15 November 2013
Stuttgart: Victory for Exell, bad luck for Brauchle and Dobrovitz
The first competition of the FEI World Cup Driving in Stuttgart tonight turned out to be victorious for Boyd Exell, but was less fortunate for Germany’s Michael Brauchle and Hungarian driver József Dobrovitz.
The competition started rather awkward when first starter, wild card driver Michael Brauchle, turned over in the first marathon obstacle. Luckily, the team came to a stop immediately and the other competitors quickly helped to get the carriage back up again: “It was my own fault, I should have lowered my speed just a little bit earlier,” said Brauchle, who had a very good feeling about his team. Brauchle will compete in tomorrow’s FEI World Cup Driving competition; his horses, his grooms and himself are unharmed.
József Dobrovitz was only just underway in the second round, which took place over a shortened course, when his leader horses became too strong and he could not stop them going through gate 8 backwards, for which he was eliminated.
Boyd Exell put down a very good performance in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart. The four-time World Cup Champion drove a fast and clear first round and already took a big lead to Daniel Schneiders and Georg von Stein. In the second round he was no less than 10 seconds faster than Dobrovitz junior, who had set the fastest time so far. One knock down did not endanger his victory at all and Exell will be last to go in tomorrow’s FEI World Cup competition.
Daniel Schneiders was also in good form and put down two double clear rounds. Schneiders finished second, ahead of his compatriot Georg von Stein, who lost his chance to finishing second after he had two knockdowns in the second round. József Dobrovitz jr. made up for his somewhat disappointing result in the first round by driving a fast and clear second round, which resulted in the fourth place.
