Just like in previous years, the organization is excited to welcome the four-in-hand drivers at Jumping Indoor Maastricht 2024 in the MECC. No less than seven drivers will compete in the FEI Driving World Cup on November 8 and 9. Because when you think of 'four-in-hand', you think of excitement and thrills. The audience stays captivated late into the evening!
The contenders for victory
Two Dutchmen, an Australian, a Belgian, and two Germans will enter the arena with their four horses and their grooms. World champion Boyd Exell is seen as the favorite for victory; he is always tough to beat and also won the indoor four-in-hand World Cup series earlier this year. Georg von Stein and Mareike Harm will represent Germany, and Glenn Geerts will travel from Belgium with his new indoor team. Bram Chardon will aim to score as many points as possible for the Netherlands. Koos de Ronde is the second Dutch competitor.
"Driving is alive in Limburg"
Koos de Ronde loves the MECC, and the MECC loves him, as he won the very first World Cup edition here in 2018 and has competed in every JIM edition since. “The year before, I participated when driving was still a demonstration sport. Something new takes time to grow, but the public really loves driving. Competing at JIM is always fantastic; it's the only World Cup competition in our country, so it's a serious battle. The spectators get their money’s worth; it’s a super fun night out: first watching the jumping, then the driving, and to top it off, going wild with a great artist (this year, Jeroen van der Boom)."
Spectacle guaranteed
You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy and understand driving, according to top driver Koos de Ronde from Zwartewaal. “It’s all about spectacle; the fastest time and a clean round wins. If you knock a ball off, it adds four penalty seconds. My sponsor has rented a box, and his clients will have an amazing evening, partly thanks to the driving. I would love to win for them, and I’ll do my best to make that happen."
Gaining experience
De Ronde hopes to have his horses in top form for JIM. “By then, I will have competed in several practice events where my younger horses can gain experience. It would be great to have one or two of them compete in Maastricht, even just to get a feel for the environment. In the first (qualifying) round, I might use a less experienced horse purely for learning, but in the more intense round, I’ll likely rely on my experienced team.”
Fans of Tjibbe
One of his experienced horses is Tjibbe, who always runs on the front right. “As his name suggests, he has a lot of Friesian blood. He’s a horse that leads the team with confidence. He finds the gates and avoids the balls. Tjibbe is the kind of horse that grabs attention, and he has many fans. At twenty years old, he’s not the youngest, but indoor competitions don’t take much toll on the horses; it’s a short effort, and a seasoned horse like him knows how to pace himself. At home, he’s more lazy than tired, but as soon as he sees the cones, something switches on in him."
Rising stars
One of the new horses is Freddy B. “He’s a descendant of the stallion Carambole, who competed at the highest level in showjumping with Willem Greve. Freddy is doing well and seems like a great addition to the team. He just needs more miles, and that can only be done by taking him along. He’ll start with some smaller competitions this season before getting to experience the high-energy atmosphere of events like Indoor Friesland, Maastricht, and the international competitions,” explains De Ronde.
Goal: the finals
JIM is the second World Cup event of the season. After Maastricht, the World Cup circuit moves to Stuttgart, Stockholm, Geneva, London, Mechelen, and Leipzig. The showdown will be on April 8 and 9 in Bordeaux, where the top-ranked teams will compete in the final. “Of course, I’m aiming for a spot in the final again,” concludes De Ronde. “That’s what we all strive for.”
Christine Dijk for Jim
