SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Biography:

Yuri Dinev Valev was born on 21.08.1960 in the town of Stara Zagora. From a young age he is interested in active sports, at the age of 10 he started training basketball and at the age of 11 he started training in equestrian sports. Already at his first competition in the town of Stara Zagora in the spring of 1974, he took first and second place with the horses Aegea and Zephyr. In the same year of the National Championship for Children in Sample Farm near Ruse, he won 2 gold and 2 silver medals and was included in the national obstacle jumping team. Until 1979, he participated in a number of national and international obstacle races. In 1976, with the mare Tidra, he participated in the Balkan Hurdle Jumping Championships in Shumen, Bulgaria and became a two-time Balkan Junior Champion, both individually and as a team. Since 1976 he has been a Master of Sport in equestrian sports. In the period 1979-1981 is a soldier in the Bulgarian People's Army.

In 1981 he continued his education at the Higher Institute of Physical Culture and Sports "G. Dimitrov “Sofia. He completed his higher education in 1985 with a Master's degree. In the period 1985-1987 he was an equestrian trainer at the Equestrian Club "Electron" in Stara Zagora. In the fall of 1987 a competition for a full-time equestrian teacher was announced at the Higher Institute of Physical Education and Sports "G. Dimitrov ”Sofia, which he earned and began working as an equestrian assistant at the Department of Water Sports. In 1991 became a senior assistant, and in 1995. - Assistant Professor at the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski" (Higher Institute of Physical Cultureand Sports " G.Dimitrov") In 2014 he defended his dissertation with the theme "Visualized Methods of Initial Training in Equestrian Sport", for the award of an educational-scientific degree "Doctor", in the scientific specialty Theory and Methods of Physical Education and Sports Training. In 2016 became an associate professor, and from 2017 until now holds the position of Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Sport at the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski" Sofia.

During the period 1996-2012 is chairman and trainer of the St. George Horse Club Sofia, organizing and conducting the St. George Equestrian Tournament Since 1997. So far, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Equestrian Federation and is the chairman of the committee on sports pedagogical staff, judges, stewards and track builders.

Since 1988 he has been an international obstacle jumping judge, and since 2000 he has also been a cross country athlete, currently Level 3 in both disciplines. He is also a steward in the Endurance discipline, starting in 2019 is also in the highest Level 3. He has been a judge and chief steward of a large number of international competitions in Bulgaria and abroad, attending FEI courses every three years to enhance or confirm his qualifications.

Research Interests:

He had interests related to training riders and horses in the four disciplines of equestrian sport - dressage, jumping, eventing and endurance. Further more interested in judging in the disciplines of dressage, show jumping and event in how to organize and hold equestrian competitions; the initial training of riders; improving the preparation of riders; the psychological, technical, tactical and physical training of riders.