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WEG
Oct 9, 2010 13:29:22 GMT
Post by rabatsa on Oct 9, 2010 13:29:22 GMT
Australia's Boyd Exell has taken the lead after the second day of the Four-In-Hand Driving dressage at the World Equestrian Games today.
Boyd Exell set a new World Championship record in the driving dressage to take the lead at the Four-In-Hand. © FEI/Rinaldo Craen
Boyd Exell interview Exell set a new World Championship record this afternoon with his team of black geldings, owned by Hungary's Vincze Tamas. Exell executed a faultless dressage score of 30.08 penalty points. The previous record of 32.13 points was held by Chester Weber. Exell won the CAIO Aachen and Royal Windsor Horse Show 2010 with thesame team.
And there is a strange twist in the competition, as there are now three tie scores in play - Chester Weber (USA) and Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) who both set a score of 35.97 penalty points yesterday for the silver position. The USA's Tucker Johnson and Dutch driver Theo Timmerman, who both finished dressage with a score of 40.19, are tied in fourth place.
The Netherlands and the United States are also tied, in contention for the team gold.
"I have never seen two ties at a world championship," said Johnson.
The ties will be put to the test Saturday with the driving marathon.
"I think you are going to see really fast driving," said Johnson. "The point for me will be driving fast enough without making a mistake; that will be the real test."
Exell was somewhat handicapped after snapping a bone in his left hand jumping a horse over a cross-country obstacle at home. "I was jumping cross-country for fun, and I fell and broke a bone in my left hand. I was struggling a bit with it yesterday, but the Aussie team got me a good kit and it was all right today. I lost my grip twice, but the leaders covered it up for me," he said.
He is hoping adrenaline will take over in the marathon tomorrow so he doesn't feel the pain.
Tucker Johnson drove his last ever dressage test at the World Equestrian Games since he will retire after this World Championship from the combined driving sport. Johnson's team included a horse Exell loaned him, the left leader, named Black Shadow, which he has been driving for only two weeks. The 46-year-old American is a very successful driver, first in the international pairs class and later on in the international four-in-hand driving sport. In 1991 he won the team gold medal at the World Pairs Driving Championships in Zwettl. In 2002 he contributed to the American team silver medal at the WEG in Jerez de la Frontera, where he came fourth individually. Although he is retiring from competition, Johnson will continue his driving career in Coaching.
With two US drivers in second place and two Dutch drivers in fourth place, the Nations Team standings are also tied, which is quite rare for a World Championship! The Americans and the Dutch will battle it out in tomorrow's marathon.
A 16-kilometre long marathon course is awaiting the 25 competitors on Saturday, including eight beautifully designed obstacles, spread out over the spacious site of the Kentucky Horse Park. US World Championship course designer and President of the FEI Driving Committee Richard Nicoll has built the obstacles to both test the competitors and to make the driving sport as attractive as possible to the spectators: "I have built these obstacles for the drivers, it is up to them to choose which routes they prefer to take", Nicoll said.
"But I also had to keep in mind that two-thirds of the crowd have never seen driving. That is why we have included three water obstacles and most of the obstacles are situated down low in order to create a better view for the spectators."
Nicoll and his crew have made every obstacle as varied as possible by using different materials. Heavy posts are used as well as treated timber, oak rails and locust native wood. Every obstacle is horse friendly with rounded posts. Nicoll worked closely with eventing course designer Mike Etherington-Smith since two marathon obstacles were also part of the eventing cross-country, which took place here last week.
Builder Mike Costello and his crew are responsible for the construction of the obstacles in which portable elements are also included. None of the obstacles are painted which results in a natural look. The only colours are added by the enormous amount of flowers, which have been put in place by 95 volunteers.
"Every obstacle has its own challenge and especially the first obstacle is rather technical. The last two obstacles will be decisive for the competitors. This will really test the fitness of their horses," Nicoll said. Individual standings after dressage: 1. Boyd Exell (AUS) 30.08 2. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 35.97 2. Chester Weber (USA) 35.97 4. Theo Timmerman (NED) 40.19 4. Tucker Johnson (USA) 40.19 6. Christoph Sandmann (GER) 40.58 7. Daniel W�rgler (SUI) 45.06 8. Tomas Eriksson (SWE) 50.30 9. James Fairclough (USA) 51.97 10. Koos de Ronde (NED) 52.22
Team standings after dressage: 1. The Netherlands/USA 76.16 3. Australia 85.38 4. Germany 98.44 5. Sweden 103.68 6. Switzerland 109.96 7. Canada 144.26
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WEG
Oct 10, 2010 9:26:59 GMT
Post by rabatsa on Oct 10, 2010 9:26:59 GMT
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IJsbrand Chardon full of fight in driving marathon
October 10, 2010
Title defender IJsbrand Chardon fought like a lion in today's four-in-hand marathon driving at the World Equestrian Games. He won ahead of Sweden's Tomas Eriksson and dressage winner Boyd Exell of Australia.
