November 2, 2013 — The United States sent six drivers onto the marathon on Saturday at the 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships and finished the day in seventh place on a total of 426.7. The Netherlands leads the field on a score of 326.2, with Germany currently in Silver medal position on 351.9, and Hungary occupies third place with a total of 370.9.
In the Single Pony Championship, the U.S. was represented by Tracey Morgan and Paul Maye. Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) drove her own Fuego 88 to 17th place on the marathon with a score of 74.61. The 2013 National Champion heads into the cones on Sunday in ninth place on a two-phase total of 123.38. Maye (Fairfield, Va.) and Harmony Sporthorses’ Markus stand on an overall total of 135.47 in 20th place after finishing the marathon in 21st place and adding 76.08 to their score on Sunday.
Sebastien Pallen of Belguim was the winner of the marathon in the Singles division on a score of 64.85. Hungary’s Martin Holle leads the championship on a score of 110.46 closely followed by Els Broekman of The Netherlands on 112.32 and Great Britain’s Rosann Walters-Symons on 113.82.
In the Pair Pony Championship, U.S. drivers Wendy O’Brien and Jennifer Matheson did not have the days they hoped for after incurring trouble on the marathons. O’Brien (Aiken, S.C.) and her own pony pair added 97.84 penalties to their overall score after finishing 21st on the marathon. She will head into the cones in 19th place on a score of 151.98. Matheson (Aiken, S.C.) and Katrina Becker’s ponies had difficulty early in the course and retired in the second hazard.
Hungary’s Kristof Osztertag was the winner of the marathon in the Pair Championship with a score of 68.43. Ewoud Boom of The Netherlands holds to the lead after the marathon on a score of 107.18, with Germany’s Marco Freund second on 112.50 and Great Britain’s Anna Grayston stands third on 119.26.
Lisa Stroud and Katie Whaley produced top-12 results for the U.S. on the marathon in the Pony Team Championship. Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) added 93.64 to her overall total after placing 11th on the marathon. The nine-time National Champion heads into the cones on a score of 151.37 in 10th place. Whaley (Paris, Ky.) and Mia Allo’s team finished the marathon in 12th place on a score of 93.93 and stands on an overall total of 157.16 in 12th place.
Bram Chardon of The Netherlands won the marathon on a score of 72.60 in the Pony Team Championship. Chardon also leads the field on a total of 106.71, fellow Dutchman Jan De Boer is second on 120.39 and Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz Jr. is third with a score of 121.47.
To learn more about the 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships visit: http://www.couleurs-automne.com/en/welcome
Follow the 2013 U.S. Driving Team here.
