Category Archives: Driving

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 – Preview

MAKING HISTORY IN KENTUCKY…..

22 September 2010 – History will be made when the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games opens on Saturday 25 September in the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, one of the world’s most evocative permanent equestrian centres located in the heart of the USA’s famed ‘Blue Grass Horse Country’.

It is the sixth occasion that the competitive disciplines have come together to take part in  the world’s greatest equestrian extravaganza, but the first time that the Games have been held outside Europe and the first time they have had a title sponsor – the animal nutrition company Alltech.

When the nominated entries were received last month, over 900 athletes and 1,300 horses were listed, and while this number will reduce as selections are finalised over the next few days the scale of the event is enormous.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12170

Shelly Temple Crowned USEF National Champion – Single Pony Combined Driving

Shelly Temple and Cooper gallop through the water hazard at the Laurels. Photo credit: Diana Rowland.

Shelly Temple and her 12 year old Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (“Cooper”) won the USEF Single Pony Champion in combined driving for the second time in four years.  Held this year at the Laurels of Landhope in Kennett Square, PA, the first day of competition began with dressage.  Shelly and Cooper held a comfortable lead with a score after dressage of 43.73.  Shelly remarked that “Cooper was responsive and willing throughout the day.”  Day two consisted of the cross country marathon with an overall distance of 16 kilometers.  Shelly and navigator/husband Fran Doto drove a solid marathon to maintain their lead into day three, the cones competition.  The cones competition saw Temple maintain her overall lead to follow up her 2009 reserve champion in the single pony championships.

“Cooper felt on top of his game the entire competition.  He was fit and willing.  We appreciate the support of our sponsors like including Charles Owens, Kombat Boots, Kentucky Equine Research, and Sheetz.  Their products and services allow us to compete at a high level.”

Continue reading Shelly Temple Crowned USEF National Champion – Single Pony Combined Driving

Horsetalk Radio Describes Combined Driver Chester Weber as “King of the Chariot” during Interview about WEG

King of the Chariot: United States Four-In-Hand Combined Driver Chester Weber was interviewed on the radio show “Horsetalk with Heather” about the upcoming Alltech World Equestrian Games. (Photo courtesy of My Weber)

Ocala, FL (September 16, 2010) – Chester Weber, the United States’ reigning National Four-In-Hand Combined Driver, turned up the intrigue on the exciting and challenging world of Combined Driving when he was interviewed on the radio show “Horsetalk With Heather” on September 14. Weber is part of the United States Combined Driving team that will compete at the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky.

Radio show host Heather described Weber as a “Combined Driving legend and King of the Chariot,” while interviewing the Four-In-Hand Champion. Weber did his part to uphold that status earlier in the year when broke his own record by becoming the first driver to win the National Championship eight years in a row. With the goal of winning the National Championships behind him, Weber is now preparing for the wild ride of competing at the World Equestrian Games.

While on the radio show, Weber described Combined Driving as a “Ben Hur-like” ride, and not only described the work involved in preparing seven horses for competition but also talked through the three different phases in the competition, dressage, the marathon and cones, and the equipment needed for each phase.

Continue reading Horsetalk Radio Describes Combined Driver Chester Weber as “King of the Chariot” during Interview about WEG

FEI Photo Exhibition Showcases Inspirational Equestrian Figures

Alex Hua Tian & Mark Todd (CHN and NZL, Eventing)

9 September 2010 – The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the governing body of horse sport, is to unveil an innovative photographic celebration of equestrianism entitled Inspire at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.

Inspire brings together 16 images of inspirational equestrian legends and young talents who represent all the equestrian disciplines on the programme of the FEI’s four-yearly flagship event. Athletes from Jumping, Dressage, Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining are shown in surprising and eloquent contexts, many of which incorporate subtle or playful references to their disciplines. Most of the images unite two people in rural or urban backdrops and highlight the bond of admiration and inspiration between them.

The origins of the athletes are diverse and serve as a reminder of the geographical spread of the 133 National Federations affiliated to the FEI.

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American Miniature Horse Drill Team, The Arizona Mini Mystique, Will Perform at the 2010 World Equestrian Games

The Arizona Mini Mystique, an American Miniature Horse precision driving drill team, will perform at the 2010 Alltech FEI WEG. (Photo courtesy of The Arizona Mini Mystique)

Phoenix, AZ (September 14, 2010) – The Arizona Mini Mystique, an American Miniature Horse precision driving drill team, will bring their team of small equines to the biggest equestrian event in the country when they perform at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. The Mini Mystique will perform daily, October 3-10, as part of the WEG Showcase Entertainment in the Equine Village at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“Appearing at the World Equestrian Games is a huge honor for The Arizona Mini Mystique and we are so proud to have them representing the American Miniature Horse Registry at the biggest horse event our country has ever seen,” said Johnny Robb, Director of Marketing for the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR). “The Arizona Mini Mystique have been wonderful ambassadors for the AMHR for many years. They have taken part in other big events including the 2007, 2008 and 2010 Rose Parades, the Stampede in July 2009, and the Del Mar National Horse Show.”

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FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles 2010

Germany's Heiner Lehrter on his way to securing individual and team gold at the 2010 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles in Breda. Photo: Rinaldo de Craen.

GERMAN PARA-EQUESTRIAN DRIVERS REIGN SUPREME

7 September – German drivers dominated the 2010 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles at Breda, The Netherlands. Heiner Lehrter and Josef Sauerwald took individual gold and silver respectively and they joined up with Hubert Markett to also secure team gold.

At the previous World Championship in Greven two years ago, the Germans were beaten on their home soil by the Dutch.  This time around however the tables were turned as the Germans were strongest on Dutch territory. The host nation took team silver, Great Britain won the bronze and defending double gold-medallist, Jacques Poppen from The Netherlands, earned individual bronze.

