15 juli 2009

The first CAIO for Single horse driving is History!

The first CAIO (Concours d’Attelage International Officiel = Official International Driving Tournament)
for Singer Horses took place in Hungary at Kisbér, Ászár.
A great driving sport event is over – the winners are crowned.

Bartolomeij Kwiatek, POL, winner in the Individual? and Nations event as well as the Golden Wheel
Cup Winner (Single horses) 2009:
“This is awesome – the victory belongs to my entire team! The victory of the first Single horse?CAIO is
very special for me and then also the 1st place for Poland in the Nations standing.
And then – as another add – the victory in the Golden Wheel Cup 2009!Thanks to my great horses –Lokan and Regiment – and all, who made these successes possible – my trainer, my sponsors, my crew in the stable – the victory belongs to all of them. And a very special thanks to the organizers of this event it was awesome!
 

Dr. Franz?Josef Vetter, President of the Jury and FEI judge:
“This tournament was an important event for the Single horse driving sport, who increased in attractiveness by the fact, that this event got awarded the title of an official tournament with a nation
ranking. I hope, that other nations will follow this route.”

Joszef Borka, FEI judge:
“It is very special, that this important event for the Single horse driving sport – the first official tournament for Single horses – took place in Hungary. We owe this positive development to Vilmos Jambor and his active friends in the Single horse driving sport. It was a wonderful tournament and an important one for the future of the driving sport – internationally and especially here in Hungary.”

Christian Iseli: FEI course designer:
“It is interesting to be part of the rapid development in the Single horse driving sport. The boost after last years World championship in Jarantow was very visible here in Aszar. A good example, how the driving sport can develop positively – with top achievements come with top events. Lets see what the future will hold for the Hungarian Single Horse driving sport.”
 

Ben Simonsen – winner of the Pairs Marathon:
“A great event – the marathon was good to drive despite the heavy ground. Unfortunately the last day did not go well for me – the seat of my carriage was broken and … there were just too many mistakes.”

Source: Hippoevent

The horse sport is currently with a negative image in the focus of sport news. Especially now it is important to stand for clean sport and the fair treatment of the sport partner (horse) is the basis.
Positively to mention, that during this event the officials exhibited a special focus on this part.
The marathon duration and course was adjusted based on the ground and weather conditions and with the welfare of the competing horses in mind.
Unfortuantely 5 drivers had used their whip so intensively, that they received warning cards and warnings by the judge committee.
About 12 doping controls were conducted throughout all days of the event.
Aszar Kisber 2009 was a exemplary event for horse driving sport – and the driving sport will have afuture, if it is being conducted transparent, clean and fair.

The challenging cone driving parcours together with the heavy ground made the last decisive day very exciting. Henrik Höper, who was in the lead after the dressage and the marathon, knocked down 3 balls
and therewith gave way for Bartolomeij Kwiatek and Regiment, who won with a fast clear round not only the cone driving part but also the entire combined event. 2nd place for Henrik Höper, and 3rd place
for the experienced Dieter Lauterbach with Rheinprinzess.

Eight obstacles, built and flagged by the World Championship?Course designer Christian Iseli, represented a challenge for the drivers. Another “obstacle” was the heavy ground on which the
marathon took place. The long rain falls during the previous days together with the very warm climate were the basis for the decision of the organizers to reduce the marathon phase length and to reduce the number of obstacles from 8 to 7. This was of course done to protect the health of the competing horses.
Great action, rapid turns in the obstacles – incidentfree and exciting – this marathon was a prime example of modern driving sport. The French driver Jean?Michel Olive won the marathon with an
incredible small difference before Johan Werner (SWE), Maciej Forecki (POL) and the local host Vilmos Jambor (HUN). The top 4 ranks were together within one single point and every tenth of a second counted.

Jean Michel Olive (FRA)

A victory for Switzerland – as during 2008 the no. 1 in the dressage area was Lillian Luggen with Condor V. A dressage – exactly driven, lots of highlights and simply elegant.
Second place for Arja Mikkonen, with her already 19 years hold gelding Sg Oberon, who presented himself – despite his 19 year of age – with a lot of momentum and dynamic. According to Arja he “has to
desire to move to retirement”
Third place for Denmark – Henrik Höper with his cob stallion Bilsbaeks Safir. The national team of Germany won the dressage team ranking – the drivers were Mareike Harm, Dieter Lauterbach and Peter Auracher.

Lilian Luggen (SUI)

Victory also for Bartolomeij Kwiatek in the Final and the Cup overall standing of the Golden Wheel Cup for Single Horses 2009.
The price giving ceremony was a difficulty for Bartolomeij Kwiatek, given the amount of trophies and thelimited space on his carriage. He therefore had to ask his fellow team members to temporaritly keep
some of the glass trophies on their carriages.

Dr. Franz Vetter congratulates Bartolomiej Kwiatek (POL)

Victory for Bartolomiej Kwiatek at the CAIO premiere for Single Horses in Kisber.
A good dressage, a prudentially driven marathon and an expected Clear Round in the deciding cone driving – that was the victory in Aszar 2009 for the highly professional Single Horse driver of Poland.
Second place in the overall standing for Henrik Höper (DEN) and 3rd place for Dieter Lauterbach (GER).
Also in the final standing of the national team ranking Bartolomeij Kwiatek won with his black Stallion Regiment. Together with his sister Weronika Kwiatek and Maciej Forecki he won as part of the Polish
team with a 9 point lead over Germany and Finland the first CAIO?national team trophy for Single horses.

The biggest winner 2009 in Aszar Kisber is the International Single Horse driving sport, whose importance continues to grow especially with the event being this year a CAIO. Also important is this
year’s assessment of the best nation in the Single horse driving sport during the event in Aszar.
The quality of the horses and the perfection of the drivers in Single horse driving – certainly the most expanding driving class in International driving sports these days.
17 Nations from Europe and drivers from Australia and South Africa were competing in Kisber, Aszar 2009. Beside the focus event (CAIO for Singles), also a CAI?A2 was held and tickets to the upcoming
World Championships Horse Pairs (Kecskemét, Hungary) could be secured by those drivers.
The winner trophy for the Pair driving event was won by a Romanian driver, After 1st place in the dressage, 5th place in Marathon – who was won by the Finnish driver Ben Simonsen after a very
courageous drive – Attila Pal won the first place in the overall tournament. Csaba Kovacs, Hungary, won the second place and another Romanian driver, Tibor Bajko, was 3rd in the overall standing.