The Slower Road

Chester Weber of Florida is currently the top-ranked four-in-hand driver in the United States. He has, in fact, been ranked number one since the ranking lists have been kept, as part of the process to select the three team members (and several individuals) who will represent the U.S. at this year’s World Equestrian Games. He’s won the U.S. national driving championship a record eight consecutive years. And at the previous (2008) FEI World Driving Championship, he finished with an individual silver medal.

Some of his success can no doubt be attributed to his frequent European campaigns, where he’s able to compete regularly against the best European drivers. I’m sure that everyone expected he would go back to Europe again this summer to prepare for the WEG, but the following press release (below the photo) was sent out earlier this week. Will this perhaps leave room for another U.S. driver to travel to Europe for some valuable competition experience?

Chester Weber on the cones course at the 2009 Lexington Combined Driving Classic, the official driving test event for this year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Chester Weber, the reigning U.S. national champion four-in-hand driver, announced that he will train and compete in North America this summer (rather than competing in Europe) in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held this fall in Lexington, Kentucky. “It was a tough decision,” said Weber, the nation’s top-ranked driver. He continued, “I love competing in Europe, but I feel that training and competing here is the smart decision.” Weber’s previous competition season in Europe, in 2008, culminated with his winning the individual silver medal at the 2008 FEI World Driving Championship in The Netherlands. He said he will miss the excitement of Europe but is glad he had the opportunity to show successfully under several European judges this year. “This summer, we plan to fine tune the horses at Garden State (CAI Allentown), CAI Bromont (Canada), and Iron Horse CDE in Illinois. The competition will keep the team sharp and give us a chance to compete without the stress of traveling back and forth to Europe before the World Equestrian Games,” said Weber.

The chef d’equipe for the U.S. driving team, Ed Young, agrees with Weber’s decision. He said, “I believe that there is no reason for Chester to take his team to Europe. He came out very strong this spring and he has proven himself to be a solid competitor. There is simply no sense in stressing his horses with the extra wear and tear of traveling to Europe.”

Michael Freund, former world champion and coach of the U.S. team, also applauded Weber’s decision. “Chester’s team has demonstrated that they are prepared to compete on an international stage. In February and March of this year they showed under European judges and proved again that they are up to European standards. They have a long competition season in the U.S., and it is important to keep the horses fresh and at the top of their game.” Freund said that he had competed his top team of horses only three or four times a year and compared combined driving horses to three-day event horses that need to be fresh to excel in all three phases of the sport. He continued, “Chester’s top team is experienced, and he is wise not to over-compete them. It is my clear recommendation that this seasoned team of horses needs to stay fresh so they can peak in October at the World Equestrian Games.” Freund, who has trained Weber previously, will no doubt have an opportunity to coach him again at the World Equestrian Games. He added, “The objective is to be at the top of our game for the World Equestrian Games, and I am confident that Chester Weber and his team are well prepared.”

Many of Europe’s top drivers would undoubtedly like the opportunity to see where their horses stack up against Weber’s team, known around the driving world for its dominating dressage scores. But unless European competitors want to come to North America and compete this summer, they will have to wait until the World Equestrian Games for an opportunity to drive their teams against Weber’s. This fact may make the World Equestrian Games combined driving competition even more exciting for spectators.