Title defender IJsbrand Chardon fought his way back in the marathon. © FEI/Rinaldo de Craen Maarten Van der Heijden, High Performance director Dutch federation in Dutch
Boyd Exell is in the lead after the dressage and marathon phases. © Marc Manning
Tucker Johnson interview
Chardon had been under a lot of stress before the start of the marathon when he discovered his carriage had been damaged. The Ground Jury allowed him to start last in the marathon to give the four-times World Champion enough time to repair his carriage.
"It was a truly bizarre marathon for me. Before we started the last phase of the marathon I tested the carriage once more," Chardon said. "The brakes worked different than usual, but I felt I had to continue. As soon as we started I cleared my mind and I focused on the obstacles.
"Luckily it went well from the first obstacle and I had a good feeling. Just before the last obstacle I noticed my horses got a little tired and told my son Bram and my wife Paulien who are my grooms that I wanted to take the long route. Bram however told me not to give it away now and to take the short route. I am happy he told me this otherwise I would not have been able to win the marathon and to come so close to Boyd."
The Marathon consists of three sections. The first is a 6.84km trot course that has an optimum time allowed window and 15 compulsory flags. The second section is a mandatory 1km walk that also has an optimum time allowance. At the end of the second section is a rest area. It is here that horses are inspected by veterinarians to ensure that they are fit to compete in the final section, which is comprised of an 8.49km course featuring eight obstacles, referred to as hazards, and 22 compulsory turning flags.
The marathon was followed by a large number of spectators, who enjoyed watching the 25 international competitors on the eight marathon obstacles, designed by USA's Richard Nicoll. The temperatures rose to 30 degrees Celsius and all necessary precautions were taken to ensure the welfare of the horses, with plenty of ice, water and misting fans at the halt and finish of the marathon.
The competitors treated the spectators to much excitement as they went through the obstacles and it became a marathon with ups and downs. US favourite Chester Weber, who was tied in second place with Chardon after dressage, had a groom down in obstacle 7 when one of his wheeler horses jumped over a leader trace, dropping Weber to 13th place in the individual standings.
Dutch driver Koos de Ronde made up for his disappointing dressage and finished fourth in the marathon, climbing to the seventh place in the overall standings. Tucker Johnson moved up to the bronze medal position after finishing seventh in his last marathon.
Sweden's marathon specialist Tomas Eriksson, who broke his foot at the CAIO in Breda five weeks ago on the dance floor, was in the lead in the marathon, despite two extra circles in obstacle 3, but had to give way to Chardon when the Dutch driver entered the course.
"My leaders were too strong in obstacle three," Eriksson said. "This was a difficult obstacle since we had to enter it from the sun into the shadow under the trees. My horses nearly ran off with me in the fifth obstacle as well. The left leader used to be a single horse and is sometimes too fast. I took the same route as my compatriot Fredrik Persson in obstacle four. I went down without control, I don't know how I did it, but it went well!"
Exell gave away his opportunity to win the marathon when he decided to drive the safe route in the last obstacle where Chardon beat him by 3 seconds.
He has kept the lead in the standings, but is only 1.72 penalty points ahead of Chardon, who has closed the gap after his marathon win. "Normally on most marathons you'll have one little something somewhere, but today seemed almost perfect. Even going safe we were still fast, " said Exell, 38. "I wanted to go fast enough to put pressure on Chardon, but not make mistakes. The horses were machines out there, they just really did it on their own.
"My navigator Lisa Banks was ahead of me all the time to warn me when there was a left turn coming up so I could slow down and prepare myself. In this way I did not have to put so much pressure on my injured left hand. We told ourselves before the marathon that we did a really bad dressage test in order to work hard in the marathon. We will do the same tomorrow."
The Netherlands has taken the lead in the team standings. Host nation USA follows with 26 penalty points difference, so it seems that the Dutch are almost certain of their second consecutive gold medal. Sweden is in third position.
Exell, along with teammate Gavin Robson, has put Australia in the team medal hunt too. They're in fourth, with 311.99 penalties, just behind Sweden. Australia has never won a team medal at the Driving World Championships.
