2008-08-06 Lexington, KY – Driver Chester Weber continued his stellar European campaign over the weekend with a convincing win at the German Fahrderby in Riesenbeck, Germany. The Fahrderby (Driving Derby) is a unique competition which consists of six separate phases.

It began with each competitor driving a pair the first morning - a class that is equivalent to a show hunter class.

Four drivers enter a standard driving arena and are directed by the judges to perform specific movements from letter to letter. The judging is based on conformation and overall suitability for driving. The drivers then exit the arena and are asked back in the ring one at a time to perform a specific mini-dressage test. The judges give one score for this section of the competition. In the afternoon the competitors must then drive a dressage test with a separate pair. Both the morning and afternoon sessions are scored and have a multiplier of one. Weber, who lives in Ocala, FL, scored 28.16 for his winning test in the morning and had the top score again in the afternoon session with a score of 37.12.

“My goal going into Reisenbeck was to win the competition by dominating the dressage phase,” said Weber. “We swept the dressage classes and broke an international record with the lowest score ever in test eight with the Four-in-Hand in on Friday.”

Tucker Johnson was competing for only the third time this year and finished a very respectable fifth in the morning session and fourth in the afternoon. Jim Fairclough rounded out the US trio driving Jane Clark’s relatively inexperienced team. He was fourth in the morning session but had a bit of trouble in the afternoon and finished 23rd.

The second day of the competition brought all four horses together for the traditional Four-in-Hand dressage test. Weber scored a phenomenal 32.90 rumored to be a record score for that specific test. The test was essentially flawless, the only mistake was a restless right leader in the test’s first halt.

Weber, using back-up wheelers, amazingly improved on his winning dressage performance from the CHIO Aachen earlier in the month. The team Weber has assembled is absolutely remarkable and consistently produces accurate and flamboyant dressage tests. The crowd was impressed both by Weber’s performance and by the judges’ marks which broke 200.

Johnson put in his usual excellent performance and ended up fourth with a score of 47.36. His test was consistent and accurate with good transitions and rhythmical gaits. The test was marred only by a mistake in the rein back. Fairclough had a disappointing score of 65.02. Fairclough’s team was inexperienced but full of potential.

The third day of the Derby is the Marathon and the usual suspects set blistering times. Thomas Erickson of Sweden led the way with a score 81.85. Josef Dobrovitz did not disappoint and moved up the rankings in the Derby with a flawless round landing him second on a score of 86.64. The Americans, not always known for their marathon prowess, impressed.

Johnson was fifth and could have been better if not for a broken pole strap in hazard two. He handily managed to escape the hazard without incurring additional penalties. Johnson was resourceful and replaced the broken pole strap with a cotton rope between hazards. Johnson and his navigators were relieved that the rope held for the remainder of the marathon. Luck and experience was on their side as Johnson guided the team to a second and two fourths in three of the remaining five hazards essentially resurrecting what could have been a disastrous marathon.

Weber placed sixth in the Marathon to impress everyone and surprise some, as it is not historically the phase he in which he excels. Weber has been working tirelessly on improving his Marathon and the work began to pay dividends at Riesenbeck - producing his best marathon of the 2008 season. Weber did not win any of the hazards, but his team was consistent.

“My dressage score allowed me to drive a smooth, careful marathon and still hold the lead I had created with my dressage,” said Weber.

Fairclough’s team again showed its inexperience by having inconsistent performances in the hazards. Parts of his marathon proved very promising.

The final day of the 2008 Derby began with two Americans in the top four places.

Weber was comfortably in first place with a score 527.08 points and three balls in hand going into the cones portion. Thomas Erickson laid second with 555.43 followed by the Swedish driver Fredrick Persson at 578.73 then Johnson at 587.73 penalty points.

Weber easily maintained his lead and Johnson drove perfectly put in an impressive effort to move up to third overall. In the cones phase of the Derby the multiplier is three, each ball is then nine points instead of the standard three.

Erickson who had pushed his way into second place after the marathon seemed to lose focus and had three mistakes taking an enormous amount of pressure off Weber. Weber had more than 54 points in hand but his Cones was not without incident. His left leader that was replacing his usual veteran horse seemed glued to the right leader pushing the horse over to the right. Weber wasn’t fazed by the events and managed to pick his way through the course only dropping two balls and picking up 2.92 time penalties guaranteeing the victory. Weber looks poised to continue his streak at next month’s World Championship.

