Riesenbeck, Germany – If you are superstitious you might credit combined driving champion Chester Weber’s fourth winning weekend in Europe to his team’s “four lucky rabbit’s feet.” Team Weber’s companion mascot, a hefty black rabbit named Kainzi, joined them earlier this summer at Altenfelden as a stable mate to Para to help keep the KWPN gelding calm at competitions. It was love at first sniff for Para and Kainzi and word is that the rabbit may have ‘four lucky feet.”

But it takes more than luck to pull off the clean sweep in the dressage and the safe marathon round that made Team Weber impossible to beat last weekend at the Riesenbeck CAI. It does however seem a bit lucky that for the third time in his career Weber won the prestigious German Fahrderby. And as luck would have it, the win at Riesenbeck catapulted Weber into the number one ranked position for the FEI World Cup standings.

Weber, who seems generally fond of the rabbit, is more likely to credit the support of Jane Clark and chef d’equip Ed Young for Team Weber’s success. “The additional support of Jane Clark is playing an important role in our success,” said Weber. The Fahrderby win at Riesenbeck is a sweet victory for team Weber. “The derby is an old traditional competition with a history going back over 50 years. There are two additional pair competitions: a pairs show ring class and a pairs dressage test. It is a very thorough test of the quality of the horses’ training,” Weber explained after his record-breaking score of 24-penalty points for an impressive average score of 8.5. Weber added, “It was great to be back in the heat of it in Riesenbeck. I feel that I gained added insight and was thrilled to have the opportunity to drive a course in the same venue as next year’s World Championships that was also designed by the same course designer.”

Along with that opportunity, Weber added that he “was pleased to have chef d’equip Ed Young there with me and there to support our pair drivers who all drove their first Nations Cup show preparing for the World Pair Championships in Conty France at the end of August.” Weber will have a chance to experience driving competition from Young’s perspective when he returns to Europe to serve as the chef d’equip for the US Pair and Pony Teams this August and September.

Weber’s super star team of his Para, Senate and Horus du Bois combined with Jane Clark’s Spash and Uniek is proving to be a formidable force. The win at Riesenbeck is a great way for the team to wrap up their successful European tour. Originally Weber had planned to compete at Beekbergen, but felt it would be too much for his team. Weber joked, “We had several offers from fellow competitors who wanted to help us pack for the trip home.” His horses, along with Clark’s and the lucky rabbit, Kainzi,
fly from Europe to the United States next Wednesday to begin preparations for defending their US National Championship title at the Laurels in September.

So with fond memories, gained experience, numerous victories, a deep appreciation for Ed Young’s contribution to the US and a lucky rabbit, Team Weber wraps up a most successful European tour and heads home. For more information on Weber and his combined driving team, visit their website at www.chesterweber.com.