Twenty-eight four-in-hand drivers from ten nations started at the beautiful site of The Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda, which has been the outstanding location for the only Dutch Nations Cup competition in the history of Dutch driving. Beside the CAIO, Breda this year also successfully hosted the FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships. The international driving competition for pony teams, the international eventing competition and Dutch eventing Championships, national show jumping and dressage competitions offered a fantastic programme to all horse sport lovers.
 

Breda was the last competition where the top drivers met before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. The carriages and other equipment of the Dutch, German and Swiss teams have already been shipped to Kentucky and most of the drivers therefore started with lend vehicles and harness. Drivers like Koos de Ronde and Theo Timmerman from the Netherlands competed with several different horses in Breda to spare their best horses for Kentucky.
 

Winner Zoltan Lázar decided after Aachen not to start in Kentucky. The flamboyant successful pair and four-in-hand driver feels that the World Championship judges gave him undeserved low points in Aachen and he is the opinion that when he is awarded the same points in Kentucky, he will have no chance for a high placing. He feels that when he has no fair chance, he does not want to spend the large amount of money that is involved with the trip to Kentucky.
 

The dressage was won by Christoph Sandmann, who was recently crowned German National Champion for the fifth time in his career. Home driver Theo Timmerman came second with a new wheeler horse, which he used for the first time at a competition. His compatriot Koos de Ronde was pleased with his third place, using two other horses in the wheel of his four-in-hand. First starter in the dressage competition Zoltan Lázar came fourth.
 

The marathon, designed by Dutch World Championship course designer Johan Jacobs, included eight challenging and technical obstacles. Mark Weusthof is the Dutch reserve driver for Kentucky and proofed his marathon skills again in Breda. After his international marathon wins in Zelhem (NED) and Riesenbeck (GER), Mark was again the fastest in Breda. World Championship competitor Tomas Eriksson came second, ahead of the young German competitor Michael Brauchle. Zoltan Lázar nearly fell off his carriage in obstacle four when he hit a post, but he quickly corrected himself and took the lead in the standings. Allround driver Werner Ulrich from Switzerland drove his team of Lusitano horses to the fourth place in the marathon and climbed to the second place in the standings after dressage and marathon.
A very special visitor closely followed the performances of the drivers. Her majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands paid a visit to Breda Hippique and enjoyed watching the marathon, accompanied by two of her grand daughters.
 

The small differences between the drivers in the top of the standings resulted in an exciting cones competition. Only four competitors drove a clear round within the time allowed. Lázar was one of them and the happiness was shown on his face after he passed the finish line. Ulrich only had a time penalty and remained second. Mark Weusthof moved up from the sixth to the third place thanks to his clear round.
 

With just one more competition to go, the standings are nearly being finalized. Lázar has taken over the lead from IJsbrand Chardon, who did not compete in Breda to prepare for Kentucky. After the CAI-A Donaueschingen from 16 – 19 September, it will be announced how many drivers will qualify for the FEI World Cup™ Driving 2010-2011, depending on the number of World Cup competitions.

Click here for the standings

Click here for the results

With just one more competition to go, the standings are nearly being finalized. Lázar has taken over the lead from IJsbrand Chardon, who did not compete in Breda to prepare for Kentucky. After the CAI-A Donaueschingen from 16 – 19 September, it will be announced how many drivers will qualify for the FEI World Cup™ Driving 2010-2011, depending on the number of World Cup competitions.

Click here for the standings

Click here for the results

Zoltan Lázar (HUN):
“I am very pleased with my horses. I used the two Lipizzaner horses with which I competed at the World Pair Driving Championship in 2009 in the wheel and I used one new dressage horse. I knew everything was still possible after the dressage because the differences were so small. In the marathon, my horses were a little tired in the marathon so I could not drive at my normal speed. But in the cones they were fit again, they really work well together and I trust them and they trust me. I am very happy that I have won in Breda, this is my first CAIO win ever.”

Werner Ulrich (SUI):
“My horses still need to be more secure in dressage, but they are improving every competition. In the marathon, they were very fit and I drove the obstacles as I had planned to. I will use the same horses at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.”

Mark Weusthof (NED):
“I was one of the first drivers to start in the marathon and I really went for it. I set very fast times so my fellow competitors had a challenge. I only had a small mistake in the last obstacle but I solved that quickly. I am very happy with my third place and since I am not travelling to Kentucky, I will start in Donaueschingen to won more World Cup points.”