“I feel fortunate to have such a spectacular group of horses that all seem to be peaking at the right time,” said Weber. “Most importantly I was able to finish up this last outing before the World Championships in Beesd with all the horses sound and fit... This convincing win helps our entire team, horses and the people, to feel that the plans we set out are on track for the upcoming championship.”

Fairclough continued to struggle and dropped two balls and had 2.75 in time penalties.

Reisenbeck proved a successful final preparation for the Americans before the World Four-in-Hand Championship in Beesd, Netherlands September 3-7 2008.

For more information please contact Joanie Morris at jmorris@usef.org.

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Back Country Horsemen of America Stands Up for
Land Issues That Affect Horseback Riders

2008-07-29 Did you know that some wilderness management agencies are trying to restrict the use of horses on public lands? Or that the U.S. Forest Service is planning new trail classifications, which might limit our activities? Did you hear about the new bill that could eliminate the current fees for accessing undeveloped federal land?

The outcome of these kinds of concerns can have far-reaching consequences, yet they often come and go with little public awareness. But Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) knows, and has been taking a stand right from the start.

BCHA is a strong voice for continued, responsible horse use on public lands. Its founding members and present officers have specialized experience with stock and the back country. They meet today’s issues armed with that knowledge, extensive research, careful planning, and appropriate action.

Through their Wilderness Committee, BCHA advises state organizations in their dealings with public lands managers to keep the back country open to stock use. There have been, and currently are, several plans that attempt to block stock and horse users for one reason or another from public lands.

To maintain visibility with our legislators and ensure the position of stock users is heard on “the Hill,” representatives from BCHA’s Public Liaison Committee make several trips to Washington, D.C., annually.

It was always the intention of BCHA to be a part of the answer, instead of simply pointing out the problem. As a service club, many of BCHA’s 16,000 members spend countless hours each year maintaining and improving trails for public and private agencies. In many cases, this is the only way to keep these trails open for the use of stock.

BCHA recognizes that some of the complaints against back country horse use are justified. In response, they created programs to educate horse and stock owners about the importance of treading lightly on the land. They provide practical ways to achieve the goal of a minimum impact.

This responsible approach has assured BCHA of valid consideration of their input regarding regulations and planning. It has also gained them the support of other conservation groups and lends them credibility when they become involved in criticisms of agency management.

Back Country Horsemen of America is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.

It all began in 1973, in Montana’s Flathead Valley, with a group of individuals determined to perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s back country. In time, additional Back Country Horsemen clubs formed in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and California.

In 1986, these groups merged into Back Country Horsemen of America. Since then, member organizations and affiliates have been established across the nation, representing 23 states from coast to coast, plus clubs in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.

If you want to know more about this crucial issue or become a member of Back Country Horsemen of America, visit their Web site at www.backcountryhorse.org, call toll free (888) 893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367.

By Sarah Wynne Jackson

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USEF Names Short List for
2008 Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships

2008-07-24

Lexington, KY - The USEF has approved the following drivers for the Short List to represent the U.S. at the 2008 Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships to be held in Beesd, The Netherlands, September 3-7, 2008.

Name/Age/Hometown
Horse/Sex/Age/Breed/Owner

James Fairclough/49/Newton, NJ
Charlie Brown/G/10/Holsteiner/Jane Clark; Levin/G/10/Austrian Warmblood/Jane Clark; Kavango V. Falkenstein/G/9/Swiss/Jane Clark; Othello M./G/12/Dutch Warmblood/Jane Clark; Charmeur/G/16/Swedish Warmblood /Jane Clark; Cooper/G/14/German Warmblood /Jane Clark; Larredo/G/6/Brandenburger/James Fairclough; Tibaldi/G/8/KWPN/Jane Clark

