Sport-heute: ReportMix - NEWS FROM THE FEI WORLD PONY DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP

16. August 2009, 22:10

NEWS FROM THE FEI WORLD PONY DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP

MARATHON PROVES INFLUENTIAL

The marathon at the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Greven, attended by 5000 spectators, has changed the individual and team standings. While the German team is still in the lead, they are being chased by The Netherlands and Belgium. Dutch Arjo van Kekem has taken over the lead in the single pony class; German Daniel Schneiders is leading the pairs class. Tobias Bücker from Germany is the only one who has kept his lead after dressage and marathon in the pony four-in-hand class.

Greven (GER), 15 August 2009 (mk) Singles

Twenty-two year old Dutch driver Arjo van Kekem, whose father Karel is competing in the pairs class, won the marathon. Arjo set the fastest times in four of the eight wonderful marathon obstacles, driving his Hackney pony Domero. Maxime
Maricourt from France, driving his catching skewbald stallion Judo, took the second place on the challenging course, ahead of individual competitor Melanie Becker from The Netherlands. Both Dutch drivers, as well as all other competitors from the Netherlands, were cheered throughout the competition by a big group of fans dressed in orange. By winning the marathon, Arjo has taken over the lead in the standings. He is only 0,69 penalty points ahead of 2005 World Champion Suzy Stafford from the USA and 0,99 ahead of compatriot Melanie Becker. The Top Five are all within one cone, so anything can happen in the final obstacle driving competition.

Pairs

Individual driver Dieter Baackmann from Germany won the marathon in the pairs class. The 45-year-old driver from the nearby village of Emsdetten drove his pair of German riding ponies wonderfully through the obstacles. His compatriot Daniel Schneiders, also an individual competitor for Germany, took the second place, ahead of Dutch team member Karel van Kekem. Daniel Schneiders has taken over the lead in the standings from dressage winner Stephan Koch, who has dropped to the second place after ending on the 22nd place in the marathon. Germany’s Steffen Abicht has climbed to the third position. As the difference between the number one and three is only 2,02 penalty points, the medals will be divided between the German drivers after another thrilling cones competition.

Four-in-hand

The orange fans did not shout for nothing as Aart van de Kamp junior drove his team of Shetland ponies very fast through the obstacles, designed by WEG 2006 course designer Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf. Twenty nine year old Aart is a true marathon specialist, having won marathons at the big international pony driving competitions in Emsdetten and Giethmen, as well as at the 2007 World Championships. Aart is defending his individual silver medal in Greven and set no more than five fastest times in the obstacles today. His compatriot and title defender Jan de Boer took the second place, ahead of individual driver for Germany Martin Thiemann. Tobias Bücker had received clear orders from team trainer Ewald Meier to drive a fast marathon, but not to take any risks to secure his dressage score for the team. Bücker came 12th in the marathon and herewith secured his leading position after dressage and marathon.

Quotes

Arjo van Kekem (NED):

“I had hoped for a good marathon result, but to end on the first place in the standings is just super! My pony went very well today and I achieved the maximum result. I especially liked the long obstacles, my pony is at his best when he has the opportunity to accelerate.”

Dieter Baackmann (GER):

“The marathon was rather heavy for me and my ponies, the obstacles were long and this used up some of their strength. I would like to thank my groom, if it had not been for him, I would have had two knock downs.”

Aart van de Kamp junior (NED)

“I like the marathon, although it was not technical enough for me; the more technical they are, the better I get with my small ponies! I wanted to make a gap in the marathon between me and my close by competitors, but I did not achieve the result I wanted. I had mistakes in two obstacles, which cost me precious seconds. But I am of course nevertheless happy that I won the marathon at this World Championship!”

Results marathon:

Single pony

1. Arjo van Kekem (NED) 74,25

2. Maxime Maricourt (FRA) 75,15

3. Melanie Becker (NED) 76,78

Pony pair

1. Dieter Baackmann (GER) 77,52

2. Daniel Schneiders (GER) 78,44

3. Karel van Kekem (NED) 79,05

Pony team

1. Aart van de Kamp jr. (NED) 85,86

2. Jan de Boer (NED) 86,97

3. Martin Thiemann (GER) 89,42

Individual standings after dressage and marathon:

