Discover the latest equine driving news with Everything Horse. From Driving at Windsor Horse Show to FEI Championships. Find out how your favourite driving stars are doing.
If you are an avid follower of the FEI Rankings, then take a look below to see who continues to thrive at the top of the leaderboards in showjumping, dressage, para-dressage, eventing, driving and endurance.
A new name was added to the FEI Driving World Cup hall of fame as Belgium’s Dries Degrieck took a career-best victory in front of a full house at the 26th Partner Pferd in Leipzig (GER). After a super second place late on Friday night in the opening competition, he and his horses went one better on Sunday to win competition two at the eighth and last leg of the 2023-24 series. The result gained him ten ranking points and guaranteed his place at the final in Bordeaux (FRA)…
Reigning champion Boyd Exell (AUS) stamped his supremacy once again on the current FEI Driving World Cup™ series by winning the 7th leg in Mechelen. Video of the round below. Despite being pushed hard by the other drivers whose horses are on peak form at this stage of the season, he rose to the occasion and produced another flawless display in Saturday night’s drive-off to shave 3.43 seconds from his previous round’s time and end on 126.57. As he has shown time and time again, when the pressure is on,…
In an electrifying event at the ExCel Centre in London’s Docklands, Boyd Exell (AUS) blazed to victory on three occasions – but only just. In the closest contest of the FEI Driving World Cup™ 2023-24 series so far, the reigning champion was pitched against his two old adversaries, Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) and Koos de Ronde (NED), all on career-best form. By Saturday evening’s final drive-off, the top three were so finely tuned that they produced rounds which were only two seconds apart. But it was Boyd’s experienced combination…
** Watch the video here ** FEI Driving World Cup™ 2023/2024 – written by Sarah Dance Bram Chardon (NED) was declared “King of Stockholm” by the announcer in the Friends Arena in Stockholm (SWE) after an incredible win in the 4th leg of the 2023-24 FEI Driving World Cup™. Although it was Bram’s second event of the series following his wild card ticket in Maastricht (NED), it was his first opportunity as a qualified driver to earn ranking points towards a coveted place at the final in February. Accurately…
FEI Driving World Cup 2023/2024 Boyd Exell (AUS) and Bram Chardon (NED) went head to head at Jumping Indoor Maastricht (NED) this weekend in what proved to be a spot of high-adrenaline equestrian sporting action. And until the final moments, it looked like Bram – after three fast, clear rounds – was going to dominate, but a rare lapse from him in obstacle five helped seal Boyd’s win. Round 1 Using two different horses from his winning combination in Lyon (FRA) last week, Boyd (feature image) seemed to be coming…
FEI Driving European Championship for Four-in-Hand & FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles 2023 – Exloo (NED), Written by Sarah Dance The thunder cracked and the lightning flashed bringing a triumphant double championship to an end in Exloo. The Para Drivers had exited the arena in time to avoid the storm but in scenes reminiscent of the prize giving at the FEI World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) last year, the Four-in-Hand medals were presented, and speeches made, during a deluge. The Dutch crowd was thrilled to see…
FEI Driving European Championship for Four-in-Hand & FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles 2023 – Exloo (NED), Written by Sarah Dance In an elegant display, Germany’s leading lady Mareike Harm put herself into first place with a score of 38.52 in her bid for European titles – despite some heavy rain during day 2 of the dressage in Exloo. As one of the last drivers of the day, she had a long wait and witnessed the top order change as defending champion Bram Chardon (NED) broke through the sub-40…
FEI Driving European Championship for Four-in-Hand & FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles 2023 – Exloo (NED) – written by Sarah Dance Billed as an ‘Ultimate Celebration of Driving’ the combined 7th FEI Para World Driving and the 13thFEI Four-in-Hand European Championship has a bumper confirmed entry of 65 drivers from 17 nations who will contest titles at the Equestrian Centre in Exloo (NED). The hosts are fielding some of the favourites to take gold medals including reigning European Four-in-Hand Champion Bram Chardon (NED) who is ranked world number two. Perhaps…
