Introduction
Driving is the oldest competitive equestrian sport. It is a discipline without riders; instead, drivers sit on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. It consists of three phases: Dressage, Marathon and Obstacle Driving. Final placing is determined by the sum of the penalties accumulated over the three trials. Horses were driven long before they were ridden. Nowadays, mechanical vehicles have eliminated the need for horses as a primary form of transportation and Driving has turned into a fast-growing sports discipline. Driving became an FEI discipline in 1970.
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Paris 1912, Coach de M. G. Roulleaux Dugage, winner of the Paris Driving Marathon |
Modern Driving Competitions consist of three phases:
- Dressage involves performing a sequence of compulsory figures within a 100 x 40 metres rectangle. Movements include speed and gait transitions, circles of different sizes and halts. The smoothness of the manoeuvres, the obedience of the horses, impulsion and correct positioning are assessed.
- The Marathon, a truly spectacular trial, is a course over a maximum of 22 km, including natural hazards such as sharp turns, water and steep hills as well as artificial obstacles such as labyrinths. It is aimed to test the fitness and stamina of the horses and the judgement of pace and horse control by the driver.
- The Obstacle Driving or “Cones”, tests the fitness and suppleness of the horses after the Marathon. To successfully negotiate the cones course, drivers must weave cleanly through a narrow track outlined by cones with balls balanced on top.
For more information on Driving, please consult our Factsheet
The Premier Driving Competitions are...
The World Equestrian Games (WEG)
The World Equestrian Games (WEG) are held every four years in the even years between the Olympic Games. Only the four in hand are in competition at the WEG. The last edition of the World Equestrian games were held in Achen(GER), while the next are already well underway in preparations for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held on the other side of the Atlantic for the very first time in Kentucky (USA) in 2010.
FEI World Cup™ Driving
The FEI World Cup™ Driving, is a four in hand series, introduced in 2001, that provides an innovative and exciting new style of competition for indoor events, with courses combining marathon and cones driving obstacles. For more information on FEI World Cup™ Driving, please visit the official website: www.feiworldcup.org
Driving World Championships
- Singles. The World Singles Championships are held every two years with the latest to have been held in 2006 in Pratoni del Vivaro form 21-24 September 2006 and the next to be held in 2008 in a location yet to be decided.
- Pairs. The World Pairs Championships are held every two years. The last edition was held in 2005 Wals-Salzburg (AUT) 8-11 September. The next World Pairs Driving Championship is thus set to be held in 2007 in Warka (POL) from 30 August to 2 September.
- Four in hand. The Four in Hand World Championships are held every two years, whereby every second edition coincides with the FEI World Equestrian Games. The latest edition to have been held was thus during the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen (GER).