Tucker Johnson/43/Hobe Sound, FL
Angelo 257/G/12/Hanoverian/Tucker Johnson; Circuit Hero/G/17/Holsteiner/James and Gretchen Johnson; Frisky 3/G/16/Oldenburger Springpferd/Gretchen Johnson; Merano 138/G/13/Westphalian/Michael Freund; Rocat/M/11/Westphalian/Tucker Johnson; Williams/G/11/Oldenburg/Tucker Johnson; Spotlight 14/G/10/Oldenburg/Tucker Johnson; Vincent 133/G/16/KWPN/Michael Freund; Spitfire 17/G/17/Russian/K. Hansueli; Der Consul/G/16/Oldenburg/John Attenborough

Chester Weber/32/Ocala, FL
Rolex W/G/11/Royal Dutch Warmblood /Chester Weber; Para/G/11/ Royal Dutch Warmblood /Chester Weber; Senate/G/8/KWPN/Chester Weber; Boy W/G/8/Royal Dutch Warmblood /Chester Weber; Grumus/G/11/Polish Warmblood /Chester Weber; Vendex/G/6/Dutch Warmblood /Chester Weber; Jamaica/G/17/Royal Dutch Warmblood/Chester Weber; Woodstock/G/8/Holsteiner/Chester Weber; Orchidee/12/M/KWPN/Michael Freund; Sarasko/6/G/Heffen Warmblood /George Freinstein

By Joannie Morris

For more information regarding selection, please contact Managing Director of Driving, Eric Stauffer at estauffer@usef.org.

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Another Successful CAA Conference

2008-07-21

The Carriage Association of America (CAA) welcomed members, nonmembers, horses, ponies, and carriages to its CAA Conference, which was held this year at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, July 10-12.

This year's Conference brought nearly 200 people to the Kentucky Horse Park. A fair number of those people brought with them 110 horses and ponies and 45 carriages, which they happily drove around the Horse Park and onto two neighboring farms. For those who wanted to join in, there was also a pleasure-driving show on Saturday and a Sporting Day of Traditional Driving. In addition, three open driving classes (phaetons, coaches, and commercial turnouts) were held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show. For the many people who came to the Conference without horses, Saturday's pleasure-driving show was a nice chance to sit under a tent and see some lovely carriages being driven.

To entice the non-drivers (and some of the drivers, when they had time to spare), the Conference program was also filled with educational talks, social events, and the ever-popular Carriage Showcase, a competition to judge the quality and accuracy of recent restoration projects. The winner of the People's Choice Award in the showcase this year was a completely, and beautifully, restored Cretor's popcorn wagon from 1903. The popcorn wagon also won the Carl Casper Trophy for being the high-point winner in the restored division, and the Davis Documentation Award for having the most complete written history. (You can see a bit of the popcorn wagon in the first of the two photos below, which shows the crowd gathered around it to hear the comments from the showcase judges). The high-point winner in the vehicles-in-use division -- winner of the Sidney Latham Trophy -- was Dale and Ellen DeHaan's Kimball Shooting Break, which (in the second of the two photos below) is being driven in the cones competition in Saturday's pleasure-driving show.

The lecture topics ranged from how to identify general types and classes of horse-drawn vehicles and how to tell the difference between Bronson and express wagons, to shoeing and conditioning driving horses. The social events included the usual live and silent auctions, a banquet, a reception on Saturday evening, and the very popular ice cream social, sponsored by Spokes & Spurs (the local driving club) and The National Drive.

On Friday, three members of the World Coaching Club drove their coaches through the Horse Park and down Iron Works Pike, where they had a champagne stop at the headquarters of the organizing committee for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. The leaders and staff of the foundation welcomed Misdee Miller (president of the WCC, shown below, on the way to the WEG building), Mary Stokes Waller, and Marilyn Macfarlane and their guests.

With something for everyone -- horse enthusiasts, driving enthusiasts, history buffs, and both new and longtime CAA members -- this year's CAA Conference was a great success.

If you were at the Conference and would like to see or order photos from the official photographer, Tony Dantonio, please visit his website at www.mystar.photoreflect.com.

To read more about the Conference and about the winners of the Carriage Showcase, stay tuned for the Conference report, which will be featured in the October issue of The Carriage Journal.

About the Carriage Association of America

The CAA was founded in 1960 and is the oldest and largest international organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, study, and use of horse-drawn carriages and sleighs. The CAA has thousands of members in all 50 U.S. states and in 40 other countries. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.caaonline.com.

