Piber Köflach, Austria – The U.S. Driving Team has settled in at the picturesque Austrian venue for the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, taking place August 3-7. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Michael Freund and Team Coach Thorsten Zarembowicz, the team of Donna Crookston, Sterling Graburn, and Suzy Stafford, along with individual Leslie Berndl, aims for top performances. A total of 23 countries are represented in the championship, giving the U.S. combinations a large field of world-class competitors.

Crookston (Saltsburg, Pa.) represented the U.S. at the 2010, 2012, and 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles with her veteran partner, RG Cowboys Black Cadillac. This year, she is competing with her own rising star, Viktor. The 2008 Dutch Harness gelding began competing at the Advanced level in January and has already shown much promise. Crookston and Viktor won the Kingdom of the Sun CAI2*-H1 division in March and have had solid performances leading up to the championships.

Graburn (Paris, Ky.) makes his return to the world championship stage after helping the U.S. team to a sixth-place finish at the 2012 World Championships with Ulano. He comes to Austria with his and Laura Corsentino’s Mannkato, a 2001 Dutch Harness gelding who began competing in driving in 2015 following his career as a dressage horse. Graburn and Mannkato’s solid season has been highlighted by a third-place finish in the USEF Single Horse Driving National Championship at the Southern Pines CDE and an eighth-place finish in the CAI3*-H1 division at CAI Chablis.

Stafford (Wilmington, Del.) is no stranger to world championship competition, having won Individual Gold (2005), Team Bronze (2007), Individual Bronze (2009), and Individual Silver (2011) at the FEI World Pony Driving Championships. She has found much success in the Single Horse division with the talented PVF Peace of Mind. Stafford’s 2007 Morgan mare was named the 2015 USEF International Horse of the Year for her impressive lists of accomplishments, and this year has been no different. Throughout the winter and spring, Stafford and PVF Peace of Mind won each competition they entered, including the USEF Single Horse Driving National Championship.

Berndl (Newcastle, Calif.) brings her longtime partner, Uminco, for their third world championship appearance. She and her own 2001 KWPN gelding helped the U.S. team to sixth- and 10th-place finishes at the 2012 and 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, respectively. Berndl and Uminco have finished in the top three in each of their competitions this year, including earning Reserve Champion honors in the USEF Single Horse Driving National Championship.

The championship begins with the dressage phase on Thursday and Friday. Crookston will lead off for the U.S. contingent on Thursday at 5 a.m. EST, followed by Stafford at 9:40 a.m. EST and Berndl at 10:30 a.m. EST. Graburn will round out the U.S. effort on Friday at 6:00 a.m. EST. The marathon phase will take place on Saturday and the competition will come to a close with the cones phase on Sunday.

Find out more information about the FEI World Driving Championships for Singles and watch the live stream on the FEI YouTube Channel.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.