Tag Archives: FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Driving, FEI

Chester Weber Is Top Placing American at 2016 FEI World Driving Championships

Leave a comment

Photo courtesy of HIPPOEVENT and Šárka Veinhauerová.

Ocala, Florida (September 12, 2016) – After competing his Four-in-Hand team at top CAI tournaments across Europe this summer, Chester Weber is settling back home at his Ocala, Florida farm. Weber drove his and Jane F. Clark’s team of harmonized bay KWPN geldings to world-class finishes at several prestigious competitions, concluding their summer season as the top placing American in the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand in Breda, the Netherlands.

Driving through all three unmistakably challenging phases representing the red, white, and blue, Team Weber finished in fourth place at the World Driving Championships held August 31 through September 4. Weber also led the US Driving Team with quality performances that set the stage for teammates of James Fairclough and Allison Stroud, along with individual Misdee Wrigley Miller.

“It was super challenging course, evidenced by the one double-clear round, but I am really pleased with my group of horses and with our top-four finish,” Weber commented. “We went into this thinking we could drive for a medal, but with more time to train before the 2018 [FEI World Equestrian Games], hopefully we can do that next time.”

This past summer, the dubbed “Mr. Dressage” once again proved his place amongst the world’s best drivers by demonstrating Team Weber’s strength and stamina on the international podium. Weber commenced the summer with a solid performance at the hotly anticipated CHIO 4* Royal Windsor Horse Show in England, and then went onto Drebkau, Germany to take the top honors at the CAI 3* tournament. Most recently Weber took third overall at the CAIO 4* of the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany before heading onto Breda, the Netherlands.

The 13-time U.S. Four-in-Hand National Champion is now on home soil, soon to be joined by his and Clark’s bay geldings. Additionally, Weber will be welcoming 5-year-old KWPN gelding, nobly named Governor, to his main training program in the states. Acquired from Riant Paardesport Centrum and Mieke van Tergouw, Governor has been training with Jan van den Berghe in Weber’s young horse program in Belgium since he was 3 years old. Already showing great promise driving in pairs, Governor is ready for the big leagues and will transition to the four-in-hand team soon.

For more news on Team Weber’s latest tournaments and new horses, follow the official Facebook and Instagram @ChesterWeber accounts, and visit www.chesterweber.com.

For more information, contact:
Chester Weber
chester@chesterweber.com
1-352-895-1139

Championships, Competitions, Driving, FEI

Weber Finishes Fourth at 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand

Leave a comment

Chester Weber (Krisztina Horváth/Hoefnet.com)

Breda, The Netherlands – The 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand came to its conclusion on Sunday with the cones phase deciding the final placings. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Ed Young, the U.S. Driving Team of James Fairclough, Allison Stroud, and Chester Weber, along with individual Misdee Wrigley Miller, put forth a solid effort at the championship. Weber secured an impressive fourth-place finish with a score of 192.11, while the U.S. Driving Team finished in sixth place with a score of 435.38. The Netherlands led from start-to-finish to claim the Team Gold medal with a score of 365.09. Hungary earned the Team Silver medal with a score of 390.22, and Germany received the Team Bronze medal with a score of 394.79.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) was determined from the start of the competition to have a quality performance with his own and Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings. They began the championship with a lovely dressage test that earned a score of 40.94 from the Ground Jury of Andrew Counsell (GBR), Jiri Kunat (CZE), Hanspeter Ruschlin (SUI), Henk van Amerongen (NED), and Reiner Wannenwetsch (GER), placing third in the first phase. In Saturday’s marathon phase, Weber and his team tackled Jeroen Houterman (NED)’s challenging course, having great performances in obstacles one, two, four, and six to finish the phase in 21st place with 146.98 penalty points. They were lying in fifth place heading into Sunday’s cones phase, and they did not disappoint. Weber and his team laid down an excellent cones round over Houterman’s tricky track, knocking down a single ball at obstacle nine and collecting 1.19 time penalties for a total of 4.19 penalty points, which made them tie for fifth place in the phase. At the end of the day, Weber finished fifth overall on a score of 192.11 to be the top U.S. driver in the championship.

“It was super challenging course, evidenced by the one double-clear round, but I am really pleased with my group of horses and with our top-four finish,” Weber said. “We went into this thinking we could drive for a medal, but with more time to train before the 2018 [FEI World Equestrian Games], hopefully we can do that next time.”

Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) and Willow Star LLC’s KWPN geldings had a harmonious dressage test to earn a score of 47.37 for eighth place after the dressage phase. They had a steady performance in the marathon phase, collecting 188.26 penalty points and finishing the phase in 40th place. Stroud and her team had three balls down and 13.73 time penalties to place 37th in the cones phase with 22.73 penalty points, finishing in 32nd place overall with a score of 258.36.

Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) had a respectable dressage test with his mixed team of Warmbloods to slot into 17th place in the first phase with a score of 54.63. They had some good moments in the marathon phase. However, they finished the phase in 45th place with 225.92 penalty points. Fairclough and his team had a fantastic cones round with a single ball down at obstacle 17 and 4.64 time penalties. They finished the cones phase in ninth place with 7.64 penalties points, thus finishing on a final score of 288.19, 40th place overall.

Individually, Wrigley Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) performed a stellar dressage test with her own and Marco Freund’s team to place sixth in the first phase with a score of 46.43. She started off slow on the marathon course but picked up the pace towards the end to finish strong, tallying 280.59 penalty points for 49th place in the phase. In the cones phase, Wrigley Miller recovered well from a disobedience at obstacle nine when a horse did not go through a cone. They finished with 58.04 penalty points for 52nd place. Overall, she and her team finished in 48th place on a score of 385.06.

Boyd Exell (AUS) never relinquished his lead from the start to win Individual Gold with an overall score of 158.40. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) earned Individual Silver with a score of 183.13 and Koos de Ronde (NED) collected Individual Bronze with a score of 185.26.

Find out more information on FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand.

By Kathleen Landwehr

Championships, Competitions, Driving, FEI

USEF Names US Driving Team for 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand

Leave a comment

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the U.S. Driving Team for the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand. The championship will take place August 31 – September 4, 2016, in Breda, The Netherlands. Ed Young will serve as Chef d’Equipe.

The following combinations will compose the U.S. Driving Team for the FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand (in alphabetical order):

James Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) and his own Bento V, a 2006 KWPN gelding; Caletta 5, a 2002 Austrian Warmblood mare; Citens, a 2007 KWPN gelding; Kavango V. Falkenstein CH, a 1999 Swiss Warmblood gelding; and Zenden, a 2004 KWPN gelding

Allison Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) and Willow Star LLC’s Anesco 4, a 2005 KWPN gelding; Antonio, a 1999 KWPN gelding; Enzo, a 2009 KWPN gelding; Olando, a 1996 KWPN gelding; and Ulco, a 2001 KWPN gelding

Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) and his own Amadeus, a 2005 KWPN gelding; Boris W, a 2006 KWPN gelding; Boy W, a 2000 KWPN gelding; Jane Clark’s Splash, a 2003 KWPN gelding; and Uniek, a 2001 KWPN gelding

The following combination will serve as an alternate for the U.S. Driving Team (in alphabetical order):

Misdee Wrigley Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) and her own Beau, a 2006 KWPN gelding; Calipso 86, a 2007 KWPN gelding; Carlos 663, a 2007 KWPN gelding; Diplomaat, a 2008 KWPN gelding; and Marco Freund’s Daan 8, a 2008 gelding of unknown breeding
Wrigley Miller will compete as an individual unless a replacement to the team is necessary.

Find out more information on FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand.

From the USEF Communications Department