Return to news index

Boyd's Marvellous in Maastricht

Australian Exell continued his perfect start to the FEI Driving World Cup™ season...

Australia’s Boyd Exell captured another win in FEI Driving World Cup™ action on Saturday in Maastricht, making him two for two in this season’s competition.

Exell and his team of Emma Olsen and Hugh Scott-Barrett beat out father and son competitors Ijsbrand Chardon, who took the silver medal, and defending series champion Bram Chardon, who won the bronze, after an exciting drive off.

Leg 2 of 9 had the stands and VIP marquees packed at the MECC convention and sporting centre, where local Dutch fans turned out to watch some of the world’s best four-in-hands drivers.

The eight qualifying legs between November and mid-January will determine which Driving teams head to the FEI Driving World Cup™ Finals in Bordeaux in February.

Former FEI Driving World Cup™ champion and world No.1 driver Boyd Exell was at the top of the standings, having won the season kickoff in Lyon last weekend.

Exell was also at the top of the leaderboard after the first day of competition in Maastricht, chased by Bram Chardon, and Glenn Geerts of Belgium.

Saturday’s course was another twisting test set by Jeroen Houternman of the Netherlands, with two sets of tightly spaced marathon obstacles and a bridge.

Up first, former World Cup champion Koos de Ronde of the Netherlands picked up 8 penalty points to add to his time of 141.24 seconds, leaving him on 149.24 and out of the running for the drive off.

Mareike Harm of Germany had her turn around the arena next, also gaining 8 points, to finish on 146.52 seconds--faster than the Dutchman but not quite enough for the final round.

The crowd went wild when 27-time Dutch National Champion Ijsbrand Chardon and his team entered the ring. With a super fast time of 128.21 seconds and only 4 penalties, the senior Chardon’s final score of 132.21 positioned him nicely for the drive off.

Chardon’s top-three finish in the round was cemented when Glenn Geerts saw his drive fall apart, racking up 16 points to give him a total of 159.57.

Young Bram Chardon then demonstrated why he snatched the title last season from eight-time champion Exell, moving his horses naturally forward in a fluid line through the daunting course. The first team to go clear, Chardon finished in 129.10 seconds and wowed the fans.

Last up, Boyd Exell also went clear, but his time of 133.19 seconds was slower than both Chardons. Would he be slower again in the drive off?As the first to go in the final round, Exell certainly laid down a challenge for the two Dutch drivers. Not only did the Australian go clear again, he finished in a lightning-fast time of 126.25 seconds, the fastest of the day so far.

Ijsbrand Chardon amazingly posted an even faster time next, crossing the beam in 122.51 seconds. But with a cone down for 4 points, his score of 126.51 was fractions behind Exell.

Alas, it wasn’t the younger Chardon’s day. Driving last on the drive off course, Bram Chardon picked up an uncharacteristic 12 penalty points to add to his time of 124.50 seconds, leaving him in third place behind his father and Exell.

Fourth place on Saturday went to Harm, with de Ronde finishing fifth and Geerts sixth.

*Supplied by FEI

Your browser is out of date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×