A quartet of massive sport horses harnessed to a four-wheeled carriage thunder by on their way from negotiating one complicated obstacle to another over an undulating cross-country route. They dash through water, up and down hills, and make seemingly impossible turns inside the narrow, maze-like obstacles on course.

The driver and assistants on the carriage have their hands full guiding the horses and overseeing their welfare, planning the route, checking time elapsed, and keeping the cart from getting caught up or overturned. This is combined driving at the highest, heart-pounding international level.

Why Try Combined Driving?

As daunting as advanced-level combined driving seems, the sport is actually attainable for most equestrians. The driving community is very welcoming to newcomers who want to learn. Experienced drivers are quick to offer advice and help others find education, horses and equipment.

“What drew me to driving as a junior was how much the other drivers wanted to help me learn—that is the driving community,” says Carrie Ostrowski-Place of Lexington, Ky., an international competitor and trainer who guided her KWPN gelding Gellerduht to the 2022 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Advanced Single Horse-of-the-Year honors. “I’ve had direct competitors offer me equipment when things have gone wrong, [even] when it wasn’t in their interest to do so. They want to help anyone grow!”

Sara Dunham, an amateur-owner combined driver from Cynthiana, Ky., has competed in the sport for over 20 years and extolls the benefits she’s experienced.

“Combined driving is the most fun I’ve ever had with a horse, early on and to this day,” she says. “I’ve never enjoyed riding a cross-country course, but even as an older lady, I can drive marathon and be as competitive as the younger athletes. You have to have a navigator with you, so grab your best horse buddy or spouse for conditioning drives and competitions. Then you both have lots of fun!”

How Combined Driving Works

Rules for modern-day combined driving were developed in Great Britain by Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip, in 1970, the same year that the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) added it to their roster.

Often explained as a driven triathlon and compared to the sport of eventing, combined driving comprises three phases: driven dressage, a test pattern performed with formal presentation; marathon, which is comparable to eventing cross-country, but obstacles replace jumps; and cones, the equivalent of eventing’s show jumping phase, but drivers try to guide their equines and vehicles through pairs of cones without knocking balls off the top of them, with time factored in.

A logical, move-up-the-levels system of training and competition eases you into the sport. The USEF rule book states a clear progression of competition, offering Beginner through Advanced levels. This provides a way to learn and advance at your own pace.

USEF rules also include para-equestrians in combined driving. The American Driving Society (ADS) rules are similarly designed to encourage participation at all levels.

Formats, Vehicles, Levels and Equines You’ll See

There are three common formats of combined driving, two of which are specifically designed for competitors to gain experience without doing a full combined driving event. One is a combined test (or CT; similar to a CT in eventing, there are only two phases, usually dressage and cones).

The second is an HDT or “short format” driving event with three phases, but they are shorter and less formal. Finally, there is the full combined driving event (CDE).

Combined driving offers classes within each level for horses or ponies being driven single, two together as a pair, or a team of four (also called a “four-in-hand”).

A variety of two-wheeled carts and four-wheeled carriages are allowed, depending on the size and number of horses driven. However, specially designed, sturdy marathon carriages are popular.

To allow more drivers to compete in the Beginner through Intermediate levels, the pony class may be subdivided into large pony (120-149 centimeters tall), small pony (99-119 centimeters), and very small equines (VSE; under 99 centimeters).

Watching a combined driving event, you’ll see a wide variety of equines used. These include warmbloods, off-track Standardbreds, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Quarter Horses, draft crosses, ponies, Miniature Horses, and many more. Unlike ridden eventing, even donkeys and mules are eligible.

“Driving is very breed inclusive,” says Ostrowski-Place. “While there are ‘vogue’ breeds, you will see just about anything in the ring, and no one is thinking twice about it.”

Meet the Trainer Professional equestrian Carrie Ostrowski-Place’s path to international combined driving started when she began riding lessons at age 10 in her home state of South Dakota. Six months into riding, her instructor had her drive a Shetland Pony, which sparked her passion for all things driving. A family member gifted her an antique carriage; that, plus a Morgan horse she had as she grew up helped her delve into carriage pleasure driving. Later she had the chance to shadow driver Marc Johnson, and then worked as an assistant for FEI driver Sterling Graburn. She has also learned from many other big names in the sport through clinics and the USEF Developing Athlete Program. The final inspiration for competing internationally was watching the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games held in Lexington, Ky. In 2013, she launched her O-ski Equine training business. In addition to teaching humans and horses, she is an American Driving Society (ADS) licensed “r” Combined Driving Technical Delegate and serves on the USEF Driving Sport Committee, as well as the ADS Board of Directors and the ADS Combined Driving Committee.

