FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championship

The FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championship was held from 15 to 17 July in Catton Hill (GBR) and was a great success. The weather was wonderful and the competition of a very high standard.

Over 250 ponies took part in the single, pair and four-in-hand competitions to decide the individual and team medals (see www.catton-hall.com for full results)

Hot favourites Germany and the Netherlands earned the team gold and silver respectively, followed by Great Britain. Title holder Germany took an early lead thanks to the beautiful dressage tests of Stefen Abicht and Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl. The weather, which was extremely hot on the first days cooled down right on time for the marathon, which saw a consistent German team keeping the lead of the championship.

Mr Richard Nicoll, Chairman of the FEI Driving Committee and Technical Delegate at the World Championships, commented “the friendly competitive atmosphere and the high standard of competition is a credit to the sport and contributed to a very successful Championship in the picturesque grounds of the Catton Hall parkland.”

The FEI Driving Committee Meeting was also held at Catton Hall following the Championships.

SINGLES
Driver, Country, Pony, Score
1) Suzy Stafford, USA, Cefnoakpark Bouncer, 130.40
2) Dirk van Beckhoven, NED, Frits, 131.14
3) Ann-Christine Arvidsson, SWE, Knut, 131.90
4) Susan Denney, GBR, Rolls Silver Spirit, 132.60
5) Peter Koux, DEN, Taffy, 134.38
6) Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl, GER, Night Moon, 139.14
7) Rico Weber, SUI, Aischa V, 147.99
8) Geert Bongers, NED, Liesbos Yvo, 148.01
9) Sara Howe, GBR, Costa Llewellyn, 151.00
10) Sara Schmitt, USA, High Country Doc, 151.91

PAIRS
1) Steffen Abicht, GER, 139.11
2) Rupert Ganhör, AUT, 145.70
3) Lars Dau, DEN, 146.94
4) Rebecca Kristiansen, SWE, 147.32
5) Peter Borgmann, GER, 148.26
6) Jo Rennison, GBR, 148.31
7) Jan de Boer, NED, 150.00
8) Tracey Morgan, USA, 150.11
9) Karl van Kekem, NED, 150.59
10) Rachel Stevens, GBR, 156.18

FOUR-IN-HAND
Driver, Country, Score

1) Dirk Gerkens, GER, 156.77
2) Tobias Bücker, GER, 164.45
3) Aart van de Kamp Senior, NED, 165.34
4) Mia Allo, BEL, 166.26
5) Peter Schenk, AUT, 176.00
6) Tinne Bax, BEL, 176.63
7) Bart Verdroncken, BEL, 177.99
8) Aart van de Kamp Junior, NED, 183.54
9) Yvonne Houten-Hovens, NED, 185.31
10) Ursula Hirschberg, GBR, 186.98

TEAM
Country, Drivers (singles, pairs and four-in-hand), Cumulative score

1) Germany: Sandra Broichhaus, Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl, Steffen Abicht, Peter Borgmann, Tobias Bücker, Dirk Gerkens, 428.03
2) Netherlands: Dirk van Beckhoven, Yvonne de Ruyter, Jan de Boer, Ewoud Boom, Aart van de Kamp Junior, Aart van de Kamp Senior, 433.72
3) Great Britain: Susan Denney, Sara Howe, Jo Rennison, Rachel Stevens, Sarah-Jane Cook, Ursula Hirschberg, 455.53
4) Austria: Harald Ebner, Stefan Gratz, Rupert Ganhör, Markus Remer, Michael Broger, Peter Schenk, 475.87
5) United States: Sara Schmitt, Suzy Stafford, Tracey Morgan, Katie Whaley, Lisa Stroud, Ester “Boots” Wright, 478.90