Federation Equestre Internationale News

World Cup Driving season continues in Stockholm

The Stockholm Horse Show will host the second World Cup Driving event of this season from 28 to 30 November 2003. In the past two years, Stockholm has become one most favorite shows for the four-in-hand drivers. Its atmosphere and the enthusiastic crowd as well as the hospitality makes the drivers feel very welcome. Winner of the FEI Top Driver Award IJsbrand Chardon specially chose Stockholm as his opener of the season. Sweden¹s Tomas Eriksson will compete in the Globen arena, as well as his fellow countryman Jan-Erik (Nicke) Pålsson, who received the wild card. Michael Freund, winner of the World Cup competition in Stuttgart, and his Global Team partner Boyd Exell from Australia will compete in Sweden¹s capital for the first time. Belgium¹s Gert Schrijvers, competing in Stockholm for the second time, completes the field of six competitors.

The drivers will enter the arena on Friday 28 November at 20.30 for the warm-up competition. The World Cup competition is scheduled on Saturday 29 November at 20.15 h. The six drivers are invited by the organization to compete in an extra competition, not counting for the World Cup, on Sunday evening at 18.40 h.

The Stockholm Horse Show will be broadcasted on the digital Swedish net SVT24 all weekend through.

Created in 2001, the Driving World Cup has provided an innovative new style of competition for indoor events, with courses combining marathon and cone driving obstacles. The 2003/2004 season of the World Cup includes seven events with eight competitions: Stuttgart (GER), Stockholm (SWE), Mechelen (BEL) in 2003; Leipzig (GER), two competitions in Vigo (ESP), 's-Hertogenbosch (NED) and Göteborg (SWE) in 2004.

The winner of the first two editions of the World Cup was Michael Freund (GER).

Relevant internet addresses:

Sockholm Horse Show: www.stockholmhorseshow.com
World Cup Driving: www.worldcupdriving.com
FEI: www.horsesport.org