A record 85 athletes from 20 nations will contest the 14th FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses at München-Riem (GER), September 1-6, where defending champion Mario Gandolfo (SUI) and a strong French squad lead the medal contenders.
Defending champion
Switzerland’s hopes rest on world number one Gandolfo who will compete again with Favela, his 12-year-old Freiberger mare. They are marathon specialists and won the phase at the 2024 World Championship in Haras du Pin, France, which contributed to the Swiss Team bronze.
Swiss team member and double bronze medallist in 2024 Stefan Ulrich is optimistic that they can repeat their success. Fresh from the FEI World Championships in Aachen (GER) where he assisted his father Werner – the 1998 Four-in-Hand World Champion – Ulrich is driving Bombardier, his versatile 11-year-old Westphalian who he or his father has driven at recent single, pair or four-in-hand championships.
French favourites
France is another formidable force in the Single Horses classes and will aim to retain the Team gold they have won at the last two World Championships. They have fielded a strong squad for München-Riem, including Marion Vignaud who was individual silver medallist at the 2024 and 2022 championships.
At both events, she was on course for gold until the last set of cones when disappointment struck and balls rolled, adding penalties which cost her individual glory. Vignaud is currently ranked number two and returns with her 16-year-old KWPN First Quality, who has helped her win medals at the last three World Championships.
Competition for places on the French Team will be intense. Selectors can draw on considerable depth and experience, with former Team gold medallists Clement Dechamps, Tony Ecalle, Clare Lefort and Fabrice Martin also in contention.
German and Dutch interests
The Germans won Team gold at four consecutive championships between 2010 and 2016. Their highest-ranked driver, world number three Anne Unzeitig, returns with De Niro 29, the 18-year-old Hanoverian who helped her secure Team silver and bronze at the last two championships. Ciara Schubert and Marie Tischer, members of the all-female team that won silver in 2024, are also in the line-up.
The Netherlands’ absence from the podium in 2024 was unusual, and the squad will be keen to make amends. Two-time World Champion Saskia Siebers, the country’s most successful Single Horse driver, brings Nulleke TK, an eight-year-old KWPN who has succeeded her great horse Axel.
Luxembourg was fourth in 2024 and sends the same, experienced team of father and daughter Franz and current world number one Marie Schiltz, with Nicolas Kandel. Marie will again drive Frodo, the 18-year-old Oldenburg with Donnerhall breeding who was a 2015 Young Horse World Champion.
Long-term competitors
Sweden won three consecutive Team golds after triumphing at the first Singles World Championship held in Pratoni, Italy in 1998. Cecilia Qvarnström, who won individual silver in 1998, and again at the same venue in 2006, will compete with Joe Joe, a 12-year-old KWPN.
For Poland, 2018 World Champion and Young Horse specialist Bartlomiej Kwiatek is bringing Nerwus, a 9-year-old Silesian.
Tracy Bowman from California, twice Grade 1 Para Driving World Champion, will represent the USA with her stalwart Welsh X, the 17-year-old Albrecht’s Hoeve’s Lars. Despite the distances, she regularly trains with leading Dutch four-in-hand driver and European Champion, Bram Chardon, who recently won Team gold in Aachen.
Canada will be represented by Kelly Bruder with Backstage CQ, and Alexia Guillemette with Vito.
A historical venue
Bavaria’s Olympia-Reitanlage has hosted equestrian sport since the 1930s, most notably during the 1972 Olympic Games. Michael Mayer (SUI) has designed the marathon obstacles and cones course, and will be joined by officials including Ground Jury President Pia Skar (DEN) and Chief Steward Jan Devaere (BEL), both of whom officiated at the Aachen World Championships.
Each national federation can enter up to eight athletes, and teams have two or three members – although with only two, there’s no drop score. Eighteen of the nations will compete for the Team event as Australia and Croatia each have one Athlete.
The record entry reflects the development, popularity and accessibility of Single Horse driving, with more Athletes than ever able to achieve their aspirations of competing on the world stage at a historic venue.
Entries here.
Results here.
Livestream here.
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