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World Driving Pairs Championship In Riesenbeck Dominated By Hungary European Eventing Championship In Pau Samsung Nations Cups Update In Memoriam WORLD DRIVING PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP IN RIESENBECK DOMINATED BY HUNGARY Hungary dominated the World Driving Pairs Championship which was held from 17 to 19 August in Riesenbeck (GER). With 124.76 points, Vilmos Lazar renewed his world title won in his home country at the 1999 Championship in Keckskemet. Vilmos' brother Zoltan Lazar won the World title in 1997 in Riesenbeck.. A talented young Portuguese, Frederico de Beck, won the silver medal, followed by Zoltan Nyul (HUN) who earned the bronze. Composed of the same drivers as in 1999, Vilmos and Zoltan Lazar and Zoltan Nyul, Hungary found back its way to the podium after 12 years without a team medal. A strong Dutch team composed of the experienced driver Riny Rutjens, vice-champion in 1997 and two new drivers, Gerard Leijten and Bennie Grosschalk, won a merited silver medal. Bronze went to Germany (Mario Junhhanns, August Gründker and Rolf von Aschwege). On Sunday, in front of a gasping crowd, the newcomer Federico de Beck made a spectacular obstacle driving course, in 170 seconds and without faults, and became a serious threat for the Hungarian title-holder Vilmos Lazar. The latter could afford no fault and only one second time penalty when he entered the arena. Looking very serene and cool-tempered, Lazar had not intention to let his title go, and made an impeccable course in two second less than his runner-up. Complete results on www.riesenbeck.de EUROPEAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIP IN PAU Fourteen nations entered for the Eventing European Championships in Pau On Friday 31 August in Burghley (GBR) a conference for the 2001 FEI Eventing European Championships will take place at the end of the morning session of the dressage test of the Burghley CCI****. Provisional timetable for the 2001 FEI Eventing European Championships Thursday, 11 October: 09.00 AM - 5.00 PM DRESSAGE (part 1) Friday, 12 October: 09.00 AM - 5.00 PM DRESSAGE (part 2) Saturday, 13 October: 10.00 AM - 5.00 PM CROSS COUNTRY Sunday, 14 October : 10.00 AM - 6.00 PM JUMPING TEST By the deadline for the "entries in principle" (14/08/01), 14 nations have sent their entries for the 2001 FEI Eventing European Championships that will take place in Pau-Pyrénées (France) from 11 to 14 October. The entered nations are: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Deadline for the nominated entries is 11 September; while the definite entries will have to be sent to the Organizing Committee by 2 October. www.event-pau.org SAMSUNG NATIONS CUPS UPDATE The heat is on as the 2000/2001 Samsung Nations Cup series draws to a close with Germany topping the league table going into the last four rounds and a right royal battle still taking place to ensure qualification for the final in Madrid next month. The Irish took the league by storm with 10 wins last year but no other team has matched that this time around. Germany topped the line-up at the 4-Star fixtures in St Gallen and Modena and the 3-Star legs in Ikast, Poznan, Budapest and Bratislava but they would need to win the last four rounds - at Gijon next weekend, then Rotterdam, Spruce Meadows and Sofia - if they want to equal the Irish record and that seems unlikely at this stage. Unlikely perhaps because the top six teams will all want to hold onto their current positions in order to get to Madrid and that means that the next few weeks should see some of the toughest competition so far. The Italians held the advantage for much of the early season following their double-victories scored in the two opening rounds at Podebrady, Czechoslovakia and Zagrab, Croatia and, having added Helsinki to their 3-Star tally and maximum points from the 4-Star at Lisbon they lie in second position on the league table at present, but a full 11 points behind the current leaders. The Belgians are a much-closer third, just two points further adrift, having shot up the leaderboard after their historic victory in Dublin 10 days ago when they claimed the coveted Aga Khan Cup for the very first time. The Nations Cup title at Aachen had also eluded them until this year, but they seem to be ticking things off their "wish-list" and if the Samsung final is on that then the rest had better beware. The Irish were far from happy about their performance on their home ground where they finished a disappointing fourth. Much had been expected by the home crowd following their European Championship victory and they have now slipped one place, to equal-fourth, on the Samsung league table having arrived in the top six with a late run. The French have only had nine league outings this season and, having claimed the honours at their own 4-Star in La Baule and then in Rome, kept a low profile until rallying again with a close second place in Dublin while the Swiss are in sixth position as the fourth-last qualifying round takes place in Gijon next weekend but the Dutch, next in line, are still in with a good chance of demoting some of the stragglers if they can do the business over the next few weeks. They are the ones who can really upset the current rankings and they will, no doubt, be hoping to make the right impression at their home fixture in Rotterdam in two weeks time. The Swiss, Irish and French are all in danger if their own luck is out and the Dutch find form at the right time, so there is still plenty to play for over the next few weeks as this Samsung Nations Cup series moves to an exciting close. IN MEMORIAM On 15 August, the World Driving Pairs Championships was saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of the world champion August Dubey (SUI), who was officiating in the Appeal Committee. He was 79. August Dubey was three time World Champion (Individual and team in 1972 in Münster, and Team in 1974 in St-Gallen) and European Champion in 1973 in Windsor. August Dubey was very dedicated to the Driving discipline and officiated many years as national and international judge, technical delegate and trainer for Swiss Federation. Member and then President of the Driving Committee of the Swiss Equestrian Federation, he was member of the FEI Driving Committee from 1980 to 1984 and officiated at European and World Championship from 1982 to 1995. The funeral will be held in strict intimacy. --------------
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