16 november 2013
Newcomer Daniel Schneiders (GER) wins FEI World Cup™ Driving in Stuttgart
Newcomer Daniel Schneiders (GER) pleased the enthusiastic crowd in the atmospheric Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart (GER) by winning the third leg of the FEI World Cup™ Driving. Schneiders left his compatriot Georg von Stein and top favourite Boyd Exell (AUS) behind him.For Daniel Schneiders, Stuttgart was his first ever-proper World Cup start. After he switched from driving ponies to horses two years ago, his goal was to compete in the World Cup. He received a wild card in Hannover in 2012 and 2013 and he qualified for the FEI World Cup™ Driving season 2013/2014 after his compatriot Christoph Sandmann and Chester Weber (USA) pulled out. Stuttgart was his first World Cup event in which he could win World Cup points.
Photo: Karl Heinz Frieler
Schneiders, who is a farrier by profession, had one knock down in the first round but was very fast, which brought him into the winning round. With the same team of horses with which he was less successful in Hannover several weeks ago, Schneiders put down a very fast time again in the winning round, which took place over a shortened course. The difference between Schneiders and Von Stein was only a little over one second and when Von Stein knocked a ball down and was one second slower, Schneiders moved up to the second place.
Last starter, top favourite Boyd Exell, started full speed, using his new leader horse Knight Templar. In the first marathon obstacle, Knight became too strong which caused a knock down and precious seconds. Boyd also knocked an element over which blocked his way to the finish, which caused another ball to fall, much to the excitement of the spectators in Stuttgart, who then knew their ‘own’ driver Schneiders would be declared the winner.
Recovered
Jozsef Dobrovitz (HUN) drove a clear round, but lacked the necessary speed and finished fourth, ahead of Michael Brauchle (GER). Brauchle and his horses had recovered from the first competition on the previous night, in which they tipped over. The 23-year-old wild card driver from the Stuttgart area put down a steady performance in the nice course, designed by the new course designer Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf (GER). Jozsef Dobrovitz junior knocked one ball down and became too eager after that, which resulted in another two knockdowns, finishing on the 6th place.
World Champion trainers
Nice detail is, that Daniel Schneiders is trained by Boyd Exell, both during the indoor and the outdoor season.” That stops now,” laughed Boyd at the press conference. Boyd helped him put this special indoor team together and he advises Daniel during the course walks. Schneiders is also trained by double World Champion and multiple World Cup Champion Michael Freund (GER) and the German national trainer Karl-Heinz Geiger. Schneiders used the big “ponies” Cabus and Costa in the lead. Cabus was part of Schneider’s team when he drove a pony team, while Costa was used by his brother Dennis in single harness. Both horses are part of Schneiders’ outdoor team. Daniel uses the Dutch gelding Twister, formerly owned by Theo Timmerman (NED) and Boyd Exell, and the thoroughbred gelding Jumpingjackflash in the wheel of his team.
New Course designer
German O-course designer Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf was responsible for the course in Stuttgart for the first time. He is the successor of Falk Böhnisch, who retired last year. Asendorf has been a course designer for over 20 years and has many World Championships, World Cup driving, national and international events behind his name. Next year he will be responsible for the course at the CAIO Aachen for the 13th time. After the first competition, Asendorf decided to change gate A around in the second marathon obstacle to make the course more fluent, which was much appreciated by the six drivers.
Quotes:
Daniel Schneiders (GER): “My goal in the winning round was to drive just as good and fast as in my first round, but without knocking a ball down. It is just amazing that I won during my first start in Stuttgart. In Hannover I noticed that my horses were not fit enough, so I worked on that in the passed weeks and this has paid off. They are super fit now. I just love the World Cup Driving, if I could, I would do nothing else!”
Georg von Stein (GER): “I drove the same horses as in Hannover and in Verona and they are getting better every time. At first when I saw the course plan, I did not like it very much but it turned out very well and we have seen good sport.”
Boyd Exell (AUS): Laughing: “I have to blame Michael Freund for my faults today! Michael always told me that if you can’t hold them, let them run. I did let them run, but I was not able to take them back in time. My new leader horse Knight became too eager and we changed the bit settings after the first round to get more control. We came into the first obstacle too fast and Knight did not want to wait. It was a team mistake that we did not see the element that we knocked down, blocking our path, which forced a second ball to fall. This was avoidable, so I am a little disappointed with that.”
