From 4-7 September, Para Drivers are set to converge on Lähden, Germany for the 2025 FEI Para Driving World Championship.
Covering the greatest distance is Jodie Mckeone from Melbourne, Australia. In 2023 she competed for the first time at a World Para Driving Championship and won Grade 1 bronze with Royal Walker, a ‘Dutch Hackney’ that belonged to British driving legend George Bowman.
Mckeone has been involved in the sport all her life. Both her parents drove harness horses for the film industry, and she too drove as a child and eventually progressed to competing harness horses at royal shows.
Speaking to Equestrian Life following that Championship in 2023, Mckeone described what the sport means to her: “Having a body that fails you all the time… to then be on a carriage, or a horse, you’re free. You’re mobile, you’re free and it’s your heart place.”
Para Driving has been a part of the FEI since 2006, with the FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles now in its eighth year. Mckeone, who has long had Multiple Sclerosis Relaxing Remitting (MSRR) and in addition was diagnosed with stroke and Spinal Segmental Myoclonus in January 2023, was the first Australian para driver to gain FEI classification.
For the 2025 Championship, Mckeone has capitalised on the friendship she struck up with the Hungarian crew at that World Championship in Exloo and is partnered with Zsolt Demkó’s horse Zeusz.
“He’s such a clever horse, being part Lipizzaner. In training, by the time we’ve practiced something new three times, he’s already learned it. And this all started because one of the Hungarians parked next to me in Exloo and shared my plug-in electricity!” she said.
Tracy Bowman aims for third world title
Tracy Bowman of the USA has arrived in Europe hoping to win her third consecutive Grade 1 world title. She calls her wonderful Welsh pony Albrecht’s Hoeve’s Lars her ‘unicorn’ and credits his talent and temperament with her success. But Tracy also is heavily involved in Eventing and that experience helps contribute to her Driving success. Lars has been in Europe since February, based with the Chardons, and Tracy took him to two end-of-season events in preparation.
“We do a lot of airmiles to be able to compete in Europe but I’m here with my trusted team and we can’t wait!” said Bowman.
Generosity and collaboration
The spirit of generosity and collaboration is key to the Para Drivers, some of whom have to drive borrowed horses or ponies to participate. Deborah Daniel of Great Britain competes with Capitola Mr Houdini, a pony loaned to her that previously won world medals with British Horse Pairs medallists Roger Campbell and Tara Wilkinson. Deborah is the British team’s most successful Para Driver, having won team bronze five times and individual bronze once, and she has been awarded the FEI gold medal for her achievements. This is her seventh FEI Para Driving World Championship, but she says it will be her last.
“There will most certainly be tears in Germany. It won’t be goodbye forever, but it will be the end of the most amazing partnership that I have had for over five years with ‘H’ who is quite simply an absolute legend of a pony. He doesn’t owe anybody anything and is, himself, a true British star,” said Daniel.
Nine nations will be represented in the FEI World Para Driving Championship and the Americans, British, Dutch, Germans and Irish will all field teams. Making up some of those teams from the 28 athletes will be returning medallists and former champions including Heiner Lehrter (Germany), Ivonne Hellenbrand (Germany), Patricia Großerichter (Germany), Alexandra Sievers (nee Röder – Germany), Diane Kastama (USA) and Jacques Poppen (The Neherlands). Michael Ward, formerly a British team member and medallist, will now represent Ireland, joining Emma Golding.
The Hand-in-Hand Trophy
The trophy was introduced by former FEI President Princess Haya initially for Dressage in 2006, then for Driving in 2010. A Para Driver is paired with a Four-in-Hand driver (competing at the 2025 FEI Driving European Champions for Four-In-Hand, running at the same venue) and the two who finish with the lowest combined penalties will receive the trophy. The winners in 2023 were Tracy Bowman and Bram Chardon.
PSG Lähden is a popular and well-established Driving venue associated with Christoph and Anna Sandmann, the successful father and daughter Four-in-Hand and Pairs drivers. They are experienced competitors and former medallists who are named on the German squad for Lähden, and Anna also recently represented the German team at the Horse Pairs World Championship in Beekbergen, The Netherlands. They will have a lot to juggle as organisers and competitors, but it a task they are used to!
Watch all the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.
Para Driving entries can be found here.
Source: FEI press release by Sarah Dance / edited by EQ Life