Further Reading
◆ Driving Horse Qualities
◆ How to Get Started Driving Horses

Stay tuned for an article coming soon about how to try out the exciting sport of combined driving.

This article appeared in the May 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post What is Combined Driving? appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Record combined driving entries and a “luck of the Irish” day for show jumper Daniel Coyle highlighted the 33rd renewal of the Live Oak International Combined Driving and Show Jumping Tournament March 14-17, 2024. The tournament was hosted by world champion FEI four-in-hand driver Chester Weber at his family’s 5,000-acre estate near Ocala, Florida. The competition featured four days of both national and international driving divisions and three days of FEI-level show jumping culminating with this season’s final FEI World Cup Qualifier jumping class on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.  

Over 15,000 spectators watched the action over the four days at the 2024 Live Oak International. In addition to competition, the tournament had a vendor village and food court, a children’s activity area, a beer garden, a Net Jets walk-through mock airplane exhibit, and daily KWPN Dutch Harness Horse exhibitions. There was also a tailgating competition sponsored by Ocala magazine and a jungle-themed party on Friday night sponsored by Gold’s Gym of Ocala.  

Weber said he and his family were excited to host the competitors and spectators for a 33rd time. Live Oak began in 1990 as a club-level driving competition and developed into a world-class show using a grass main arena surrounded by picturesque Spanish-moss filled oak trees and a sprawling marathon course featuring seven challenging combined driving obstacles. In 2012, Weber’s sister Juliet W. Reid and her daughter jumper rider Chloe D. Reid asked him to add show jumping competition to the Live Oak schedule and it proved to be a popular combination.  

He shared that Live Oak is the largest spectator event in Marion County, Florida, and that they do their best to offer something for everyone―spectators, competitors and sponsors―to enjoy. “At Live Oak International we challenge ourselves to be bigger and better every year and we continue to strive to ensure the best possible experience for all who visit our tournament.”  

Find out out more about the 2025 Live Oak International Event here.  

Combined Driving Results

This year’s Live Oak International combined driving competition saw the largest number of entries in the history of the event thus far with drivers from five countries competing (Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland and the U.S.). The driving included national classes for youth, para and able-bodied competitors and international classes at the FEI 2* and FEI 3* levels. In addition to the youth and para-driving classes, other national driving divisions offered were Intermediate-level divisions for single horses, single ponies, horse pairs and pony pairs. International driving divisions included single horse, single pony and pony pairs at the FEI 2* level, and single horse, single pony, pony pair and horse teams at the FEI 3* level.  

Winner of the FEI 3* Horse Teams was Chester Weber and his team of four Dutch horses. First place in the FEI 3* Horse Single division was Raymond Helmuth of Cambridge, Iowa, driving Kendro. Topping the FEI 3* Pony Pair was Yannik Scherrer of Switzerland driving Mary Phelps’ small, but mighty, ponies Bugsy Malony and Al Capony. Anna Koopman of Middleburg, Va., grabbed the blue with Chandler Creek Eclipse in the FEI 3* Pony Single. For a full set of 2024 Live Oak driving results, click here.

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FEI Show Jumping Results

Everything was coming up shamrocks in the Live Oak International FEI World Cup Qualifier with five competitors from Ireland, two of those (Daniel Coyle and Dermott Lennon) qualifying for the four-rider jump off. Overall, there were 32 competitors from 11 countries in the World Cup class. In the end it was Ireland’s Daniel Coyle riding Incredible, owned by Coyle and Canadian Ariel Grange, who jumped clear in both the first round and the jump off and had the fastest time (40.37 seconds) over a track designed by Germany’s Olaf Petersen, Jr.  

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Coyle, who ended the FEI North American League season at the top of the standings and is thus qualified for the 2024 World Cup Finals in Saudi Arabia in April, said he has only been riding Incredible, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Clinton-Heartbreaker) since January. He credited Dutch horseman Jeroen Dubbeldam for recommending the horse to him.

