recognition of the Original Kassai System as part of Hungary's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012 and its inclusion in the Collection of Hungarian Values in 2013 underscore its cultural importance. His work has been honored with numerous awards, including the Middle Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary in 2016, and his methods have been taught through training camps and presentations in over twenty countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.
Did You Know?
- Kassai set his fifth Guinness World Record in December 2011 by shooting 14 discs in under 19.85 seconds at the Budapest Sport Arena.
- He won all competitions he entered from 1994 to 2019, including the Equestrian Archery Open World Championship in 2014.
- The Original Kassai System equestrian archery method was included in Hungary's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lajos Kassai?
Lajos Kassai is a Hungarian bow-maker, archer, and horseman born on 16 September 1960. He is widely recognized for reviving the centuries-old tradition of shooting a bow from horseback and reshaping it into a structured modern competitive discipline.
What is Lajos Kassai best known for?
He is credited with resurrecting Hungarian mounted archery as a living practice and designing the competitive rule system that turned it into an organized sport. His work drew on the earlier research of Károly Cs. Sebestyén and Dr. Gyula Fábián while incorporating modern materials and bow-making techniques.
When did Lajos Kassai begin making bows?
Kassai started crafting bows in the mid-1980s, building on the historical studies of Hungarian bow design. His early work quickly led to success in field archery competitions and laid the groundwork for his later mounted-archery initiatives.
What major honour has Lajos Kassai received?
In 2003 he was presented with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. The award recognized his sustained effort in restoring traditional horse archery and establishing it as a viable modern sport.
How many Guinness World Records does Lajos Kassai hold?
Kassai has earned five Guinness World Records in the field of archery, with his first record set in 1998. These records underscore his status as one of the most accomplished competitive archers of his generation.
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