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Photo credit: Kit Houghton/HPower
By media release
The FEI World Cup Driving Leg presented by Dodson & Horrell provided Saturday evening's audience at Olympia with breath-holding excitement as all drivers took their feet off the brakes. In a truly thrilling finale the ultimate battle for first place was between the world's top two drivers, 2014 WEG individual gold medallist, Boyd Exell from Australia and multi-medallist member of the Dutch Gold medal-winning team at WEG, Ijsbrand Chardon.
Last to go on the first round, Exell bettered Chardon's time but slipped behind him on the leader board as he picked up 5-penalties. With less than a second in hand, Chardon thundered round the course in the run-off, still going clear. Exell produced a drive that was nothing short of a masterclass, shaving an impossible five seconds off his time in the previous round and going clear. Competing here on a wild card, he scores no World Cup points, but was crowned the Olympia champion.
"My plan was to drive cleanly and quietly in the first round but my leader knocked down a ball with his nose," Boyd remarked. "I knew we could better the time second time round - I really don't have to push my horses; there's lots more to come from them yet."
Chardon, who won here last year and says that Olympia is among his favourite of the World Cup qualifying venues, collected World Cup maximum points for his second place. Retaining his third place from the first round in which he drove clear, Fredrik Persson from Sweden was happy both with his horses and his Olympia experience.
"It is a wonderful show," he said. "The crowd really lift you which spurs both you and your horses on."
President of the Ground Jury, Joaquin Medina Garcia (Esp), was equally complimentary. "When the President of the Jury has nothing to do, you know it is a good Show!" He remarked.
With the three WEG team gold medallists from the Netherlands - all of them experienced World Cup competitors together with three times individual gold medallist and five times World Cup champion - Boyd Exell - it was always going to be an edge-of-the-seat competition. This did not disappoint.
Results
To view the full results click here.
Photo credit: Kit Houghton/HPower
Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year's show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.
Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.
Source: Revolution Sports + Entertainment
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