“Every time I go in the ring, I’m finding something new [about Incredible]. It’s great that I can find that out while competing at the top of the sport. He was incredible before I got him. And, it’s good to know that I was a good rider before, he was a good horse before, and today I can say that we are also very good together,” said Coyle in an interview after the competition.  

Kent Farrington of the U.S., riding his and Rabbit Root Stable LLC’s Toulayna, also qualified for the jump off and were also clear, but went before Coyle and Incredible and stopped the timers 2.21 seconds slower. Finishing third was Lennon on Millview Cicero, who had an unfortunate rail when Cicero slipped on a tight turn back to an oxer, which caused a rail to fall.  

Helpful Live Oak International Links

◆ Complete results from the 2024 Live Oak FEI World Cup Jumping Qualifier

◆ Other show jumping results from the 2024 Live Oak International 

Watch replays of all of the action from the 2024 Live Oak International Tournament on FEI TV/Clip My Horse. A paid subscription is required, but a free 30-day trial is offered. 

Live Oak was the last qualifier for the FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 16-20, 2024. For more information about the 2024 World Cup Finals, click here.

This recap of the 2024 Live Oak International Combined Driving and Show Jumping Tournament is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Dave Sadler, the current National Drive board president from Fithian, Ill., succinctly explains the purpose of the event, which is non-competitive and welcomes all interested in attending with or without horses or previous driving experience.

“The mission of the National Drive is to provide a safe and inexpensive venue for recreational drivers to have fun driving, to learn and to socialize,” he says. “Our motto: fun; friendship; learning.”

History of the National Drive

The Drive has been going on continuously since 2005 and, as time went on, it was expanded to a week-long event in early October. In 2012, a Spring National Drive (also called the “Spring Fling”) held over a long weekend in early May was added to the docket.

The Drive was initially held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, but after the KHP became too crowded with other events happening at the same time, the National Drive moved in 2018 to the Hoosier Horse Park in Indiana.

Sadler says the first Drive welcomed 90 participants. As more people became aware of the event, numbers soared to around 400. In recent years, the average attendance hovers around 150-160 humans, 125-130 equines, and innumerable dogs. Thus far, the Drive has hosted attendees from 42 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

The range of equine guests runs the gamut from Miniature Horses and pony breeds to light breeds, draft horses, donkeys and mules. The Fall 2021 National Drive had 27 breeds (plus a few crosses) represented. People drove singles, pairs and four-in-hands using a variety of two- and four-wheeled conveyances. Several attendees also chose to ride around the park.

“We host equines of all shapes and sizes, price ranges and talent,” says Sadler. “In carriage driving, especially for recreational use, [horse] price is not a factor. They just need good manners and to enjoy doing it.”

More About the Event

The Hoosier Horse Park was originally part of the U.S. Army facility Camp Atterbury, and is located about half an hour south of Indianapolis. It comprises over 200 acres of wilderness with many crisscrossing roads, lanes and trails, as well as a marathon course used for the Indiana Combined Driving Event for the last 25-plus years.

With the Park offering an indoor arena, an outdoor driving dressage ring, an outdoor stadium, campgrounds, 384 permanent stalls, and a scenic country atmosphere, participants feel that the Park is a very good fit for the National Drive.

“At Hoosier Horse Park, we’re able to provide a quiet, safe place to relax and drive whenever, wherever,” Sadler explains.

Both the Spring and Fall National Drive offer:

◆ Educational opportunities with top-flight clinicians (clinics, lectures, private lessons).

◆ Free time to drive and ride.

◆ Mock competition to sharpen skills (driving derby and combined driving competition facilities to name a few).

◆ Just-for-fun events (tacky turnout class, safari and arithmetic drives, scavenger hunt, bingo cones, pooch parade).

◆ Social activities, including a cookout, welcome and farewell parties, a mimosa drive (drinks and cookies are served at a picturesque spot in the park) and train rides.

◆ A safety check before going out to drive with advice from experts.

◆ Scales for weighing equines and equipment.

◆ A de-spooking zone set up to expose horses to scary things and practice how to deal with the reactions.

◆ Tack swap and shopping.

◆ Camping and a variety of nearby restaurants and tourist attractions.

◆ The opportunity to network with other attendees in a laid-back atmosphere.

Rave Reviews

Amy Brockman of Okeana, Ohio, attended her first Drive last spring with her pony Tonka.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” she says. “Wow, I sure had a blast! Everyone was so welcoming, laid-back and helpful. Being new at driving, I had many questions that were kindly answered.”