Perfect Integration

It was the first time the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships took place at a regular international driving event, and this new formula turned out to be a great success. The atmosphere was wonderful and all competitors enjoyed the superb competition site at The Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda.  Every year this versatile venue hosts the only Nations Cup in Four-In-Hand Driving in The Netherlands, as well as an international driving competition for pony teams, an international eventing competition and the Dutch eventing Championships and national jumping and dressage competitions. The FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships was perfectly integrated into the Driving programme. Due of the limited number of competitors – 15 entries from 4 nations – it was decided to create one class including Grade 1 and Grade 2 drivers. Grade 2 drivers have greater functional ability than their Grade 1 counterparts.

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Lázar Takes Individual Honours, but Dutch Claim Nations Cup on Home Soil at Breda

Zoltan Lázar (HUN) scored his first ever CAIO win when claiming victory at Breda in the Netherlands ahead of Werner Ulrich (SWI) and Mark Weusthof (NED). (Photo: Rinaldo de Craen)

6 September 2010 – Hungary’s Zoltan Lázar scored his first-ever international four-in-hand victory at a CAIO when winning at Breda, the Netherlands, ahead of Werner Ulrich (SWI) and the best Dutch driver at this prestigious competition, Mark Weusthof, but the Dutch team once again proved invincible, staying well ahead of Switzerland and Sweden throughout the Nations Cup competition.

Twenty-eight drivers from 10 nations started at the beautiful Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda, an outstanding venue which boasts the only Dutch Nations Cup competition in the history of Dutch driving. Breda has also been host to a number of other equestrian events this year, such as the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships, Pony Driving Championships, international and national Eventing competitions as well as national Jumping and Dressage fixtures.

Other vehicles and equipment
Breda was the last outing for the top drivers before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The carriages and other equipment of the Dutch, German and Swiss teams have already been shipped to Kentucky and most of the drivers therefore started with borrowed vehicles and harnesses. Drivers like Koos de Ronde and Theo Timmerman from the Netherlands competed with different horses in Breda to save their best horses for Kentucky.

Continue reading Lázar Takes Individual Honours, but Dutch Claim Nations Cup on Home Soil at Breda

Chester Weber’s Jamaica Featured in “Beloved Horses in Second Careers” Book to Be Released in September

Jamaica is being featured in a new book called “Beloved Horses in Second Careers” by Sharon Miner. Jamaica was rescued from a slaughterhouse before becoming part of Weber’s award-winning team. (Photo courtesy of BlueCentaur.com)

Ocala, FL (August 30, 2010) – Jamaica, Chester Weber’s award-winning combined driving horse who was rescued from a slaughterhouse in Belgium, captured the nation’s attention when he won the most prestigious horse title in the country and became the USEF Farnam Platform Horse of the Year. Now, Jamaica’s rags to riches story is being told in the book Beloved Horses in Second Careers (Infinity Publishing) which will be released in September.

Written by Sharon Miner, the book focuses on horses who started their career in one discipline and then went on to have rewarding second careers. Jamaica’s “second career” turned out to be an amazing one, as he famously became part of Weber’s record-breaking international Four-In-Hand Combined Driving team. Jamaica, now 19, was a member of seven of Weber’s National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving National Championship teams.

Continue reading Chester Weber’s Jamaica Featured in “Beloved Horses in Second Careers” Book to Be Released in September

Chester Weber Awards Silent Auction Winner with a Charles Owen Helmet at Iron Horse CDE

Combined Driver Chester Weber presents Mary Sheerin with a certificate for a new Charles Owen helmet. (Photo courtesy of Laurie Excell)

Caledonia, IL (August 13, 2010) – USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion Chester Weber is a strong proponent of wearing helmets, and during the recent Iron Horse CDE he and his team not only wore their Charles Owen helmets, but Weber stepped into the spotlight as a presenter during the silent auction. Weber presented Mary Sheerin, of Lexington, Kentucky, with a certificate for a Charles Owen helmet after Sheerin won the bid for the helmet during a silent auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity.

During the Iron Horse CDE, in which Weber won the Four-In-Hand division, Weber joined forces with two of his sponsors, Charles Owen and SUCCEED, to auction off a Charles Owen helmet certificate during the competitor’s party silent auction. Weber is encouraging all drivers to wear helmets in a Drivers4Helmets campaign, a spin on SUCCEED’s Riders4Helmets campaign.

Continue reading Chester Weber Awards Silent Auction Winner with a Charles Owen Helmet at Iron Horse CDE

Chester Weber Captures Four-In-Hand Championship at Iron Horse CDE

Chester Weber, the reigning USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, won the Four-In-Hand Championship at the Iron Horse Combined Driving Event at Sherwood Farms. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Thompson, DVM)

Caledonia, IL (August 5, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is gearing up for the World Equestrian Games the best way he knows how: by competing in and winning the Four-In-Hand at the Iron Horse Combined Driving Event at Sherwood Farms, in Caledonia, Illinois. Despite an issue in the marathon phase, Team Weber captured the overall championship with 152.2 points followed by Josh Rector with 170.58 points.

Weber said his team’s success at Iron Horse did include some bad luck, which occurred on the marathon. “We strive for our personal best and this was an example of being dealt lemons and making lemonade,” Weber said. “In the first obstacle in the marathon, Para my left wheel horse, somehow got his left front leg over Reno’s trace. Reno is the left leader, in front of Para. Olof, one of the two navigators on the carriage, got down and quickly resolved the problem in 25 seconds. The horses were unharmed and we proceeded to win the next three hazards.”

Continue reading Chester Weber Captures Four-In-Hand Championship at Iron Horse CDE