CONES BRING CHANGES AT THE TOP ON FINAL DAY OF PRATONI DEL VIVARO DRIVING TEST EVENT

          A challenging but flowing cones course on day three of the World Championship Driving Test Event in Pratoni del Vivaro ensured that final placings went down to the wire.  With a selection of boxes, slaloms and narrow pairs of cones to test the drivers, it was a course which required accuracy and balance, and there was only one double clear from the 28 starters.

          Beginning with the national and single classes, who ran over a reduced course, it soon became evident that to finish inside the time and keep the balls from rolling was a tough challenge. Giorgia Brillantino, one of two drivers in the U25 horse singles, was the one to take the accolade of producing the only double clear of the day, which secured her win.

          Of the 12 drivers who finished inside the time, one was eventual horse fours winner Anthony Horde, who drove a brilliant and flowing round.  Maintaining a forward pace throughout, his momentum meant that he had nearly 10 seconds in hand from the 193 sec limit.  Having only knocked no. 8 for a ball to tumble, he put the pressure on overnight leader Jόzsef Dobrovitz Jnr.

Anthony Horde (FRA) - ph. Massimo Argenziano

          The final competitor to enter the arena, Jόzsef’s right leader took a dislike to the wooden horse models with their bristles on top, and became distracted. Jόzsef did well to contain his horse’s exuberance but could not keep the balance throughout, so knocked two cones and went over the 193 sec allowance by 6.84 sec to add 12.84 to his score, which put him behind Anthony who with only 3 to add, finished on 158.5 and was crowned winner of the horse fours.the test event, course designer Josef Middendorf from Germany will be using 6 obstacles that have been built on the World Championships grounds. The dressage and cones tests will be held on the same grass arena as the one for World Championships...