Lana Santamaria of Dubuque, Iowa, has attended four Drives.

“I keep coming back because the camaraderie is incomparable,” she says. “I could talk about the venue or the organizers and staff—they are all terrific—but it’s the camaraderie that delights me.”

For more information about the National Drive, visit www.nationaldrive.net or www.facebook.com/TheNationalDrive.

This article about horse driving at the National Drive appeared in the October 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The National Drive: The Largest Gathering for Horse Driving appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Both strongly advise anyone new to driving to learn the sport from experienced drivers using schoolmaster horses before looking for their own driving horse. They suggest joining a local driving club to meet others already involved in the sport and to take advantage of the resources available through the American Driving Society (ADS), the Carriage Association of America (CAA) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).

Where to Start your Driving Horse Search

When you’re ready to begin your search for a driving horse, it’s important to define the type of driving you’d like to do and your budget (with pre-purchase exam and equipment costs factored in).

Cashion, an active clinician who has taught and competed in driving for 22 years through the international levels and holds CAA Level 1 Instructor and Level 2 Driver proficiencies, cautions newbies not to fall in love with the first gorgeous creature they see, but to carefully think through your ability level and personal goals when selecting a horse.

“The animal that catches your eye may be stunning, but if he drives or rides like a fire-breathing dragon while you’re a green driver who needs a reliable Steady Eddie, this won’t be a good fit for you,” she warns.

Arnold has represented the U.S. at four FEI World Driving Championships in the last six years. He trains horses, teaches students and manages the driving program at Hermitage Farm in Kentucky. Also a busy USEF Developing Athlete Program clinician, he thinks most horses can adapt to driving. “Almost any horse can be trained to be correct,” he says. “You just have to find the right way to motivate them. If the horse is forward and likes to work and likes the game, he can overcome some conformational flaws.”

A Driving Horse Mind

Both experts topped their requirement list for a driving horse by talking about desirable mental traits.

A good mind: This was first on Cashion’s list. She says a good mind for partnership and driving is of utmost importance.

“You want a horse that is not overly spooky, is trusting, and is able to learn new skills,” she says. “Even the most solid horse can spook, but a good brain is based on how they handle their fear. Will they listen to you and respond? Then you can work through scary moments. Do they want to react strongly without any known trigger or lack the ability to work through the scary moment? Then driving may not be for that horse.”

Forward-thinking: At the top of Arnold’s list was a horse that goes toward something he doesn’t know rather than backing away.

“I think all horses can be broken down into backward-thinking or forward-thinking horses,” he says. “Consider the horse that spooks and jumps back versus a horse that either doesn’t spook, or if he does spook, he goes forward. Those are the two basic mentalities of horses.”

Trainable: This trait ranked very high with both Cashion and Arnold. Cashion explains how she evaluates trainability.

“I like to try to teach the horse something new when I try him out,” she says. “I will choose something small, based on what I see in the moment, and tune in to how he responds. Does he want to figure out what I am asking of him, approaching with curiosity? Does he resist and become worried, shutting down or reacting strongly?”

Calm-minded: Arnold explains this as “a quiet, relaxed horse that doesn’t get fussed easily.”

A driving horse needs to accept flapping tack, a vehicle following them, and wearing a bridle with blinders that only allows them to see what is directly in front of them, among other things.

He says that just how calm they need to be depends on the task. For combined driving, they may need to be more keen, whereas for pleasure driving and parades, they should probably be “about a 5 on a scale where 10 is super forward and 1 is not.”

Smart: Arnold prefers a driving horse to be clever.

“They can pick up on the game quickly,” he says. “For example, some horses I have driven really love the cones phase of combined driving—they love the game of going in between the cones; they know when we cross the start and when we get to cone 20 and look for the finish.”

Willing to stand: Driving horses need to stand longer than riding horses in order to be hitched or if something needs to be repaired while away from the barn.

“Trying to convince your horse to stand still while adjusting a piece of equipment, if it isn’t already in his toolkit, is a recipe for trouble,” Cashion says.

Good steering: Arnold emphasizes that it is important that a driving horse steers well and understands steering on two direct reins.

A Body Built for Driving

The other half of the list provided by Cashion and Arnold involved physical attributes for a driving horse: conformation and movement. Here is a quick summary of what they recommend.

