FEI WORLD PAIR DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING TO LIPICA IN SEPTEMBER

Over 65 top drivers with around 200 horses from over 20 nations will fight for the prestigious world champion title         

Photo: Gabriele Boiselle and Sibil Slejko

         From the 20th to 24th of September this year, Lipica Stud Farm will be the proud host to one of the largest and most important equestrian competitions in the world – the 2017 FEI World Pair Driving Championships. This extremely attractive competition will draw many equestrian enthusiasts from all over the world to Lipica Stud Farm, home of the original Lipizzaner horses, and for one week pair diving will be the centre of attention of the international equestrian public.

         “The best pair drivers from all over the world will compete in Lipica during the four days of this attractive and adrenaline-filled competition. We expect over 65 top drivers with around 200 horses from over 20 nations to participate in the World Championship,” says Lorela Dobrinja, general manager of Lipica Stud Farm.

         The flurry of events will begin with the opening ceremony on Wednesday, 20th of September. The next two days, 21st and 22nd of September, will be dedicated to the dressage and the marathon drive with eight challenging obstacles will follow on the 23rd of September. The obstacle driving competition on Sunday, 24th of September, will finally give us the new world champion.

         Before the beginning of the 2017 FEI World Pair Driving Championships, the Lipica hippodrome will be fully renovated to honour the importance and difficulty of this competition overseen by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The eight marathon obstacles designed by the renowned Hungarian course designer Gábor Fintha, who has many World Championships on his impressive CV, will be waiting for the competitors.

         The Ground Jury will be led by Great Britain’s Andrew Counsell, while the Technical Delegate will be his compatriot Philip Bateman. Both experienced officials also contributed to the 2011 World Driving Championships for Ponies in Lipica.                 

         Jožef Klavdij Novak, President of the Equestrian Federation of Slovenia, describes the great importance of the 2017 FEI World Pair Driving Championships: “The World Championship stands out as the largest and the most important equestrian event in all of Slovenian history and will help to strengthen Slovenia’s position on the international equestrian map. The complexity of the preparations and the organisation of the competition will be appropriate and proportionate to its importance. We are excited that such an event coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Equestrian Federation of Slovenia.”

         Four drivers of Lipica Stud Farm, Miha Tavčar, Mitja Mahorčič, Klemen Turk, and Marko Memon, will represent Slovenia with Slovenian Lipizzaner horses.

     Tina Cic (Lipica Department for Public Relations)