From Wednesday onwards, spectators will be treated to a record-breaking FEI Driving World Driving Championship for Pairs at the Pôle International de Sports Equestres (PISE) of Le Pin (FRA). No fewer than 92 drivers representing 25 countries and accompanied by 270 horses will settle in the new facilities. After the horse inspection on Wednesday morning, the sport will start on Thursday at 9.00am and finish on Sunday with the new world champions. Will France, absent from the team podium since 2017, succeed in winning on home soil? Will Martin Hölle, the three-time Hungarian individual & team title-holder, succeed in retaining his status?

When it comes to driving, experts are wont to say that there is Hungary and there are other countries, because this nation is brimming with immense talent and equally high-performance horses. Since 2017, the world of pair driving has been dominated by one man: Martin Hölle. Crowned double World Champion (individual and team) at just 20 years of age in 2017 (at Lipica in Slovenia), he achieved the incredible feat of retaining his double crown in 2019 (Drekbau/GER) then 2021 (Kronenberg/NED) with the same horses. This year, he will once again be presenting his faithful Dior and Eppi, who have been with him for six years now. Suffice to say that the trio know each other pretty well.

His compatriot József Dobrovitz Jr, team-mate at the 2021 World Championship and current world no. 2, is also a serious contender for victory. Faced with this Hungarian duo, the Germans, led by world no. 3 and 4 Dennis Schneiders and Max Berlage, and the Dutch (team bronze medallists at the last World Championship), with a team largely reshuffled since their last meeting, should have some solid arguments at their disposal.

Individually, while the Hungarians remain the men to beat, the French, at home, will want to take advantage of the opportunity to shine. Their leader, Franck Grimonprez, winner in July of the CAI organised at the Haras du Pin, should guide the French team, who is showing real ambitions. Under the guidance of national coach Felix-Marie Brasseur, the reigning French champion will have to show the way to his team-mates, in particular Raphaël Berrard, a driver based at the Haras du Pin who will be keen to shine in front of his home crowd.

The Schedule

As with all equestrian competitions, the World Championships will begin at 8.30am on Wednesday with horse inspection, a formality designed to check that the horses are fit to take part in the event. At 2pm, the chef d’equipe will meet to draw lots for the starting order of the nations. Each team will then announce the names of the leaders whose scores will count towards the team rankings. Each team is made up of just three carriages. But some nations, such as France and Hungary, are lucky enough to have more drivers than they need. They therefore have to choose the day before the start of the Championship who will represent their country, leaving the other competitors free to compete as individuals. Quite a strategy!

Next up for spectators is the dressage on Thursday and Friday – a series of figures in all three gaits graded by judges – followed by the marathon – the showpiece event, a series of eight obstacles made up of
gates to be cleared as quickly as possible – and finally the cones, a sort of timed slalom where skill and speed are required if drivers hope to emerge unscathed and maintain their advantage.

SCHEDULE:

Wednesday September 27th –

8:30 Horse inspection
2:00 Draw (teams)
5:00 Opening ceremony
7:00 Nations’ Dinner

Thursday September 28th –

9:00 Dressage

Friday September 29th –

9:00 Dressage

Saturday September 30th –

9:00 Marathon

Sunday October 1st –

9:00 Cones

To follow: Medal Ceremony

FEI Driving World Championship – Pairs

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