A wide chest for more effective positioning of the breastplate to pull the carriage and to allow for easy breathing.

A neck that comes high out of the shoulder and is not too short; this also helps with room for breathing and effective pulling.

A solid, short-coupled build allows for a good back-to-front connection for pulling power.
Strong, ample hindquarters are the engine for pushing.

Good feet and legs for longevity of soundness.

Quality of movement is important for competition, but also affects soundness; a naturally good walk and a solid working trot are very important.

The Wrong Stuff

Cashion says horses that would not be good driving horse candidates include those that often bolt out of control, are prone to bucking or kicking, or are not willing to work. She also cautions against horses that cannot overcome being very noise-sensitive and those that are not serviceably sound.

“If you don’t feel confident riding or handling your horse, you won’t feel safe sitting behind him in a carriage,” she warns.

Parting Advice from Driving Horse Pros

Both professionals encourage others to try your hand with a driving horse.

“Driving is the most fun you can have while partnering with your horse,” Cashion says. “Buy or train the horse that best fits you. Make sure the people you trust to give advice are acting in your best interest, not their own pocketbooks. The sport of driving has some of the best people and equines in the world, if you know where to look!”

The post Driving Horse Qualities appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Learn from the experts what it takes to get started in the sport of driving horses.

The sight of a horse-drawn carriage conjures up thoughts of power and elegance. It’s a nod to history for equestrians and non-equestrians alike. While the prospect of learning to drive may seem intimidating to some, it shouldn’t be, according to driving instructor and judge Andy Marcoux of Coachman’s Delight, Inc. in Massachusetts.

Marcoux teaches students, trains horses, and competes in combined driving through Advanced level and pleasure drives with singles, pairs and four-in-hands.

“It’s really kind of interesting in carriage driving—there are many who come from riding to driving certainly, but there are also a lot of people who are new to horses,” says Marcoux.

Martha Custis Merry of Lebanon, Ohio, an amateur adult dressage rider who now also drives her 8-year-old Percheron/Friesian/Dutch Harness gelding, Lancer, shares that the sport is something that can be enjoyed as a pleasure driver or competitive driver. She likes the team aspect of working with her husband, Dave, who serves as her navigator in combined driving. Together the Merrys successfully completed their first combined driving event (CDE) at Training Level last fall, and they look forward to doing more.

Where to Start

Both Marcoux and Merry advise finding a local driving club as a very important first step, as well as reviewing the resources available through the American Driving Society (ADS), the Carriage Association of America (CAA), and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). There are carriage driving clubs in just about every region in the country; lists of clubs can be found on the ADS and CAA websites.

These are good resources to find local instructors, learn safe practices, get advice on selecting equipment, get help with training or purchasing a horse, and to enlist experienced drivers to lend a hand to newbies.

Those interested in driving will find a very welcoming group, according to Merry.

“The driving community is loaded with wonderfully generous folks. Most driving clubs embrace knowledge-sharing and invite potential drivers to join for a free trial period and to ride along in their carriages.”

Marcoux offers this logical progression in learning to drive:

■ Gain experience and confidence by riding along with a driving instructor and
other experienced drivers, with the goal of eventually taking over the reins while still having them at your side for guidance as a co-pilot. After doing this for a time, they will let you know when it’s time to solo.
■ Use an experienced horse while learning to drive. After learning with a seasoned horse, then the person can work on training their own horse for driving with the help of experts.
■ Learn the parts of the harness and vehicle (cart, carriage, wagon, sleigh, et cetera). Marcoux says that the harness can often look like a “bucket of squids” to beginners, but it really is no different than learning the parts of a saddle.
■ Learn how to safely harness a horse and hitch them to a vehicle.
■ Learn ground driving and long lining.
■ Learn by volunteering and watching, help at shows and meetings, and shadow experienced drivers.

Merry adds these tips:
■ Do your homework by reading and watching videos. Study the rulebooks. Ask questions.
■ Spend plenty of time doing groundwork with a horse to develop a rapport and communication before climbing into the carriage.

Riding Versus Driving

The view between the ears of a riding horse is much the same in driving, but from a slightly different angle and with communication through a few new aids.

“I was accustomed to feeling and influencing my horse with legs, seat, hands and balance,” says Merry. “Driving takes that communication to a whole new level. I still needed to accomplish the same type of tasks, but now using voice, reins, whip and brakes when applicable [not all horse-drawn vehicles have brakes].”