Single pony

1. Arjo van Kekem (NED) 129,93

2. Suzy Stafford (USA) 130,62

3. Melanie Becker (NED) 130,92

Pony pair

1. Daniel Schneiders (GER) 129,64

2. Stephan Koch (GER) 131,00

3. Steffen Abicht (GER) 131,66

Pony team

1. Tobias Bücker (GER) 138,19

2. Steffen Brauchle (GER) 141,43

3. Jan de Boer (GER) 141,62

Nations standings after dressage and marathon:

1. Germany 396,35

2. The Netherlands 398,53

3. Belgium 407,47

NEWS FROM THE FEI WORLD COMBINED PONY DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Greven-Bockholt (GER), 14 August 2009
GERMANY IN THE LEAD IN GREVEN

The German team is going for gold on home ground at the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Greven-Bockholt. With a winner in the dressage in every class, Germany is 13 points in the lead in the team standings, ahead of Belgium and the Netherlands.

Singles

Individual competitor for Germany Franz Josef Lehmkuhl won the dressage of the single pony class. Lehmkuhl left the arena on 44,80 points and is ahead of title defender Peter Koux from Denmark, who had been in the lead until then. Belgium’s Johan Verswalm took the third place with his impressive New Forest pony Cathy’s Tabor.

For Lehmkuhl, the World Championship is a home competition as he lives in Emsdetten, which is only eight kilometers away from Greven. The 61-year old driver will have special memories of Greven because this will be his very last competition. After having been a successful pony pair and pony single driver for many years, Lehmkuhl will now concentrate on training and teaching carriage driving; he will become a course designer for which he has been learning from Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf.

Pairs

German team member Stephan Koch claimed another German victory with his pair of Welsh ponies. The reigning German Champion scored 40,83 penalty points which helped him overcome fellow country member Steffen Abicht, who was the overnight leader with 44,42 points. Former pony team driver Anna Grayston from Great Britain placed third. took the third place. Title defender Miranda Cadwell ended on an unusual 33rd position in dressage, having used a different pony.

Four-in-hand

Tobias Bücker, also from the nearby village of Emsdetten, won the dressage in the four-in-hand class as. Bücker, who has represented Germany at every European and World Pony Driving Championship since 1995, has contributed towards many German team gold medals won in the past, and it looks like he will be doing the same in Greven. Young driver Tinne Bax from Belgium performed very well with her team of grey Welsh ponies and took the second place, ahead of Germany’s second team driver Steffen Brauchle and title defender Jan de Boer from the Netherlands.

Marathon

Tomorrow’s marathon consists of eight challenging obstacles, built by 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games course designer Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf. The weather has warmed and all the necessary measures have been taken to ensure that both ponies and drivers can efficiently cool down. Asendorf is looking forward to the marathon, “It was difficult to build obstacles which are suitable for singles, pairs and teams of ponies. We have built the obstacles in a way to minimize the risk of injuries; the welfare of the pony has been our highest priority.”

Quotes

Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl (GER):

“I was very pleased with my dressage, this in my best phase of the combined driving competition. I am 61 and I am not so fast in the marathon anymore. But I will try everything tomorrow to keep up with my challenges, assisted by my groom, who has been with me for over 15 years.”

Stephan Koch (GER):

“I bought the ponies when they were three and four years old and I schooled them myself. Dressage and cones are my specialties; I don’t like taking too many risks in the marathon. My ponies really like to work for me and I will certainly try to go nice and clear through the obstacles.”

Tobias Bücker (GER):

“Although I am very far in the lead, I will try to drive a safe marathon to secure the team result. Of course, I will not go slowly, but I will avoid taking risks. To become team World Champion is more important than to become individual World Champion!”

Results dressage/ individual standings

Single pony

1. Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl (GER) 44,80

2. Peter Koux (DEN) 46,46

3. Johan Verswalm (BEL) 46,98

4. Suzy Stafford (USA) 48,51

5. Yvonne de Ruyter (NED) 49,54

Pony pair

1. Stephan Koch (GER) 40,83

2. Steffen Abicht (GER) 44,42

3. Anna Grayston (GBR) 45,57

4. Daniel Schneiders (GER) 51,20

5. Johann Weitlaner (ITA) 51,71

Four-in-hand

1. Tobias Bücker (GER) 42,75

2. Tinne Bax (BEL) 44,67

3. Steffen Brauchle (GER) 50,30

4. Jan de Boer (NED) 54,66

5. Jozsef Dobrovitz jr. (HUN) 55,30

Team standings:

1. Germany 136,06

2. Belgium 149,51

3. The Netherlands 159,37

4. USA 160,38

5. Great Britain 162,30

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