By US Equestrian Communications Department
Kronenberg, the Netherlands – The U.S. contingent had solid performances at the 2021 FEI Driving World Championship for Pairs in Kronenberg, the Netherlands. Chef d’Equipe Marcie Quist guided the Land Rover U.S. Driving Team, consisting of Jacob Arnold, James Miller, and Paul Maye, to an eighth-place finish out of 18 teams with a final score of 386.06 penalty points. Arnold was the top U.S. finisher in 12th place out of a field of nearly 100 competitors.
Photo by Krisztina Horváth/Hoefnet.com.
Arnold (Goshen, Ky.) partnered with Steve Wilson’s Kenji V, a 2015 KWPN gelding; Kian, a 2015 KWPN gelding; and Pluto Revans, a 2006 Lipizzaner gelding, to secure a 12th-place finish with a final score of 178.04 penalty points. Arnold used a new pairing of horses, Kenji V and Kian, for the dressage phase, and they had a lovely test to earn a score of 52.84 penalty points. He and his horses impressively tackled Jeroen Houterman’s marathon course, tallying 120.29 penalty points over the tough track. Sunday’s cones course was challenging with no drivers finishing with a double-clear round. Arnold and his horses delivered a smooth round with only 4.91 time penalties to finish 10th in the cones phase and clinch their overall 12th-place finish.
“I was really pleased,” said Arnold. “I couldn’t have been happier with Steve Wilson’s six-year-olds. It was their absolute first competition together where they had to do dressage and cones. The fact that I had to pull that out at a world championship, my expectations were far lower than 12th place overall.
“They are very high quality horses,” Arnold continued. “They just don’t have many miles, so that is what we are building towards. It’s just more miles. I think it is really encouraging for their future going forward. They have already made it to 12th in the world.” Arnold also thanked his supporters and sponsors for the success that he and the horses were able to achieve on the world stage.
Paul Maye drove the Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation’s Harmony’s Java, a 2014 Dutch Harness Horse gelding; Harmony’s Domonic, a 2010 Dutch Harness Horse gelding; and Harmony’s Ziezo, a 2011 Irish Cob gelding, to a 65th-place finish with a final score of 218.07 penalty points. Maye (Fairfield, Va.) and his horses had a respectable dressage test to start off with a score of 64.96 penalty points. They had a strong marathon phase, tallying 139.36 penalty points. Maye and his horses closed out the competition with a solid cones round, collecting 13.75 time penalties on the tough course.
James Miller piloted Gentleman, his 2011 KWPN gelding; Flavian, his 2010 KWPN gelding; and Agussto’s Armoei, Misdee Wrigley Miller’s 2005 KWPN gelding, to a 71st-place finish with a final score of 227.16 penalty points. Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) and his horses had a quality dressage test to score 54.91 penalty points. They incurred 147.26 penalty points in the challenging marathon phase. Miller and his horses ended the competition with 24.99 time penalties in the cones phase.
Three individuals competed for the U.S. at the FEI Driving World Championship for Pairs and had good results. Vernon Helmuth drove Sebastian Warneck’s Fernando, a 2010 KWPN gelding; Ebony VDK, a 2009 KWPN gelding; and Chris, a 2007 KWPN gelding, to a 54th-place finish with a final score of 210.03 penalty points as the second highest-placed U.S. driver. Helmuth (Lodi, Calif.) and his horses began the competition with a score of 62.23 penalty points in the dressage phase. They had a solid marathon phase, tallying 125.19 penalty points. Helmuth and his horses collected 22.61 penalty points in the cones phase to conclude the competition.
Scott Dancer piloted Bruno Vantomme’s Basco M, a 2006 KWPN gelding; Alibaba 137, a 2010 Ostfriesen/Alt-Oldenbruger gelding; and Cor Theodoor, a 2007 KWPN gelding, to a 63rd-place finish with a final score of 216.92 penalty points. Scott (Woodside, Calif.) and his horses scored 63.63 penalty points on their dressage test. They put forth a strong effort in the marathon phase, collecting 136.68 penalty points. Scott and his horse had a good cones phase, tallying 16.61 penalty points.
Kathrin Dancer partnered with Ivilandro, her 2013 KWPN gelding; Isaac, her 2013 KWPN gelding; and Intens, her 2013 KWPN gelding, to an 84th-place finish with a score of 259.11 penalty points. Kathrin (Woodside, Calif.) and her horses had a nice dressage test to score 62.30 penalty points. They incurred 172.51 penalty points in the marathon phase. Kathrin and her horses ended the competition with 24.30 penalty points in the cones phase.
