Lexington, KY – Tucker Johnson staked his claim to a top spot in next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with an impressive third place finish out of 25 teams at the CAI-A4 Donaueschingen in Germany.

Driving in an international competition for the first time since the World Championships in Beesd 2008, Johnson won the dressage, finished eighth in the marathon but retained third place overall with a strong performance in the cones.

In a strong field, which included two former world champions, Johnson held his own behind Dutch drivers Theo Timmerman and Koos de Ronde who finished first and second respectively. Johnson (Hobe Sound, FL) has his team based in Germany with the legendary Michael Freund to prepare for next year’s World Equestrian Games.

Johnson has a team on both sides of the Atlantic, but sees his preparation for next year happening mostly in Europe.

“My team is getting together well at the moment,” said Johnson. “I will definitely compete in Europe next season to prepare for the WEG in Kentucky; this is where the biggest competition will be. I will start at the Test Event in Kentucky in two weeks time with a different team, which I have back home in the US.”

This competition also served as the final qualifying competition for the 2009/2010 World Cup ™ Driving.

For more information: http://www.fei.org/Media/News_Centre/News/Pages/summ.aspx?newsName=WorldCupQualifierDrivingDonaueschingen.aspx

For complete results, please see: http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/422/docs/erg32.pdf