HOYS welcome a Championship for Driven Heavy Horses in the Andrews Bowen International Arena for 2023 Heavy horses have been part of Horse of the Year Show’s heritage since its early years, when audiences were presented with a majestic display to music as the heavy horses worked to harrow the main arena. Now in its 74th year, HOYS continues to understand and recognise the significance of supporting the heavy horse as the British heavy breeds continue to feature on the rare and endangered breeds list. This year the show will welcome a…
FEI Driving World Cup™ 2022-2023 – Written by Sarah Dance In an incredible display of dominance, Boyd Exell (AUS) showed the world why he is the most decorated four-in-hand carriage driver in history. The pressure was on in Leipzig as, for the first time in the FEI Driving World CupTM 2022-23 Series, Boyd lined up against his three closest rivals at once – the Dutch powerhouse drivers Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon and an on-form Koos de Ronde. Yet Boyd held his nerve in spectacular style to win Sunday’s Competition 2 with…
Boyd Exell continued his winning form yesterday at The London International Horse Show. With a host of feature classes and plenty of fast and furious action, you can find out more on how day 3 unfolded below. Much to the surprise of John Whitaker, the stalwart of showjumping was awarded the British Equestrian Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award during the afternoon’s performance. “I was a bit taken aback, I got tricked nobody told me”, laughed John “It’s nice to be appreciated as long as you don’t think I’m going to…
World Champions hit the ground running on day 2 of the London International Horse Show 2022. Eager to find out who rose and prospered under the glittering lights of the ExCel arena? Read on to find out more. A double delight for Lottie Great Britain’s double world championship winning combination, Lottie Fry and the 11-year-old black stallion Glamourdale completed another double, winning the FEI Dressage World Cup Freestyle supported by Horse & Hound, to follow up on her Grand Prix victory last night. Their score of 90.995%, the best FEI World Cup…
FEI Driving World Cup 2022/2023, written by Sarah Dance Crown prince and reigning FEI Driving World Cup™ champion Bram Chardon (NED) set out on his crusade to retain his title in undisputed style in Geneva. Scorching past his rivals, he defiantly seized both rounds and his brilliant performance has injected another shot of excitement into an already electrifying 2022-23 series. In this 5th leg, the next chapter in a gripping adventure so far, the ‘Hollywood for Horses’ setting of the 61st CHI Geneva was a fitting and festive backdrop for Bram’s first…
An international eventing show in May, showjumping in August and driving in September – those are the pillars of the sports season at Baborówko Equestrian Centre for 2023. All this in perfect technical and organizational conditions set across vast areas of this equestrian complex. Equestrian Festival Baborówko – Eventing DATES: May 18-21, 2023 The flagship eventing competition – Equestrian Festival Baborówko – will take place in May 18-21, 2023. The prize pool will once again place the event among the highest-subsidized in the world. The program of Equestrian Festival Baborówko…
FEI Driving World Cup™ 2022-2023, written by Sarah Dance They may have been competing in the ‘Friends Arena’ in Stockholm at the 30th Sweden International Horse Show, but all notion of friendship between the drivers was thrown aside as once again, Boyd Exell (AUS) didn’t show any compassion towards his rivals, who cannot seem to topple him from the top spot. With his fourth win from four in the 2022-23 FEI Driving World Cup™ series, the clashing cymbals of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ rang out, a now frequent sound under the spotlights of…
Will it be a 10th title for brilliant Boyd or will reigning champion Bram retain his crown? FEI Driving World Cup 2022-2023 – Written by Sarah Dance The world’s top ten four-in-hand drivers, eight legs plus a Final, and one new World Champion – that’s what the 2022-23 FEI Driving World Cup™ promises. After two stilted seasons due to Covid-19, fans can look forward to a full programme of the heart-stopping, edge-of-the-seat entertainment which is the FEI Driving World Cup. Demanding speed, accuracy and bravery from both horses and drivers,…