Your riding horse could also make a great driving horse, even if he needs to be retired from riding in some cases.

“Driving can be a fabulous second career for a horse because it’s very low-impact compared to riding,” says Marcoux. “When you get horses that have conditions such as kissing spine or navicular—conditions that make them not appropriate for ridden work—they may still be fantastic horses for driving if they have a decent head on their shoulders.”

Try Driving Now

Marcoux encourages those interested not to wait to try driving.

“The biggest thing I see is that most often people have a tendency to wait too long before trying the sport,” he says. “They think it looks like fun and maybe they’ll do that when they get older and can’t ride anymore. Then you know what happens? They feel like they have cheated themselves once they start driving. They say, ‘Wow, I absolutely should not have waited!’”

This article about how to get started with driving horses appeared in the July 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

Further Reading

■ The Right Stuff: How to Choose a Driving Horse
■ Scurry Driving: Your New Favorite Equestrian Sport
■ Driving Mini Horses
■ Driving Lessons from the Show Ring

The post Dive Into Driving: How to Get Started Driving Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Kentucky Classic Combined Driving Event concluded with the cones phase at the picturesque Hillcroft Farm. A small but mighty field contested the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Advanced Pair Horse Combined Driving National Championship, and Jacob Arnold, of Goshen, Ky., took home his second consecutive title.

Arnold drove Steve Wilson’s KWPN and Lipizzaner pair, which consisted of seasoned veterans and a talented newcomer. Despite some uncertainty of how the event would unfold with the mixed pair, Arnold led the competition from start to finish. He and the pair scored 49.89 in the dressage phase to begin the national championship quest and win the first phase.

“I was really pleased with the dressage phase,” said Arnold. “The new horse that we have is named Kenji V, and he is a six year old. This was only his second FEI competition, actually only the second competition of his career. I was really pleased to bring him out and get a score under 50. There is plenty of room for improvement, but I was still very pleased with Kenji V and Endorro.”

Arnold used a different pairing in the marathon phase over Marc Johnson’s course. It was another winning combination as they finished first in the phase with a score of 96.77.

“I again used Kenji V with Pluto Revans, an older seasoned horse. We went out planning to make it a smooth nice round for the horses; we didn’t want to push anything,” explained Arnold. “It had rained the day before so we were dealing with some adverse conditions, and our goal was to go through smoothly without a major mistake. We managed to accomplish that, and we are pleased to have won the phase as well.”

A challenging cones course posed the final obstacle for the national championship field. Arnold and his pair had a strong round, tallying 13.02 and winning the final phase and overall title.

“It was probably one of the harder courses I have seen all year,” said Arnold. “With having a young horse in and not necessarily our A team for this competition, I was a little bit nervous going in. I wasn’t quite sure what we were going to have in the tight, difficult elements, but as the horse has proven to me every day so far this week, [Kenji V] is nothing but a superstar, and I am really looking forward to his future.”

Arnold thanked Steve Wilson for the opportunity of driving his horse in the 2021 USEF Advanced Pair Horse Combined Driving National Championship; his fiancée Mary Sheerin; and Misdee Wrigley Miller, James Miller, and their team for hosting the competition at Hillcroft Farm.

James Miller, of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., clinched the reserve champion title with an overall score of 186.74. He and the KWPN pair, owned by James Miller and Misdee Wrigley Miller, started with a dressage score of 53.33 followed by a score of 101.60 in the marathon phase. They closed out the competition with a cones score of 29.81.

Paul Maye, of Fairfield, Va., earned a third-place finish with an overall score of 197.17. He and Harmony Sporthorses’ pair scored 59.88 in the dressage phase and collected 98.76 in the marathon phase. Maye and his horses finished the cones phase with a score of 38.53.

Bob Burrows, of Windsor, S.C., finished in fourth place on an overall score of 273.57. He and his Friesian-cross pair had a dressage score of 71.75 and tallied a score of 166.02 in the marathon phase. They finished the competition with a cones score of 35.80.

Find out more information about the Kentucky Classic CDE.

Stay up to date with USA Driving by following on Facebook and US Equestrian on Instagram and Twitter. Use #USADriving.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOPC, and USEF sponsors and members.

