Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich has made a perfect move in Mechelen by winning the fifth leg of the FEI World Cup Driving. With his first-ever World Cup victory, Ulrich has climbed to the third place in the standings and has secured a ticket for the Final in Gothenburg in April 2006. After his second place in Stockholm, Ysbrand Chardon was placed second again in the well-filled Nekkerhal. Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz completed his second World Cup season with a well-deserved third place.
The enthusiastic spectators in Mechelen were treated to very good sport, offered by the competitors and Falk Böhnisch’ speedy course. Ulrich, Chardon and Dobrovitz qualified for the winning round, which was driven over a shortened course. Being the last competitor, Ulrich had a nine second-advantage to Chardon and decided to drive safely. ŒI knew I had to stay clear and I did not want to take any risks, so I drove carefully.’ By driving a fast and clear round, the 2005 Aachen-winner had three seconds left when he passed the finish line and was clearly super-satisfied with his team. “It is the first time that I win a World Cup competition. I came close a few times, but here in Mechelen it all worked out.” Ulrich drove the same horses as in Geneva two weeks ago, where he came third. The 1998 World Champion was especially pleased with his leaders, the half-trotter Corado and the five-year-old trotter Moulou de Chamant. “They know exactly what they are doing and they stay away from the cones amazingly.” Chardon, who competed with his winning team of Gothenburg in March this year, was first to go in the winning round and knew he had to take some risks in order to give Ulrich a hard time. “I came to Mechelen, knowing that the competition would be tough. That is also the reason why I used my allround horse Tomars again in the lead instead of the grey gelding I used in Stockholm,” comments Chardon. “ I was well on the way and I suddenly decided I wanted to take a shorter route to the finish. This was an impossible course and even though I was saved by my horses, I knocked a cone down which cost me the victory in the end.” Jozsef Dobrovitz’ team, existing of two Lipizzaner horses, a trotter and a Dutch Warmblood, took the sympathetic Hungarian driver to the third place, over which he was very satisfied. Dutch driver Koos de Ronde completed his first World Cup season with a fourth place in Mechelen. The 2004 Dutch Champion was well on his way to qualify for the winning round, but was stroke by bad luck when he knocked cone number 13 off. Although his time was very fast, he just missed a top-three placing. De Ronde is currently in the fifth place in the standings, together with Fredrik Persson. Germany’s Christoph Sandmann could not find the right pace this weekend and had to be content with the fifth place. The wild cards went to former pair driver Dirk Stael and to Belgium’s oldest active driver Achille Snoeys, who came sixth and seventh. 1996 World Champion Felix Brasseur qualified for the World Cup but decided not to compete and multiple Belgian four-in-hand champion and Mechelen-winner in 2003 Gert Schrijvers did not make the top ten for the first time since the start of the FEI World Cup Driving in 2001.
The next and decisive FEI World Cup Driving event takes place in Leipzig, Germany, on 20 and 22 January 2006.
Results CAI-W Mechelen:
1. Werner Ulrich (Sui) 257.16
2. Ysbrand Chardon (Ned) 260.07
3. Jozsef Dobrovitz (Hun) 263.54
4. Koos de Ronde (Ned) 135.50
5. Christoph Sandmann (Ger) 146.91
6. Dirk Stael (Bel) 170.98
7. Achille Snoeys (Bel) 180.83
Classification after 5 of 7 events:
1. Michael Freund (Ger) 20
2. Zoltan Lazar (Hun) 19
3. Werner Ulrich (Sui) 15
4. Ysbrand Chardon (Ned) 14
5. Fredrik Persson (Swe) 13
5. Koos de Ronde (Ned) 13
The FEI World Cup Driving in Mechelen will be broadcasted on VRT in the late news programme on Tuesday, December 27th and as part of the Mechelen Special on the regional television channel RTV on Wednesday, December 28th from 18.00 hrs.
Check out the official website: www.feiworldcup.org
or www.worldcupdriving.com
At Mechelen, Press Officer is Edith de Reys, phone: +32 475 659281 , e-mail: edith.dereys@scarlet.be, website: www.jumping-mechelen.com
The next FEI World Cup Driving event takes place in Leipzig, Germany, on 20 and 22 January 2006. Press Officer is Andreas Kerstan, phone +49 4307 827970 , e-mail: andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de, website: www.partner-pferd.de
Created in 2001, the Driving World Cup has provided an innovative new style of competition for indoor events, with courses combining marathon and cone driving obstacles. The 2005/2006 season of the World Cup includes seven competitions: Hannover (GER), Stuttgart (GER), Stockholm (SWE), Geneva (SUI), Mechelen (BEL) in 2005; Leipzig (GER) and Göteborg (SWE) in 2006. The top 6 after 6 events will qualify for the 7th event in Göteborg.
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