16 January 2014

Schneiders sells four-in-hand to the USA

The German team has one candidate less for the WEG 2014 in Normandy. The talented and well-performing four-in-hand driver Daniel Schneiders has sold his complete outdoor four-in-hand to Allison Stroud (USA).

Stroud is a very successful four-in-hand pony driver. She successfully represented the USA at every World Pony Driving Championship since 2003. The 60-year-old Stroud decided to switch to a horse four-in-hand after the World Championships in Pau 2013, where she finished on the 8th place.

Lisa Stroud
Daniel Schneiders was approached via Boyd Exell if he was interested in selling his team and the sale is now definite: “I have sold the five Dutch warm blood horses with which I competed last season to Lisa,” explains Schneiders. “Luckily I don’t have to miss them yet, because I will keep training them this season for Lisa. She regularly comes to my place to train together.”

The reply of the 32-year-old farrier to the question if he doesn’t think it is a pity that he throws away his chances to represent Germany at the World Equestrian Games is quite sober: “I have informed our national trainer and I won’t be part of the squad anymore, but I knew that beforehand. I have already found some good horses to build a new four-in-hand and I like doing that. I have had a lot of fun driving this team for the past two years. In the past, I have always changed after two years so the time was right to make a new change again,” says Schneiders with a smile.

Daniel is convinced that Lisa will be able to represent the USA in Normandy at the beginning of September with the chestnut geldings Anesco (v. Unieko), Ulco (v. Fabricius) and the Manno-sons George, Mozès and Zenno. “Lisa is a very talented driver and she is well underway with this team. I think she has a good chance to start at the WEG and then I will be part of it as well!”
The successful US pair driver Misdee Wrigley-Miller has also switched to driving a four-in-hand, which may result in a unique representation of the USA in Normandy with two lady drivers!