SEVEN TIMES A WORLD CHAMPION

It may not be an Olympic discipline, but the sport of carriage driving is every bit as challenging, competitive and exciting as eventing, showjumping or dressage. Four-in-hand combined driving – the carriage driver’s answer to eventing – is a particularly exciting sport that sees teams of four horses complete three phases: dressage, the cross-country “marathon” and obstacle “cones” driving.

Since winning the Australian pairs championship at just 16 years of age, Boyd Exell has harboured a love for the sport. Born in Bega, NSW, Boyd has been based at the sport’s mecca in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, for many years – and in that time he’s become one of the most successful drivers to ever hold the reins of a four-in-hand carriage. Although you may not hear about it via mainstream media, over the past decade Boyd has been one of Australia’s most successful international sporting stars!

Usually unbeatable in the dressage phase, Boyd did have to settle for second place at the end of the first phase after a stand-out test from American Chester Weber – however, come marathon day, his tactics were rewarded.

Boyd’s team dominated the demanding marathon test over undulating ground and through the eight obstacles to take a commanding phase win and the overall lead. With a strong advantage coming into the final cones phase, victory never seemed in doubt; one ball rolled for three penalties, meaning Boyd placed eighth in the final phase; however, his overall total of 146.93 was more than enough to claim a seventh title.

TEAM BRONZE

The 2024 World Championship was not just a historic individual win for Boyd – it also marked Australia’s first ever team medal in the sport.

Fellow Aussie Tor Van Den Berge finished 19th individually with three very consistent performances, meaning Australia was able to finish third overall from nine teams. Remarkably, with just two competitors in Boyd and Tor, Australia did not have the luxury of a drop score like most of the other nations. There was simply no room for error, making the result all the more impressive.

“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.

“It has been a 20-year effort to produce future drivers for an Australian team,” he adds, explaining that over the years five other drivers have represented Australia at the elite level – Andrew Pollock, Bob Edwards, Gavin Robson, Mark Peel, and Elizabeth Lawrence.

“What a wonderful experience this has been at a World Championship as it can be really tough,” said Tor Van Den Berge, who was competing at his second FEI Driving World Championship Four-in-Hand. “Being in front of a crowd like that was incredible and I am very lucky to have a teammate like Boyd.”

THE EQUINE STARS

Boyd’s equine team in Szilvásvárad included Checkmate, Celviro, Hero, Jelviro and Mad Max 81, with the first three all part of Boyd’s last World Championship win in Pratoni.

The oldest of the team at 18, Checkmate was purchased from George Bowman as a five-year-old and has been with Boyd ever since. He describes this gelding as “the playboy kind”, and Szilvásvárad was Checkmate’s third World Championship gold medal.

Part of the team for all three phases in Szilvásvárad, KWPN gelding Celviro (Vulcano x Waterman), aged 17, was purchased from Francesco Alletti and now has a remarkable four World Championship gold medals to his name. “Celviro is very conscientious, he occasionally tries too hard,” explains Boyd.

Celviro and Checkmate are generally Boyd’s leaders, and as he previously told Equestrian Life, quality leaders are hard to come by: “It’s hard to find reliable leaders who are honest and forward. Horses at the back need to be honest, reliable, powerful and hard-working – but the ones at the front that need to be brave and independent are harder to get.”

At Szilvásvárad, Checkmate sat out the marathon with 10-year-old KWPN stallion Jelviro (Delviro HBC x Oron) stepping in as the V8 for this phase where Boyd was correctly anticipating the need for a little extra horsepower. Interestingly Jelviro’s sire, Delviro HBC, is by Vulcano – Celviro’s sire. Szilvásvárad was Jelviro’s first World Championship gold medal.

Twelve-year-old KWPN gelding Hero (Nando x Unita S) contested all three phases and now has two World Championship gold medals to his name.

Eleven-year-old Oldenburg stallion Mad Max 81 (Millennium x Relevant 5) has now added the accolade of World Championship gold medallist to his impressive list of results. “Mad Max is also in my indoor [World Cup] team, and he was the V6 turbo in the marathon and cones!” explains Boyd, who is also a ten-time World Cup Final winner. Mad Max’s sire, Millennium, is a Gestüt Sprehe stallion who was once ridden by fellow Australian Simone Pearce.

A TEAM SPORT

Boyd says that his approach to the World Championship has changed over the years. “I have more respect, and I realise how important my support team is,” he explains.

“Emma Olsson was my groom and navigator in Szilvásvárad. Lisa Mitchell has been with me for every World Championship since 2002, and she was on the carriage for dressage and cones.