Aussie on the World Driving Stage & Changes for Driving Back Home in Australia

The Driving Valkenswaard International event in the Netherlands, has just concluded. This event saw a large number of Aussies attend, mainly because the event is held on the property where, possibly the greatest FEI Driver the world has seen to date, Australian born and bred Boyd Exell is based.

Boyd and his super XL Team won the Four-in-Hand event convincingly, with a 1st in the Dressage, 3rd in the Marathon and 2nd in the Cones.

Elizabeth Lawrence, of Warrayure, Victoria, also drove a team of Boyd’s horses for a successful completion amongst the best Drivers in the world.

Tor Van Den Berge, based in Beaudesert, Queensland, driving British Owen and Janet Pilling’s magnificent pair, ended 14th overall in a very strong Pairs event. A superb Dressage test placed him second in that phase.

Andrea Webb was another Aussie representative at Valkenswaard, as an FEI steward. Andrea is a member of the EA Driving Committee, which benefits from her international experience.

Meanwhile, at the Hopetoun FEI Driving event in Scotland, the week before, Aussie Official Dot Wilcoxson was President of the Ground Jury.

Back home, change is afoot for Driving in Australia.

We are pleased to announce that the EA Board has officially accepted our request to change our discipline name to Driving in every respect, bringing Australia in line with FEI.

In an effort for EA Driving to be recognised Australia-wide, we are pleased to welcome a new Driving committee under the Equestrian Victoria banner.

Discussions are ongoing in other States that currently do not have a committee. If you are an EA member from one of these States and are interested in helping to develop a Driving committee, please contact your State branch and/or the Chairperson of the EA Driving committee, Jessica Meredith through the EA website ‘Contact Us’ list.

We are pleased to announce that Veronica Steward, a prominent EA and FEI Judge and Official in both Eventing and Dressage, and a participant in the 2018 FEI Driving Officials course at the Tamworth International, has now joined the EA Driving committee.

This welcome addition expands the knowledge and experience base of the committee, which will, in turn, benefit all current and potential Drivers in Australia.

Article courtesy of Equestrian Australia