A memorable marathon over a compelling course ended with the U.S. Four-in-Hand driving team in fifth place among 13 countries on Saturday, the next-to-last day of the FEI World Championships in Aachen.
Chester Weber, the leader after dressage, is now third individually, after his marathon score was added to his total. Fourteenth in the marathon with a total of 119.21 penalties, the U.S. star is behind the leader from the Netherlands, Koos de Ronde on 108.39, who had the best marathon of the day.
But first individually overall after two phases is, no surprise, defending champ Boyd Exell, who is after his eighth consecutive individual title and has led the Australian team of two to first place. That’s so far, since Sunday’s cones contest will decide who, and what countries, get the medals.
Boyd has 142.34 penalties individually, followed by Belgium’s Dries Degrieck on 147.72 and Chester’s 149.61. Which means it’s relatively close in determining who will get individual honors.
“It was hard work out there,” said Boyd.
“You had to work from the beginning to the end, and you couldn’t take your foot off concentrating. But my four horses, like yesterday, were at an optimum.
“They did it again for me today, and they were safe and fast. We didn’t try to win the marathon but we just tried to stay by the top three in every obstacle, which was our goal.”
He added, “The ground was ‘holding’ after 50 carriages and teams, although Aachen has done everything possible to keep the ground stable. I had an unlucky slip in obstacle six when my left wheeler stumbled in the mud, but he got up straight away and I was so grateful he found his extra legs.”
Chester praised his horses, especially venerable left wheeler Amadeus, who proved he still has it at 21 with his performance in the complicated obstacles.
Chester Weber in the marathon (FEI Photo).
The horse is “a half-hackney” combined with KWPN.
“I really like that sort. Maybe they’re not the best young horses, but when they settle into their job, they become professionals and cross-country really suits them; they have a lot of athleticism,” Chester pointed out.
Amadeus’ record that includes 59 starts would seem to underline the truth in that comment.
The second-highest score for the team is Taren “Taz” Lester, a man who used to work for Chester, among other internationally known drivers. He’s a trainer as well as a driver who is twenty-fourth individually with 183.65 penalties and came in twenty-ninth in the marathon after a seventeenth-place dressage finish.
U.S. four-in-hand driver Taren “Taz” Lester at the DHL obstacle in the marathon. (USEF Photo)
Veteran Jimmy Fairclough, who first drove in a four-in-hand championship in 1980, has 201.98 penalties and stands thirty-sixth, which is where is also finished in the marathon.
“I feel a little rusty,” said Jimmy.
“The footing got a little slippery, but my horses were full of power.”
Simply being at Aachen, with its atmosphere heightened by thousands of spectators, is a test for the horses.
“In America,” Jimmy explained, “we don’t have crowds like this and that takes a little bit of a toll on how fired up they are. But we pretty much made every turn we wanted; a little bit slower than I’d like, but I’d rather not have a mistake than be a little faster and something go wrong.”
He noted that it is the first world championship that his two leaders have been with him, though they did a pairs championship before he bought them. His other horses were in the last championships in Hungary two years ago, but that didn’t go well after one of his marathon leaders knocked out all his front teeth on the bars of his stall.
Jean Thornton, driving as an individual for the U.S., is fulfilling an ambition by being in the competition.
“I’m just thrilled to have finished this incredible course here at Aachen. It’s been a lifelong dream for me. To work with these beautiful, talented horses is such a privilege. They took me, I’m just guiding them; they’re the stars here.”
She ranks fiftieth of the 52 marathon finishers.
“I was so happy I was able to get within the time allowed,” Jean mentioned.
“I’m not super-fast in the obstacles. I was really happy to have achieved that. So many obstacles went so well.”
Click here for marathon results. Click here for team results. click here for individual dressage plus marathon results