With the dressage phase concluding for the four-in-hand drivers at the FEI World Championships in Aachen, a thrilling marathon day now lies ahead.
Defending World Champion Boyd Exell of Australia entered the arena with a score to settle. Known for his ability to perform under pressure, from the first highly marked movement it looked like he might match the leading score – and he nearly did, to go second on 31.86. With panache and power, his experienced horses rose to the occasion and relished the Aachen atmosphere in an arena where they have triumphed numerous times over the years.
Boyd’s dressage team included Checkmate, Daan 18, Hero and Mister Bono van’t Hooge, with grooms Ciara Schubert and Emma Olsson on the carriage.
“It’s nice to have my experienced horse Checkmate back at the wheel,” said Boyd following his test, referring to the 19-year-old KWPN gelding who has been a part of countless successful teams. “It was just power all the way, I had movement. It was a nice applause from the public at the end; they enjoyed the test. We worked hard for it.”
When asked what to expect on cross country tomorrow, Boyd simply said: “It’s a fast marathon team, so that’s my phase!”
For the marathon phase, Checkmate steps aside and the Oldenburg stallion Mad Max takes up the reins; perhaps the perfect name for a specialist marathon carriage horse! Grooms Emma Olsson and Wannes Larssen will be joining them for what will no doubt be a thrilling ride.
Combined with Tor van den Berge’s dressage score of 49.31 (14th from 53 competitors individually) from Thursday, the Australian team is placed second overall with a total of 81.17. They are narrowly behind Germany, who leads on 79.31. The USA are third on 81.84, ahead of Belgium on 84.24 and the Netherlands on 84.83.
Australian start times:
Saturday, 22 August: Team & Individual Marathon
- Tor van den Berge (Horses: Carbery Estate Cato, Carbery Estate Chino, Indiana and Kerosine / Grooms: Mel van den Berge and Catharina Matschurat): 6.36pm AEST (10.36am local time)
- Boyd Exell (Horses: Daan 18, Hero, Mad Max 81 and Mister Bono van’t Hooge / Grooms: Emma Olsson and Wannes Larssen): 10.06pm AEST (2.06pm local time)
Chester Weber leads the field
Chester Weber of the USA drove the dressage test of his life on Friday to smash his own record and win the opening phase on 30.40. Through the 22 movements, his slick, bay team of Dutch warmbloods epitomised what the judges were looking for – relaxation, harmony, poise, flair, accuracy and trot extensions that floated across the arena.
Repeating his Aachen WEG win of 20 years ago, a delighted Chester stated: “I said this morning it could be a record. It’s my fantastic team of people and my fantastic team of horses – it’s humbling to sit behind them. I had a lot of faith in them and those last extensions felt so correct – not running, just fantastic!”
Chester set the record at the World Championship two years ago in Hungary when he led after the Dressage on 31.06 and was also elated that day. But the celebrations this time were even more profound for a man who says: “There’s no such thing as luck. I’m very strategic, and there’s no artistic allowance. I rely on careful training, and understand when my horses are peaking because I can’t expect this from them all the time. So they get plenty of downtime too.”
Overnight leader Dries Degrieck of Belgium had to watch from the sidelines on Friday, but his title hopes remain alive as he sits in third on 38.19. Home crowd favourite Anna Sandmann went better than her father late in the day for fourth on 38.32, and appreciated the cheers from her fans as she finished, saying: “I had a long wait and felt the pressure so was nervous, but I’m really proud of my horses. [Saturday] I hope that we find good routes and that everything will be good.”
With Marathon specialists on the Belgian and Dutch teams, it will be nip and tuck between them for dominance through the eight obstacles in the Soers park, the same setting as the eventing cross country a week ago, where some of the jumps are integrated into the Alexander Flocke (Germany) designed course. It’s hoped that whatever the weather may bring in Aachen, there will be equally deep crowds enjoying the driving on Saturday.
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For a full list of results, click here.
Source: FEI press release by Sarah Dance, edited by Equestrian Life
