Breda, The Netherlands – Competition got underway at the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand on Thursday with the first of two days of dressage. Allison Stroud was the sole representative of the U.S. Driving Team to compete in Thursday’s dressage phase and she did not disappoint. She delivered a solid test to put her in fourth place on a score of 47.37.

Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) put forth a great effort with Willow Star LLC’s KWPN geldings to lie near the top of the leaderboard. She and her team performed one of their best dressage tests in front of the Ground Jury of Andrew Counsell (GBR), Jiri Kunat (CZE), Hanspeter Ruschlin (SUI), Henk van Amerongen (NED), and Reiner Wannenwetsch (GER). Stroud and her horses demonstrated excellent trot work and impressive halts to earn high marks from the judges and give them a solid start in the championships.

“My horses were absolutely, unbelievably astounding today. Koos de Ronde has been helping us all season, and the horses did a great job and really came together as a unit today,” Stroud said. “I have wonderful people working with me. There is such harmony in the camp, and that really carried over into our performance today.”

The Netherlands currently hold the top two places on the leaderboard with IJsbrand Chardon leading on a score of 36.87 and Theo Timmerman in second on a score of 45.95. Zoltán Lázár of Hungary is in third with a score of 46.66. 

Misdee Wrigley Miller, competing as an individual, heads down the centerline on Friday at 10:00 a.m. local time, followed by the remaining U.S. Driving Team members, Chester Weber and James Fairclough, at 10:55 a.m. and 3:41 p.m., respectively.

Dressage results from day one

Find out more information on FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand.

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