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USEF Names Drivers for the 2008 FEI World Singles Driving Championship

2008-07-18

Lexington, KY - The USEF has approved the following Team, Individual and Alternates for selection to represent the US at the 2008 FEI World Singles Driving Championship to be held in Jarantow, Poland August 28-31, 2008.

Name/Age/Hometown
Horse/Sex/Age/Breed/Owner

Team:

Robin Groves / 62 / Brownsville, VT
Thors Toy Truck / Gelding / 13 / Connemara-Thoroughbred / Lana Wright

Donna Crookston / 59 / Saltsburg, PA
RG Cowboys Black Cadillac / Gelding / 12 / Morgan / Donna Crookston

William Peacock / 62 / Belleville, TX
Beau / Gelding / 11 / Holsteiner Cross / Proud Meadow Farms

Alternates (in ranked order):

Leslie Berndl / 45 / Newcastle, CA
Koopman's Lightning Rod / Gelding / 12 / Hackney/ Ann McClure

Marjas Becker / 61 / Brooker, FL
Capodimonte / Gelding / 10 / 1/2 Arabian-NSH / Marjas Becker

Individual:

Leslie Berndl / 45 / Newcastle, CA
Koopman's Lightning Rod / Gelding / 12 / Hackney/ Ann McClure

Alternate:

Marjas Becker / 61 / Brooker, FL
Capodimonte / Gelding / 10 / 1/2 Arabian-NSH / Marjas Becker

For more information regarding selection, please contact Managing Director of Driving, Eric Stauffer at estauffer@usef.org. For media requests, please contact USEF High Performance Communications Manager, Joanie Morris at jmorris@usef.org.

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Winning Weber Signs Autographs at Aachen

2008-07-16

U.S. four-in-hand driving champion Chester Weber maintained a full schedule at the World Equestrian Festival held July 1-6 in Aachen, Germany. In addition to competing successfully, Weber spent time signing autographs at the Life Data Labs, Inc.®, display.

resh off another undefeated year in the United States, Weber traveled to Europe in June to begin preparations for his European tour including CHIO Aachen, CAI-A Riesenbeck July 31- August 3, and culminating with the World Championship Teams competition in Beesd, Netherlands, September 3-5. Weber has not lost any competitions on U.S. soil since 2006. He is also the reigning Four-in-Hand Driving National Champion, a title he has won six consecutive times. His winning ways continued overseas, where Weber won the Time Shuttle prize for dressage at the CHIO Aachen this past week. Dressage is the first phase of the rigorous three-day event. After his win Weber remarked, “It has been a goal of mine for years to win the Time Shuttle prize for dressage. Time Shuttle has sponsored it in Aachen for years and it is now another box checked in my career. Moreover, receiving the yellow quarter sheets and apron in the main arena with more than 40,000 spectators is a feeling that is hard to duplicate.”

Weber earned third-place overall in the Four-In-Hand Combined Driving competition, less than a point behind the second-place finisher. Weber and Tucker Johnson were the only two American Driving competitors at the World Equestrian Festival this year. This made the team competition even more difficult for the U.S. team. Every other country in the Nation’s Cup competition has three entries, allowing for one drop score. The pressure was on Weber and Johnson, who rose to the challenge and earned a third-place finish. The team from the Netherlands won first place, followed by Hungary. Weber remains confident that the U.S. will be successful at the World Championships, saying, “From a Nation’s Cup stand point the Dutch are strong, but I believe we are the only nation capable of beating them due to our strong dressage performances.”

It was not surprising to find Weber signing autographs at the Life Data Labs booth at Aachen. Life Data Labs, Inc. has been a great supporter of Weber’s team for well over a decade. The company produces the well-known Farrier’s Formula® hoof supplement along with a full line of hoof care products and other nutrient supplements. Weber’s drive for excellence ensures that he uses only the best products for his horses. Weber has been using Farrier’s Formula to make certain his horses’ hooves stay in top condition for several years. Signing autographs gave Weber a chance to converse with admirers. He said, “The fans are great! I enjoy asking kids about their horse interests while attempting to create some personal contact with everyone that stops by.”

With the Aachen success to bolster the team, Weber now prepares his team for the CAI-A Riesenbeck in Germany where they have previously had great success. For more information about Chester Weber’s European show schedule visit his website at www.chesterweber.com.

By Johnny Robb

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