11 April 2024

International classes and Dutch Championships Beekbergen moved to Exloo

A new venue and date has been found for the Dutch National Four-in-Hand Horses and Para Driving Championships. Due to the cancellation of CAIO Beekbergen, the Dutch federation had to look for an alternative. Hippisch Centrum Exloo agreed to host the championships and the international classes that were initially scheduled for Beekbergen.

The news recently came that CAIO Beekbergen will not take place this year. The main reason for this is that the grounds need to be optimally prepared for the World Pair Driving Championships, which will take place in Beekbergen in 2025.

Lieuwe Koopmans from Hippisch Centrum Exloo, last year’s organizer of the European Championships for Four-in-Hand Horses and the World Championships Para Driving, wants to take over the organization of both the international competition (CAIO4*-H4, CAI2*-H4 en CAI3*-H2) and the two Dutch championships.

At the request of the FEI, the competition in Exloo will take place a week later than originally planned in Beekbergen, so that it does not coincide with the European Youth Championships in Flyinge, Sweden. The championships will now start on July 31 and on Sunday, August 4, we will know who the successors of the reigning national champions Bram Chardon and Francisca den Elzen are.

Good solution

National coach Ad Aarts is satisfied with the solution that has been found. “I’m glad that we found an organizer who is willing to take on the team in a short space of time. It’s now only a week later, so we don’t have to change the schedule either, which is great. The organization in Exloo has shown that they can organize good tournaments and it is very nice that they are able to host this extra competition.”

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Source: KNHS / Hoefnet

Podium Dutch Championship For-in-Hand Horses 2023 in Beekbergen
Photo: Wilco van Driessen