Driving is one of the most spectacular, adrenaline fuelled equestrian sports, with fearless horse and driver teams displaying incredible skill, stamina and versatility. 

FEI Driving Facts and Figures 2023 

Top 3 NFs with events in Driving 

Top 3 NFs with registered athletes in Driving 

Top 3 NFs with registered horses in Driving 

Major Events in 2023…  

2023 was another action-packed year for Driving, with several major events on the agenda such as the FEI Driving World Cup™ Final and the FEI Driving European Championships across all categories, to name a few. This section will take you through each key event, featuring both the new champions as well as the champions who successfully defended their titles.  

• Check out all the latest FEI Driving highlights on our dedicated FEI YouTube channel  
• Watch all the main Events live and on replay on FEI.TV  
• Follow Driving on our dedicated Facebook, Instagram and TikTok platforms 

FEI Driving World Cup™ Final, Bordeaux (FRA) 

At this edition of the FEI Driving World Cup™ Final held in Bordeaux, all eyes were on Australia’s Boyd Exell to take an unprecedented 10^th title, and the Australian did not disappoint! 

With his team of navigator Emma Olsson and backstepper Hugh Scott-Barrett, Exell remained in the lead across two days of Driving. Having no penalty points to hold them down, their total time of 239.37 seconds was four seconds faster than that of the defending champion Bram Chardon (NED), earning the Australian the championship title. It was a family affair at the prize giving, with Bram Chardon’s father IJsbrand Chardon, a former champion also representing the Netherlands, taking third place to complete the podium. 

Podium

FEI Driving European Championship Four-in-Hand, Exloo (NED) 

Reigning Champion Bram Chardon successfully defended his individual title from 2021 at Budapest and once again helped the Dutch athletes, on 326.66 points, to team gold as well. Much as the German team wanted to take the gold from their Dutch opponents, they had to settle for second place on 331.01. Team Belgium joined them on the podium at the prize giving ceremony, ending their championship in Exloo on a total of 358.09.

Chardon’s compatriot Koos de Ronde, another big contributor to the team win for the Netherlands along with Bram’s father IJsbrand Chardon, thrilled the home crowd when winning the individual silver medal. Germany’s Michael Brauchle, who had the fastest time on Saturday’s marathon course, was awarded the bronze.

Team Podium

Individual Podium

FEI Driving World Championship for Ponies, Oirschot (NED) 

In total, 95 Drivers took part in the FEI Driving World Championships 2023 for Ponies across the Four-in-Hand, Pairs and the Single Horse categories. Marijke Hammink from The Netherlands took the win in the Four-in-Hand ahead of Switzerland’s Yannick Scherrer and Steffen Bauchle from Germany. The individual title in the Pairs again went to The Netherlands, but this time to Rodinde Rutjens ahead of compatriots Melanie Van De Bunt and Cas Hendriks, making it a 100% Dutch podium. Singles champion was Cédric Scherrer from Switzerland, who clinched gold ahead of France’s Berengere Meuwis Cressent and Germany’s Anna Gerkinger.   

It was no great surprise that the individual successes of the Dutch boosted the team into gold medal position. Silver went to Switzerland and bronze to Germany. 

Team Podium

Individual Podium Four-in Hand 

Individual Podium Pair Horses

Individual Podium Single Horse 

FEI Driving World Championship Pair Horses, Haras Du Pin (FRA)

Dominating from start to finish, reigning World champion team Hungary made it very clear that their goal at this championship was to win a sixth consecutive title and a record-breaking 10^th title since first winning in 1989. And by the end of the event, it was mission accomplished. The team of Martin Hölle, György Fekete Jr. and Kristof Osztertag drove to gold ahead of strong rivals Switzerland in silver. Bronze went to Germany.  

Hölle was also on a special individual mission, aiming to win the championship title for the fourth time in a row, and here too the mission was successfully accomplished. The Hungarian was unbeatable, leaving Marcel Luder (SUI) and Erik Evers (NED) in silver and bronze.  

Team Podium

Individual Podium 

FEI Driving World Championship Young Horses, Lamotte Beuvron (FRA) 

Venturing outside Hungary for the first time since the event was established in 2015, the eighth FEI Driving World Championship for Young Horses was held at the superb equestrian centre Parc Equestre Fédéral at Lamotte-Beuvron in France.  

First to be crowned World Champion was the six-year-old category and was none other than the 2022 five-year-old champion, Franches-Montagnes Lemmy-K, driven by Switzerland’s experienced Mario Gandolfo. The powerful Swiss-bred gelding was in front at each stage of the competition to end on 15.93. Runner-up was Lars Krüger (GER) with the German SATHU mare Salome on 14.80, and in third was Sabrina Melotti (NED) driving the KWPN mare Melotti Texel with 13.67. 

The second category to find a new champion was the youngest, namely the five-year-olds. Fabrice Martin driving for the host nation also took the lead in each test with the stunning black Selle Français mare Idromel Noir and they topped the leader board throughout, finishing with the gold medal score of 15.30. Second place once again went to Lars Krüger, this time with the SATHU stallion Valentino on a score of 14.12 and, this time trading a gold for bronze, Mario Gandolfo drove his own Franches-Montagnes gelding Johnson Du Signal to the remaining podium place on 12.98.  

The last championship title of the event was awarded to the Oldenburg bred mare Freaky Friday 12 driven by Marie Schiltz (LUX) in the seven-year-old category on 14.53. KWPN gelding Love to Dance and Wilbrord Van Den Broek (NED) took home silver with a total of 12.46, ahead of the KWPN stallion L-Grappa-WK driven by Agnes Paulovics (HUN), who finished on 12.31.   

5-year-old Podium  

6-year-old Podium  

7-year-old Podium  

Para Driving

FEI Para Driving Facts and Figures 2023 

Major event in 2023… 

FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles, Exloo (NED) 

The Team competition at the FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles in Exloo featured a German team composed of Heiner Lehrter/Dash Wood, Patricia Großerichter/Gentle-Man and Alexandra Röder/Equistar Lucie securing gold for the fourth time at this championship.  

The silver medal went to Team USA made up of Tracy Bowman/Albrecht’s Hoeve’s Lars, Bob Giles/Brynithon Flyers Magic and Diane Kastama/Tjibbe. They were only narrowly ahead of the British team of Deborah Daniel/Mr Capitola Houdini, Emily Ham/Beechwood Bracken and Mick Ward/Douglas, who finished in bronze for the fifth time.  

The individual championship title once again went to the defending champion Tracy Bowman (USA), who drove a flawless round with loyal partner Albrecht’s Hoeve’s Lars to retain her crown. Patricia Großerichter (GER) was one of five Grade I drivers to produce a double clear, which helped clinch silver, ahead of Australia’s Jodie McKeone in bronze after her storming round for a win in the Marathon. 

Alexandra Röder (GER) and Equistar Lucie were untouchable in the Grade II class, leading in all three phases and taking gold again for the first time since her win at Sandringham (GBR) in 2014. Silver and bronze went to the host nation, with Ingmar Veneman and Siglavy Linada in second ahead of Aad van Marwijk with Dokito, both medallists at previous championships. 

Team Podium

Individual Podium Grade I 

Individual Podium Grade II