The US's Johnson, currently in third, is hoping to conclude his impressive driving career with an individual medal. This would be the first individual medal for the US driver at a World four-in-hand Championship. But he has to drive clear in order to secure his bronze medal as Dutchman Theo Timmerman is following him in the standings with only 1.73 penalty points difference. And double World Champion Eriksson has moved up into the Top Five with his second place in the marathon and is breathing down Theo Timmerman's neck; so the bronze medal is still wide open.
Johnson, 46, concluded his marathon by saluting the cheering spectators with a raised fist after exiting the last obstacle. "It was a bittersweet moment for me, and I wanted to thank the crowd. I felt a little sadness that it was over and happiness for my performance. Given all the circumstances, I think my last marathon may be my best," he said.
He added that teammates Chester Weber and Jimmy Fairclough had suffered bad luck before he started, both of them getting penalties for putting grooms down in an obstacle. Those penalties, combined with the speed of Chardon and teammate Theo Timmerman today, broke the tie between the Netherlands and the United States for first place after dressage.
"This competition has a high level of competitors and our coaches Michael Freund and Peter Tischer have worked hard to get us here. All lines and obstacles went fluent for me; I am very pleased the way my horses went. We are still in the team medals and my goal for tomorrow is to drive clear."
The battle for the gold and silver medal will take place in the exciting final obstacle driving competition tomorrow, when Chardon will be trying to pile all the pressure on Exell.
Marathon results: 1. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 96.27 2. Tomas Eriksson (SWE) 99.52 3. Boyd Exell (AUS) 100.44 4. Koos de Ronde (NED) 101.34 5. Werner Ulrich (SUI) 103.67 6. Georg von Stein (GER) 106.25 7. Tucker Johnson (USA) 106.87 8. Fredrik Persson (SWE) 108.04 9. Theo Timmerman (NED) 108.60 10. Christoph Sandmann (GER) 110.60
Individual standings after dressage and marathon: 1. Boyd Exell (AUS) 130.52 2. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 132.24 3. Tucker Johnson (USA) 147.06 4. Theo Timmerman (NED) 148.79 5. Tomas Eriksson (SWE) 149.82 6. Christoph Sandmann (GER) 151.18 7. Koos de Ronde (NED) 153.56 8. Daniel Würgler (SUI) 159.61 9. Fredrik Persson (SWE) 161.42 10. Georg von Stein (GER) 164.11
Nations Team standings after dressage and marathon: 1. The Netherlands 273.77 2. USA 300.92 3. Sweden 311.24 4. Australia 311.99 5. Germany 315.29 6. Switzerland 328.18 7. Canada 522.79
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WEG
Oct 11, 2010 8:13:23 GMT
Post by rabatsa on Oct 11, 2010 8:13:23 GMT
Gold for Australia's Exell in driving champs
October 11, 2010
Australia's Boyd Exell has been on the hunt for a gold medal in four-in-hand driving for many years and at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky it finally came together for him.
Boyd Exell claimed the World Four-in-Hand Driving title at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky today. © FEI/Rinaldo de Craen Boyd Exell interview
Boyd Exell with bronze medalist Tucker Johnson, left, and silver medalist Ijsbrand Chardon.
After a World Record dressage test and third place in the marathon, Exell drove a safe cones course and won his first individual gold medal. Dutch driver IJsbrand Chardon took the silver; with the bronze going to USA's Tucker Johnson. The Dutch team won the gold, ahead of the USA and Germany.
Today was another drama-filled day in the full Driving Stadium as there were problems with the timing system half-way through the competition. Team drivers Ludwig Weinmayr from Germany and USA's Chester Weber had to leave the arena while the repairs were done. Weber was the first driver to go after the enforced break and the 35-year-old multiple US Champion showed his professionalism by driving the first double clear round of the day despite the long wait. His compatriot James Fairclough followed him and did the same to secure team silver for the USA.
After watching Chardon's dressage test, Exell thought he would have to fight for silver at the Kentucky Horse Park, but his horses clicked into gear in dressage in which he set a World Champion record score of 30.08. After the marathon Chardon piled even more pressure on Exell and the difference between the top drivers was only 1.72 penalty points. Chardon made Exell work very hard throughout the week and the professional coachman and horse trainer told himself every day that he had done a bad job in order to sharpen himself for the next day. After Chardon hit one ball in the cones course, Exell decided to drive safely. He crossed the finish line with a few time penalties, knowing that this would not endanger his gold medal.
