Breda, The Netherlands – Upon the completion of the first phase of the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand, the U.S. Driving Team sits in second place on a score of 88.31. Under the guidance of Chef d'Equipe Ed Young, the team of James Fairclough, Allison Stroud, and Chester Weber, along with individual Misdee Wrigley Miller, is off to an excellent start in the championships. Weber leads the U.S. contingent in third place, with all U.S. drivers in the top 20. The Netherlands top the team standings with a score of 81.41 and Australia is third behind the U.S. with a score of 92.96.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) delivered his signature top-notch dressage test on Friday to sit near the top of the leaderboard. He and his own and Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings impressed the Ground Jury of Andrew Counsell (GBR), Jiri Kunat (CZE), Hanspeter Ruschlin (SUI), Henk van Amerongen (NED), and Reiner Wannenwetsch (GER) with excellent extended trot work and one-handed movements. Weber and his team earned a score of 40.94 to put them in third place heading into Saturday’s marathon phase.

“I was really pleased with the horses. We have been training for this for two years, and they performed well,” Weber said. “In general, it was a nice test. There was a lot of atmosphere in the arena and I think that helped me at times.”

Individual Wrigley Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) had a stellar dressage test on Friday to lie in sixth place after the first phase of the championships. She and her own and Marco Freund’s team put forth a great effort with quality circles and 20-meter loops and an impressive rein back to receive a score of 46.43.

Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) was the sole U.S. representative in Thursday’s portion of the dressage phase and she got the ball rolling for the U.S. She and Willow Star LLC’s KWPN geldings had a harmonious dressage test with solid trot work and notable halts to collect a score of 47.37 to sit in eighth place.

Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) was the final U.S. competitor to head down centerline on Friday and laid down a respectable dressage test to slot into 17th place. He and his mixed team of Warmbloods had solid extended trot and rein back movements, though had a bobble in the halt and free walk movements mid-test. For their performance, they received a score of 54.63.

Fairclough will be the first U.S. competitor to head out on course in Saturday’s marathon phase at 1:54 p.m. local time, followed by Stroud at 2:48 p.m., Wrigley Miller at 3:00 p.m., and Weber at 3:18 p.m.

Commenting about the next phase of the championships, Weber said, “It looks like a true championship marathon course. We never want to underestimate something like that, so we have been out there studying it and hope to have a great go tomorrow.”

Following the first phase, Boyd Exell (AUS) leads the individual standings with a score of 33.15, while IJsbrand Chardon (NED) is in second with a score of 36.87.

Dressage team results

Dressage individual results

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

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