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USEF Preliminary Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship

Raymond Helmuth, of Cambridge, Iowa, and Kendro earned the USEF Preliminary Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship with an overall score of 108.89 penalties. Helmuth guided the young, but sensible, five-year-old KWPN stallion owned by Helmuth Equine to a solid dressage score of 54.22 penalties for third place in the dressage phase. They went on to win the cones phase and add no penalties to their score. They closed out the competition by winning the marathon phase and adding 54.67 penalties to their overall score.

“He was just an absolutely rock star,” said Helmuth of Kendro’s marathon performance. “He is a small horse, and he is so handy and quick in the hazards that it is work to stay with him. He gave me absolutely every ounce that he had in the marathon, and he wasn’t even out of gas when we were done. It was fantastic; it was just unbelievable!”

Jan Hamilton, of Alva, Fla. and Icen, her seven-year-old KWPN gelding, earned the reserve champion title with an overall score of 112.28 penalties. Ellen Epstein, of Ocala, Fla., and Uncle Leo, her 11-year-old KWPN gelding, finished in third with an overall score of 115.61 penalties.

USEF Preliminary Single Pony Combined Driving National Championship

Leslie Berndl, of Lexington, Ky., added a USEF Preliminary Single Pony Combined Driving National Championship to her resume with the help of Sweetwater’s Maraduke and an overall score of 107.17 penalties. Berndl and Teressa Kandianis’s five-year-old Norwegian Fjord gelding scored 51.11 penalties to place second in the dressage phase. They won the cones phase and added no penalties to their score. Berndl and Sweetwater’s Maraduke finished Sunday’s marathon phase with 56.06 penalties to win the phase and the national championship title.

“For the marathon, I really had no expectations of how he would do because we had only done training level at Grand Oaks [CDE earlier this month],” said Berndl. “I tried to move a little more forward in the hazards, and he picked it up like he had been doing it for 100 years. I kind of let him pick his pace in the obstacles, and he stayed forward and light and answered everything I asked of him with 110%.”

Denice Klinger, of Alpharetta, Ga., and Ironwood Xander, her eight-year-old Norwegian Fjord gelding, were the reserve champions with an overall score of 114.98 penalties. Janet Crumpton, of Alachua, Fla., and FRF Donnar, her 12-year-old Norwegian Fjord gelding, finished in third place with an overall score of 122.51 penalties, making it a podium sweep for Norwegian Fjords in the national championship division.

Roberta Greeno, of Ocala, Fla., and her American Shetland ponies took home the USEF Preliminary Pair Pony Combined Driving National Championship title with an overall score of 124.57 penalties. They began the competition by earning a dressage score of 52.22 penalties, then tallying 3.00 penalties in the cones phase. Greeno and her ponies finished the competition by tallying 69.35 penalties in the marathon phase.

“Marathon was a blast,” said Greeno. “[The courses] are all challenging at prelim level, but it wasn’t too much of a challenge. It was a beautiful course. I live right here by the park, and I have nothing but admiration and respect for how it is being run these days.”

USEF Preliminary Four-in-Hand Pony Division

Louise Blankinship, of Live Oak, Fla., and her Welsh and Dartmoor team claimed the USEF Preliminary Four-in-Hand Pony Combined Driving National Championship title with an overall score of 150.17 penalties. They scored 58.20 penalties in the dressage phase, driving in the rain on Friday for an added challenge. Blankinship and her ponies had no penalties in the cones phase for a stellar performance. The ponies tallied 91.97 penalties in the marathon to close out the competition.

“When we did cones, it was the best phase that I have ever driven,” said a thrilled Blankinship. “My goal was to go in and be as fast as I could and as accurate as I could, because I would like to move up to Intermediate soon. We came in, and it was going well, and it was just like floating. We came in 51 seconds under time. It was just amazing!”

Blankinship believed that her success at the show was due in part to being a member of the Developing Athlete Program for Combined Driving. “Since I got into the program and started doing the clinics just last month, I have gotten so much better, especially with my cones,” said Blankinship. “It is amazing how much I have learned. I hope more people join the program because look how much it has helped me already.”

View the results from the Florida Spring Fling CDE.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF sponsors and members.

Stay up to date with combined driving coverage by following USA Driving on Facebook and US Equestrian on Instagram and Twitter. Use #USADriving.