FEI World Championships 2022 Driving – Written by Sarah Dance As he set out on the Marathon, his regal horses poised, their silky black coats gleaming silver under the Italian sun, Boyd’s quest to win a record-breaking sixth individual gold medal continued. He might have wished for a later place in the draw to watch what those before him made of the course, but fate played its hand and he found himself following one of the young pretenders to his crown, Germany’s Michael Brauchle. Josef Middendorf’s (GER) eight new obstacles,…
FEI World Championships 2022, Driving Day 2 Dressage – Written by Sarah Dance The atmosphere became electric as Australian Boyd Exell defiantly launched his campaign to win a record sixth FEI Driving World Championship. The buoyant crowd had waited all day to see a sub-40 score appear on the massive digital boards flanking the Dressage arena. Their patience was rewarded as moments after Boyd’s masterful black Warmbloods exited, the score of 34.13 was met with cheers. From the second they hit the centre line, the horses showed power and panache, and…
FEI World Championships 2022, Driving – Written by Sarah Dance Having watched the early drivers navigate their tests on the first of two days of Dressage at Pratoni, Chester Weber (USA), who anchored his team to win gold as well as securing individual silver at the FEI World Equestrian Games TM in Tryon four years ago, entered the glorious grass arena during the mid-afternoon slot with intent. Clocking the day’s lowest score of 41.52 to top the leaderboard, he set out his stall to be in the medals at a…
FEI World Championships 2022 Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) Driving, written by Sarah Dance As the sun broke through the early morning mist hanging over the Rocca di Papa parkland, FEI World Championships 2022 Driving horses quietly made their way down the hill from the stabling area in single file. Ready to be presented for the first inspection, each one in a bridle being led by their drivers and handlers, their coats gleamed with good health. All the anticipation of an exhilarating FEI World Championship became a reality. It was a…
FEI Driving World Championships Singles 2022, Written by Sarah Dance Right down to the last set of cones, all bets were on France’s Marion Vignaud and her KWPN gelding First Quality being crowned the new FEI Singles World Champions. But nothing is for sure in sport, and it was not to be for Marion as heart-breakingly the ball rolled off the final cone, so handing defending champion Saskia Siebers (NED) the gold medal. Together with her 17-year-old KWPN gelding Axel, with whom she won the world title in Pau (FRA)…
Driving’s most famous names confirmed for Pratoni – Written by Sarah Dance A starry roll call of the world’s top four-in-hand drivers makes up the definite entry list, revealed a week ahead of the 25th FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand. All eyes will be on five time World Champion Boyd Exell (AUS) who is aiming for his sixth consecutive outdoor title against the likes of four-time winner Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) or Zoltán Lázár (HUN). Keeping it in the family, Ijsbrand’s son and current FEI Driving World Cup™ Champion, Bram, joins the…
The official international competition in carriage driving Baborówko Driving Show 2022 concluded this past weekend. The event selected the winners of the Nations Cup in four-in-hand and pairs classes, as well as the Polish Champion of four-in-hand driving. The best one in the cones on Sunday, for the trophy of the National Support Centre for Agriculture, was Australia’s Boyd Exell with CELVIRO, CHECKMATE, HERO and IVOR. Second place went to Christoph Sandmann (GER) with AMICO 34, DONVITO VD MULLIGENVREE, HERO H and JORDAN, and third to Daniel Schneiders (AUT) driving DANCINGSTAR, ENRIQUE H, GHANDI and FANNO. In the overall classification of the CAIO4*-H4,…
Day 2 of Baborówko Driving Show 2022 meant the athletes had to conquer the Section A, at the length of about 6 kilometers, and the B Section of marathon obstacles, measuring almost 9 kilometres. The key was speed, precision and accuracy. In the four-in-hand, for the trophy of BADIX, the best one was Austria’s Daniel Schneiders driving DANCINGSTAR, ENRIQUE H, GHANDI and FANNO. Second went to the world ranking leader Boyd Exell (AUS) with CELVIRO, CHECKMATE, HERO and IVOR. “We were considering our performance at the World Cup 2.5 weeks…