5 October 2014
Stan van Eijk is the new Dutch Horse Pair Champion
Deurne in the Netherlands hosted the last National Driving Championships last weekend. Twenty horse pairs competitors battled against each other for a place on the podium.After three days of tough competition, newcomer Stan van Eijk was crowned as Dutch Champion, much to his surprise. The 25-year-old young father only started at the highest national level (class 4) at the start of this season. Van Eijk drove his pair of KWPN-horses, of which one he only drives for 3 months, to the fourth place in the dressage. He was the only driver with a double clear round in the cones, which put him in the lead before the final phase on Sunday, the marathon. National trainer Harry de Ruyter told him to drive a faultless marathon and not to aim for the fastest times, which he did. These tactics brought Stan van Eijk his first national gold medal. The silver went to his trainer Gerard Leijten. Dressage winner Antonie ter Harmsel, son of international four-in-hand driver Herman ter Harmsel took home the bronze.