Further Reading

• Jennifer Thompson Captures USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship

The post Four USEF Preliminary Combined Driving National Championships Crowned at Florida Spring Fling CDE appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Jennifer Thompson, of Lodi, Wis., and her driving horse, Funnominial CG, added the title of “national champion” to their resume in the 2019 USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship at the Katydid CDE. Thompson’s strong dressage test helped the pair earn the tricolors to finish with a final cumulative score of 156.87 penalties.

With a banner year for the newly partnered Thompson and Funnominial CG, her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, the duo left everything on the table for the win in this combined driving national championship. In dressage, Thompson and Funnominial CG sat in second place with 55.13 penalties heading into Saturday’s marathon. The marathon saw a slight shake up in the leaderboard, with Thompson taking the lead after two days of competition with a cumulative score of 146.34 penalties heading into the third and final phase, cones.

“I felt that we had our best dressage test yet,” said Thompson. “The horse seems to be coming along well, developing both physically and mentally in the marathon. He really gives it 110%.”

Thompson’s cones phase proved to be a bit challenging as she and Funnominial CG added 10.53 penalties to their overnight score to end with a final 156.87 penalties for the title.

Taylor Bradish, of Windsor, S.C., and Katydid Duchess, Katrina Becker’s 10-year-old Welsh pony-cross mare, were hot on the heels of Thompson throughout the competition. With only 0.21 penalties between Bradish and Thompson, Bradish ended the weekend in reserve with a final score of 157.08 penalties. Donna Crookston, of Saltsburg, Penn., and Viktor, her 11-year-old Dutch Harness gelding, put in the only fault-free cones round to secure a third-place finish with a final score of 160.84 penalties.

Complete scores can be found online (via PDF).

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The post Jennifer Thompson Captures USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Boyd Exell and his mostly-black team of mixed Warmbloods had a near-perfect weekend at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Exell took an early lead in dressage and held it throughout the competition, ultimately walking away with individual gold in the combined driving competition.

In the final day of combined driving, drivers navigate a course of pairs of cones with balls balanced on top of them. They can choose their route to a certain degree, but must go through the numbered pairs in order and in the right direction. Knocking down a ball or going over the optimum time results in penalties. Four drivers completed this phase with no penalties, but Exell’s lead was great enough that the 3.52 penalties he incurred did not put him out of first place.

Exell was impressed by the top competition he faced at the WEG, saying that normally he would relax after earning such a great dressage score on the first day of an event. “The other competitors made me work all weekend,” he said. “I had to concentrate and pretend I’d had a bad day the first day.”

Ijsbrand Chardon of the Netherlands, who has been neck and neck with Exell on the European circuit this year, came in a very close second with just over one penalty point separating the top two placings. American driver Tucker Johnson earned the bronze medal in what he says is his final combined driving event.

“I’ve loved the time I’ve spent driving,” he said, reflecting on the end of his decades-long competitive career. “I’m glad that I got the chance to win an individual medal. Now it’s time to move on to more family time and more work time.”

In the team competition, the Dutch team came out on top. Along with Chardon’s second place, team members Koos De Ronde and Theo Timmerman came in fifth and sixth, respectively. Johnson’s success helped lead the United States to a team silver. Team members Jimmy Fairclough and Chester Weber both had fault-free rounds in the cones competition on Sunday, but problems in Saturday’s marathon knocked them both down in placings. They were ninth and tenth individually, but still posted respectable scores to help the U.S. team take home a medal.

The team from Germany won the bronze medal in a close race with the Swedish team for third place. A costly error in the cones by Sweden’s Tomas Eriksson, who had been having a phenomenal event, put Sweden out of contention. At the end of the cones course, Eriksson steered his team through a gate in the wrong direction, which is a fault penalized by elimination. Sweden needed two scores to be in team medal contention, but Eriksson’s elimination left only one score for the team.

“We are not happy that we won [the bronze medal] by the Swedish driver’s error,” said German team chef d’equippe, Friedrich Otto-Erley. “But we are very happy to drive home with a bronze medal. We didn’t expect that result yesterday.”

Germany’s team members but in a respectable finish, coming in fourth, eleventh and thirteenth individually.

The next four-in-hand combined driving world championship will be held in Germany in 2012.

For full results, visit www.alltechfeigames.com/results

See all World Equestrian Games combined driving news >>

WEG Combined Driving Medal Standings
Team	Individual
Netherlands	Boyd Exell (AUS)
United States	Ijsbrand Chardon (NED)
Germany	Tucker Johnson (USA)

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