29 oktober 2013

Pony Driving World gathers at Pau for FEI World Championships

From 31 October to 3 November, the Pony Driving World gathers at Pau in the French Pyrenees, for the sixth edition of the FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies. Individual titleholders Kristina Klindt (DEN), single pony, Dieter Baackmann (GER), pair pony, and Bram Chardon (NED), four-in-hand, will all start in Pau to defend their gold medals. Team gold medallists Germany will start with a very strong team again.

Seventy competitors from 16 nations will take part. The single pony class counts 29 competitors, the pony pairs class 22 competitors and the pony teams class 19 competitors. Twelve nations will battle it out in the nations competition. One or two singles, one or two pairs and one or two four-in-hands will form a Team. The Team classification will be determined by adding together the final combined scores of the best Team Athletes for single, pair and four-in-hands. Only those scores of the Team Members who have completed all three Competitions without Elimination can be counted towards the final Team scores.

The World Championships take place as part of Les Etoiles de Pau on the same site where the first leg of the 2013/2014 FEI Classics™ will be held from 24 to 27 October. The dressage and cones competitions will take place on the recently renewed all-weather main arena in Pau. Two of the eight marathon obstacles will also be situated on this area. The remaining six obstacles are located in the same area as where the eventing obstacles are, including two beautiful water obstacles. The Organising Committee has introduced a very nice and original initiative. Every competing nation has been asked to make a creative contribution to the nations’ obstacle. The OC had the possibility to decorate the cubes in one of the eight marathon obstacles with a huge quantity of flowers, but decided it would be more original to offer each nation the opportunity to decorate its cube with something representing their country. A special prize will be awarded to the nation with the best decoration.
The World Championships start on Wednesday, 30 October with the horse inspection. The dressage will take place on Thursday, 31 October and Friday, 1 November.

The marathon will take place on Saturday, 2 November. The design of the marathon obstacles is in the capable and experienced hands of international O-course designer Christian Iseli (SUI), who was also responsible for the course at the previous FEI World Pony Championships in Lipica (SLO) in 2011. The final obstacle driving competition and medal ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, 3 November.

The Ground Jury is chaired by Dr. Klaus Christ (GER) and has Anne Marie Turbé (FRA), Dot Willcoxson (AUS), Joaquin Medina (ESP) and Diana Brownlie (GBR) as members.

More information: www.couleurs-automne.com/accueil