A distinct favorite is the 2010 World Championship silver medalist and several times Top Driver Award winner, Bartolomiej Kwiatek from Poland. Glenn Hesslo is a Swedish marathon specialist who drives the Danish Warmblood Speedy, owned by four-in-hand driver Tomas Eriksson. Other marathon specialists are also found in Anders Hansen from Denmark, who won the 4th place in the World Championship marathon in 2010 with the horse Kanton. The same applies for the earlier bronze medalist Ben Simonsen from Finland, who has several international marathon victories. Pille Oberpal is the first single driver from Estonia to compete at international level and has delivered very good results in 2011. Vilmos Jambor is the initiative behind the international single driving at AEG. He has participated on the Hungarian team for the World Championships several times and will also deliver a spectacular show at AEG 2012.

Linn Støkken Nielsen (photo: Krizstina Horvath)

Among the competitors there are two Norwegian competitors, who are no rookies compared to the rest of the starting list, in spite of Norway not being a country with great driving traditions. Linn Støkken Nielsen has had some very good seasons the last few years, collecting several placings and victories in driven dressage and several combined placings. This effort has resulted in top ten placings in the Top Driver Award ranking in 2009 and 2010 and a 13th place in 2011. The season of 2011 also brought two international combined victories for Linn, who won the CAI-A in Fabiansebestyen, Hungary and the CAI-B in Schwaiganger, Germany. These results are based on stabile performances in driven dressage and advances in marathon and conedriving. She was nominated for the award for best driver/rider at the 2012 Equestrian Gala in Norway. Linn has two qualified horses for the 2012 World Championship I Lezirias, Portugal

Øivind Mikkelsen had a dream-like debut in the World Championships 2010, where he drove his amazing horse to a 7th place in the marathon. This performance led to Tiger Hedegaard being nominated as youngster of the year in Norway in 2011 and winning the award at the 2011 Equestrian Gala. In 2011 he has become established on an international level, mainly because of several marathon placings. Øivind won the marathon at CAI-A Dillenburg, at the Swedish Championship and at the Nordic-Baltic Championships, where he also was the silvermedalist. Øivind is currently at 28th place in the Top Driver Award Ranking.

Øivind Mikkelsen (photo: Emilio Gamba)

The international single driving at AEG was a great audience attractor in 2010. This popular branch within driving sport did not make the program in 2011, which led to privation among the spectators. Øivind Mikkelsen and Linn Støkken Nielsen are happy to see the single driving back on the schedule, and are looking forward to compete against the top drivers of the world on home-turf: "We are so excited! We promise to make hard competition for our international colleagues and we guarantee the spectators a magnificent experience at the Arctic Equestrian Games!"

Arctic Equestrian Games are held at Oslofjord Convention Centre in Stokke, Vestfold from the 16th to the 26th of February 2012. The single driving is scheduled for the last weekend of AEG on 24 and 26 February, and the organizer promises an exciting program with competitions, clinics, shows and concerts.

More information: www.hestefrelst.no and in the Hoefnet calendar.