"IJsbrand and I have been competing neck-and-neck all season and it just depends on who is in best shape on the weekend to decide who wins" Exell said. "It is a great feeling to have won the gold, but I don't really realize it yet. I enjoy working with horses and to be able to put the icing on the cake and win a World Championship is just fantastic."
Exell, 38, won the individual bronze medal at the 2008 Driving World Championships, behind Chardon and Weber. "To get five horses and all the people and your equipment just right for one weekend is a huge task, and we've been trying to do it for 10 years. You get to the point where you can do it regularly, like we have, and then you have to be lucky to win.
"I left Australia at 21 and said I wasn't coming home until I won the World Championship."
Chardon said he was very disappointed when he found out he knocked a ball down. "I had not seen it coming otherwise I could have corrected it. When I passed the finish line, I thought I was clear. I have given everything in dressage and marathon and today, my horses also went very well. It has been a weird Championship for me but I must admit that the best driver, Boyd Exell, has won this Championship."
Tucker Johnson had one ball down, but this did not jeopardise his first ever-individual medal at a World Championship. Johnson was a member of the US pair team that won gold at the 1991 World Pairs Driving Championships in Zwettl and he contributed to the US silver team medal at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez 2002.
Tucker was extremely pleased with his horses and his result and will now have more time for his family and his business. There was a clear 'no' when he was asked if he would not reconsider his decision to retire from combined driving after having won a medal.
"I won't change my decision. We've all three been doing this for a long time, and it's time for me to move on," Johnson said. "This felt good. Not everyone gets a chance to end something on such a high note. It was a grand end to a lot of experiences."
All three team members said that the World Equestrian Games being in Lexington had spurred on the team's performance.
"Our program and our team - along with the program at the US Equestrian Federation - all came together for this medal here," said Fairclough.
"It's been a whole group effort, and you feel like the whole nation is behind you here.
"I have truly enjoyed competing at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky and it is wonderful to win a medal at last," he said. "I loved driving and being on the US team for 23 years and I loved hanging out with my trainer Michael Freund, but it is time to move on. It is good to end something with such a good experience."
Weber believes that the Games will have a lasting effect on driving in the United States. "There's a future of driving in the US because of these games," he said. "Having the WEG here really got us going, and now, with Tucker leaving, Jimmy and I are looking forward to being the foundation of our team in the future."
The Swedish team were in the bronze medal position after dressage and marathon with top drivers Tomas Eriksson and Fredrik Persson finishing second and eighth in the marathon. Persson was first to go and picked up just 0.56 time penalties. Tomas Eriksson was well on his way to secure their bronze medal, but the 1990 and 2000 World Champion took gate 19 from the wrong side, which eliminated him and the Swedish team from the competition. Thanks to the clear round of multiple German Champion Christoph Sandmann, the German team moved up to bronze.
The attendance on the final day of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games was 38,682. The total 16-day attendance was 507,022.
Final individual standings: 1. Boyd Exell (AUS) 134.04 2. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 135.24 3. Tucker Johnson (USA) 150.06 4. Christoph Sandmann (GER) 151.18 5. Koos de Ronde (NED) 156.56 6. Theo Timmerman (NED) 156.76 7. Daniel Würgler (SUI) 159.61 8. Fredrik Persson (SWE) 161.98 9. James Fairclough (USA) 169.86 10. Chester Weber (USA) 169.92
Final Nations Team standings: 1. Netherlands 279.77 2. USA 300.92 3. Germany 322.20 4. Switzerland 334.70 5. Australia 341.54 6. Canada 607.12 7. Sweden -DNF
Results obstacle driving competition: 1. Chester Weber (USA) 0 2. James Fairclough (USA) 0 3. Christoph Sandmann (USA) 0 4. Daniel Würgler (SUI) 0 5. Fredrik Persson (SWE) 0.56 6. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 3.00 7. Koos de Ronde (NED) 3.00 8. Tucker Johnson (USA) 3.00 9. Boyd Exell (AUS) 3.52 10. Werner Ulrich (SUI) 6.52
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zoonie
Single Horse
Posts: 176
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WEG
Oct 18, 2010 9:17:18 GMT
Post by zoonie on Oct 18, 2010 9:17:18 GMT
Excellent reports rabatsa - thank you!
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WEG
Oct 19, 2010 6:26:27 GMT
Post by rabatsa on Oct 19, 2010 6:26:27 GMT
I own up to shamelessly copying them from another website.
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WEG
Nov 7, 2010 23:17:53 GMT
Post by happyhorsedriver on Nov 7, 2010 23:17:53 GMT
Ah but it saves us time not having to search the net for it ;D
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