Main image: Australian Boyd Exell with horses Celviro, Checkmate, Hero and Mad Max 81 in the cones phase at the 2024 FEI Driving World Championship Four-in-Hand in Szilvásvárad, Hungary. Image by FEI/Martin Dokoupil.
History was made in Szilvásvárad, Hungary on Sunday as Boyd Exell won a record breaking seventh consecutive FEI Driving World Championship Four-in-Hand gold medal in front of passionate crowds at the State Stud Farm.
Boyd finished on a total of 146.9, while fellow Aussie Tor Van Den Berge was 19th individually on 179.66.
With strong performances from both Australians, it was also a historic day in that we claimed the team bronze – our very first World Championship team medal!
Tor Van Den Berge (left) and Boyd Exell (centre) claimed the team bronze medal for Australia. Image by FEI/Martin Dokoupil.
Boyd with Celviro, Checkmate, Hero and Mad Max 81 in the cones phase. Image by FEI/Martin Dokoupil.
Quest for gold
Boyd’s quest for his seventh consecutive gold seemed began with Friday’s dressage phase, when he was only kept off the top spot by American Chester Weber’s outstanding test. The Australian had done enough to stay in touch, knowing he had brought specialist marathon horses to Hungary, selected after he attended the test event last year.
As expected, they dominated Saturday’s demanding marathon over undulating ground and through the eight obstacles to take a commanding lead. With such a huge advantage coming into the final cones phase, victory never seemed in doubt; one ball rolled for three penalties, meaning he placed eighth in the final phase, however this overall total of 146.93 was enough to claim the title.
“It’s super! There should be special congratulations for Tor, and I am so impressed with how it went because with two members on a team, there’s no drop score and everything has to count. We’ve been close before, and we’ve been knocking on the door, but it’s finally happened at a World Championship,” said Boyd following the win.
“The public here made it really memorable, especially during the marathon with such huge crowds who stayed all day. And it was great to see a full stadium during the opening ceremony and again [Sunday]. I have worked with the Hungarian drivers for the last one and a half years to improve their performances, so I feel very comfortable here.”
“What a wonderful experience this has been at a World Championship as it can be really tough,” said Tor Van Den Berge. “But being in front of a crowd like that was incredible and I am very lucky to have a teammate like Boyd.”
Boyd in the dressage phase. Image by INEOS FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championship.
Tor with his team in the marathon phase. Image by INEOS FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championship.
Boyd with horses Celviro, Hero, Jelviro and Mad Max 81 in the marathon phase. Image by FEI/Martin Dokoupil.
Another who helped secure his podium place after the marathon was Bram Chardon of the Netherlands who won his first individual world medal with silver, helped by a winning double clear cones round. His total of 157.74 contributed to the unprecedented 12th team gold for The Netherlands, which gave his father Ijsbrand his 32nd world medal and 14th gold. Together with Koos de Ronde, they won the team competition on 322.69.
“The training at home has been good and we made the right choices, bringing some new horses who gave extra impulsion on the marathon and especially today in the cones, the young horse was fantastic. After a rough season this is the best possible outcome,” said Bram Chardon.
“I think it was an excellent event. The arena and the stabling were super, and the marathon was a true World Championship one with great obstacles and the unbelievable spectators. So, I have a very good impression about it all,” said Koos de Ronde.
Dressage winner Chester Weber kept his cool to maintain a podium place for the bronze despite rolling two balls in the cones to end on 159.13. Fredrick Persson of Sweden was fourth overall on 166.97 helped by his double clear cones for third place. Second in the cones was Jérôme Voutaz of Switzerland who was one of the first to drive in the morning on an eliminated score after the marathon, and he produced a double clear that was not matched until the day’s last session.
All three German team members drove in the final cones session as the top eight drivers came forward in reverse order. There were no individual medals for them, but a well-deserved silver team medal on a score of 330.33 for Mareike Harm, Michael Brauchle and Georg von Stein (who was fifth on 169.49).
“A few days before the show my good dressage leader had a foot abscess so he couldn’t come and as dressage is my strongest phase it was a bit disappointing. So, we had a marathon horse in the lead and he did his very best so it was a great outcome for us to come sixth and then for the team to get silver too. The show was fantastic, and we enjoyed being in the town and had fun here too,” said Mareike Harm.
Dreams of another medal for the hosts didn’t come true but they finished fifth behind Belgium in the team event, helped by a strong cones round from Jόszef Dobrovitz who responded emotionally to the cheering crowd at the end. He later said in the press conference that the organisation and preparation of the event were brilliant, and that the Hungarian audience is the best in the world!
It has been a triumphant 26th Four-in-Hand World Championship and the stadium buzzed with a 6,500-capacity crowd who relished the spectacle at the State Stud Farm. The organisers were thrilled to host the event 40 years after the historic 7th World Championship in 1984 when Lászlό Juhász won double gold. As the test driver here, he was celebrated alongside his fellow legendary Hungarian drivers throughout, from the opening to the closing ceremonies.
Source: FEI press release, by Sarah Dance / Edited by EQ Life
