Pandur and Kimba

When we covered the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, Tryon and posted photos of the team driven by Bram Chardon, everyone was asking about the white Lippizaner Pandur. The smaller right leader in the team of big brown Dutch Driving horses captured the hearts of many who were new to following Driving Sport at Tryon. Pandur contributed to the winning cones round, the only double clear of the entire Driving competition at Tryon. Pandur was also in Chardon's indoor team that won the FEI World Cup Final in Bordeaux 2019 with many victories since on the 2019 FEI Four in Hand tour. Now we get to visit Pandur every day in the first stall on the left where the top team horses reside at Manege Chardon. 

The small but mighty grey horse who stepped into the big bay Bram team was the one everybody wanted to know more. “He is a 13 year old gelding Lipizzaner. Incitato Pandur, “ Bram said with affection. “Pandur is owned by the Dobrovitz family, who are great friends of ours. Several people wanted to buy Pandur, but Dobro would only sell to us as it’s one of his favorite horses.” Lipizzan horses are popular with the indoor circuit for which four-in-hand drivers often have totally different teams."

He continues to be a part of the World class team of Bram Chardon who now in his third year moving from three times Pony World Driving Champion, to horses, began 2019 with an unprecedented World Cup win.

With my four ponies spending the summer months to train and prepare for the 2019 FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies, Kisber, Hungary we are all benefitting from daily training among the top drivers, horses and ponies in the world. Kimba wasn't meant to come, being the "spare mare" and definitely with her own opinions, but I just couldn't leave her behind to get fat and flabby. There are those of us who believe in her sassy spirit and she knows by hanging out in this barn this is serious business.

Thanks to the ongoing success of our fundraising efforts, I made the decision to take a gamble on her joining the boys. Basically so far we raised enough money to bring her (which includes pricey quarantine when we return). There is still a long way to go to our goal of covering the transport, but bringing Kimba was worth the chance.

Kimba and Pandur met today as we were doing our single work. He has proclaimed himself her new mentor, and she thinks he's pretty handsome.