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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
FEI
Driving News : Freund fights for victory in Stuttgart
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Michael
Freund has won the first FEI World Cup Driving event of this season
in Stuttgart, Germany. But the 49-year old had to fight for it.
Yesterday in the warm up competition he let his fellow countryman
Christoph Sandmann have the honours. But today Freund fought back
and he won, supported by thousands of enthusiastic fans, the World
Cup event in Stuttgart for the third consecutive time. Freund
explains: O yesterday I had some bad luck when the break of the
right hind wheel of my carriage blocked, but that was solved this
morning. I have not very often used the horses I used in Stuttgart
in this composition. The two wheelers are from my outdoor team.
I had to look for a solution to compete with the best possible
team, because I know that my colleague-drivers are getting closer
and closer!¹ Christoph Sandmann, eager to beat his friend
Freund in a World Cup competition, put everything at stake in
today¹s first round. He and Wild Card driver Chester Weber
from the USA qualified for the drive off, with Freund as their
major opponent. Weber, driving a team of borrowed German horses
from Michael Freund and Global Team manager Walter Plücker,
knocked down five cones but was pleased with his third place.
OI was invited by the organization to compete with a Wild Card
and I believe that I have made this a true World Cup and not only
a European Cup¹. Sandmann had to be pleased with the second
place, despite his clear round.
Switzerland¹s
Werner Ulrich came fourth, followed by the second wild Card driver
Max Dangel from the Baden-Württemberg area. The Hungarian
drivers Jozsef Dobrovitz and Jozsef Boszik made their indoor debut
in Stuttgart. Dobrovitz started off well in yesterday¹s warm
up competition, but knocked four cones down in today¹s course
and came sixth: OWe don¹t have this kind of indoor driving
in Hungary, so we have not been able to really prepare ourselves.
We drove one indoor competition, but it was in a small hall without
spectators. In Stuttgart I have tried not to listen to the music
and the crowd and I am pleased with my result, my horses listened
well and I can only get better!¹ explains Dobrovitz. Jozsef
Bozsik, driving a team of Lipizzaner horses, came seventh in both
competitions.
The
course was designed by German course designer Falk Böhnisch
from Donaueschingen, who made use of new obstacles, constructed
by the Dutch course designer Johan Jacobs.
The
next World Cup competition takes place in Stockholm, Sweden, on
29 November 2003.
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:
Stuttgart German Masters: http://www.stuttgart-german-masters.de/
World Cup Driving: http://www.worldcupdriving.com
FEI: http://www.horsesport.org
www.horsesport.org
.
