Host nation Germany won the team competition of the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Greven-Bockholt. German drivers also dominated the podium in the pony pairs class by claiming the gold, silver and bronze medal as well as the gold and silver medal in the four-in-hand class.

Singles

Dutch individual competitor, 17-year-old World Championship debutante Melanie Becker, won the gold medal in the pony single class. The silver medal went to German individual driver Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl and bronze to Suzy Stafford of the USA.

Becker drove a fantastic nearly double clear round placing third at that moment. Suzy Stafford knocked one cone down and had time penalties which made and this made Melanie climb one place up. When Melanie’s compatriot Arjo van Kekem also had several knockdowns, it became clear that Melanie Becker was the new World Champion.

Pairs

The gold medal in the pairs class went to another individual competitor: Daniel Schneiders from Germany. Schneiders drove a clear round and stayed ahead of his compatriots Stephan Koch (silver) and Steffen Abicht (bronze).

Schneiders came fourth in the dressage and second in the marathon and moved up to the first place even before the cones. The pressure was taken a bit off his shoulders when both Koch and Abicht knocked two balls down, which gave Schneiders some air. Schneiders, an 28 year old farrier, drove his pair of German riding ponies clear through the difficult cones course and passed the finishing line only a fraction of a second too late, which did not endanger his gold medal.

Four-in-hand

In the final – four-in-hand – class of the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Greven, Germany was again on top winning another individual gold medal – Tobias Bücker – and confirmed their team gold medal.

Tobias Bücker won the dressage and kept his lead after the marathon. In the cones competition he stayed clear with only time penalties and secured his first world gold medal in the four-in-hand class. Bücker had won double gold in 2003 driving a single pony. Bücker’s compatriot and team member Steffen Brauchle also stayed clear and secured the team gold. Title defender Jan de Boer was third before the cones but knocked a ball down, which took Belgian driver Tinne Bax onto the podium with the bronze medal.

Quotes

Melanie Becker (NED):

“I was very nervous, but I knew I had to concentrate. I was told to drive like the marathon so I did that. It was great to hear all the Dutch fans cheer; it helped me a lot, also in the marathon yesterday. It is a pity that Arjo knocked balls down, I would have liked him to win as well.”

Daniel Schneiders (GER):

“It is a great feeling to become World Champion. I have always dreamed of winning the gold medal and I hope to be on the German team in the future to make a good contribution to the team result as well.”

Tobias Bücker (GER):

“My dream of becoming World Champion has come true. In the past World Championships there always was something preventing me from winning the individual gold with my four-in-hand and this time, everything was right. I drove for the team, not for myself. After Steffen Brauchle drove a clear course and secured the team gold, I felt a little less pressure and could drive without making mistakes. Although I have reached my goal, I will stay loyal to the driving sport and will continue to compete with my ponies.”

Obstacle driving competition

Single pony

1. Melanie Becker (NED) 0,19

2. Johan Verswalm (BEL) 3,51

3. Yvonne de Ruyter (NED) 4,65

Pony pair

Kristof Osztertag (HUN) 0-176,08

Yannick Scherrer (SUI) 0- 179,69

Daniel Schneiders (GER) 1,93

Pony four-in-hand

Martin Thiemann (GER) 0-189,69

Jozsef Dobrovitz jr. (HUN) 0-193,33

Aart van de Kamp jr. (NED) 0-196,82

Overall Individual results

Single pony

1. Melanie Becker (NED) 131,11

2. Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl (NED) 137,76

3. Suzy Stafford (USA) 138,16

Pony pair

1. Daniel Schneiders (GER) 131,57

2. Stephan Koch (GER) 137,00

3. Steffen Abicht (GER)

Pony four-in-hand

1. Tobias Bücker (GER) 139,68

2. Steffen Brauchle (GER) 141,67

3. Tinne Bax (BEL) 143,78

Overall Team results

1. Germany 407,48

2. The Netherlands 410,08

3. Belgium 422,98

 

 

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