Boyd Exell gives Bundy a record 100th FEI Driving World Cup™ win in Bordeaux.

Boyd Exell (AUS) and his superstar horse Bundy have made history tonight in Bordeaux (FRA) as the “brains of the team” won his 100th FEI Driving World Cup™ competition and helped the world number one win the first round of the 23rd Final.  Formally called Bajnok, which means ‘champion’ in Hungarian, Bundy is the left leader and is nearly 22 years old.  He has been with Boyd for 16 years and in that time has had 145 World Cup starts and been part of the winning team at seven of the 10 Finals the Australian has won. 

As the highest ranked Driver coming into the Final on a maximum 30 points, Boyd was the last to enter the arena late on Saturday night in front of a 90% capacity crowd in the Parc des Expositions.  Despite rolling a ball to add four, his time of 151.83 was fast enough to ensure he stayed in front on 155.83 to put himself in pole position before Sunday’s second competition, when the new champion will be crowned.

Stating afterwards that trying to win the World Cup Final was like “chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” and that he had a few extra tricks up his sleeve for Sunday, but “wasn’t going to give away his Grandmother’s recipes”, Boyd has his sights set on his 11th title, which now seems within reach after the polished performance on Saturday night.  Praising Bundy’s input to the team, he said his horses were sharp and fast, but easy to drive.

Nipping at his heals are father and son supremos, Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon (NED).  Maintaining the fantastic form he has shown at times this series, Ijsbrand was speedy enough for second on 159.53, adding four to his time of 155.53.  Bram, as reigning champion is, like his father, aiming for his fourth title and was only 0.18 seconds behind Boyd on 152.01, but had eight to add for 160.01 for third place. 

Marginally behind the Chardons was Koos de Ronde (NED), who produced the only clear of the night to finish on his time of 160.64.  Lady Luck, and his obliging leaders, helped Koos dodge a couple of errors in marathon obstacle number four, and he emerged without penalties.  Taking a slightly more cautious approach for the remainder of the course paid off and his time and accuracy have kept him in touch with another podium place.   

Despite a fast first half of the course, Dries Degrieck (BEL) seemed to miss his lines in the second marathon obstacle number 10 and added 12 to his time of 154.46 for a total of 166.46.  Although he came to the Final with a strong chance of making the podium for the first time, and even taking the title, because of the unique scoring system he may now have too big a margin to overcome.  

Also starting well in the early part of the course was Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) but a halt and correction of his leaders after missing a gate ate up any advantage and he added eight to his time of 168.67 to end on 176.67.
The host nation’s wild card entry, Benjamin Aillaud (FRA), was first to enter the arena and engaged the supportive home crowed immediately.  As a pathfinder, his time was 170.97 and he had two knocks for an additional eight, to total 178.97.
Because of the scoring system for the Final, there is no drive off in the first competition.  Ensuring that all the rounds

contribute to the eventual placings, each Driver carries over 50% of the difference between their score and the leader, who starts from zero, so all except Boyd will have something added to their times and penalties on Sunday afternoon.  
The consensus was that for a Final, Jeroen Houterman’s (NED) course design gave a flowing route which enabled fast driving.  Two of the gates will be dropped from the marathon obstacles for Sunday’s drive off, and only the three Drivers with the lowest scores will take part.  After tonight’s performance, Boyd looks assured of a podium place, but who will join him is hard to predict. 

FULL RESULTS