Hungarian driver Zoltan Lázar scored his first-ever international four-in-hand victory at a CAIO when winning at Breda, in the Netherlands, ahead of Switzerland's Werner Ulrich and Dutch driver Mark Weusthof.
 Hungary's Zoltan Lázar scored his first CAIO win at Breda in the Netherlands. © Rinaldo de Craen
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However the Dutch team once again proved invincible, staying well ahead of Switzerland and Sweden throughout the Nations Cup competition.
Twenty-eight drivers from 10 nations started at the beautiful Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda, an outstanding venue which boasts the only Dutch Nations Cup competition in the history of Dutch driving. Breda has also been host to several other equestrian events this year, such as the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships, pony Driving Championships, international and national Eventing competitions as well as national Jumping and Dressage fixtures.
Breda was the last outing for the top drivers before the World Equestrian Games. The carriages and other equipment of the Dutch, German and Swiss teams have already been shipped to Kentucky and most of the drivers therefore started with borrowed vehicles and harnesses. Drivers such as Koos de Ronde and Theo Timmerman from the Netherlands competed with different horses in Breda to save their best horses for Kentucky.
The dressage phase was won by Christoph Sandmann, who was recently crowned German National Champion for the fifth time in his career. Home driver Theo Timmerman came second with a new wheeler horse, whom he used for the first time at a competition. His compatriot Koos de Ronde was pleased with his third place, using two other horses in the wheel of his four-in-hand. First into the arena, Zoltan Lázar ended the day in fourth.
The marathon phase, designed by Dutch World Championship course designer Johan Jacobs, included eight challenging and technical obstacles. Mark Weusthof is the Dutch reserve driver for Kentucky and displayed his marathon skills again in Breda. After his international marathon wins in Zelhem (NED) and Riesenbeck (GER), Mark was again the fastest in Breda. World Championship competitor Tomas Eriksson came second, ahead of the young German competitor Michael Brauchle.
Zoltan Lázar nearly fell off his carriage at the fourth obstacle when he hit a post, but was quickly back on track and took the lead in the standings. All-round driver Werner Ulrich from Switzerland drove his team of Lusitano horses to fourth place in the marathon and climbed to second place in the standings after the dressage and marathon phases.
A special visitor closely followed the performances of the drivers. Her majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands paid a visit to Breda Hippique and enjoyed watching the marathon, accompanied by two of her daughters.
The close scores between the drivers in the top of the standings resulted in an exciting cones competition. Only four competitors drove a clear round within the time allowed. Lázar was one of them and he was a picture of happiness as he passed the finish line. Ulrich only had a time penalty and remained in second place while Mark Weusthof moved up from sixth to third thanks to a clear round.
"I am very pleased with my horses. I used the two Lipizzaner horses with which I competed at the FEI World Pair Driving Championship in 2009 in the wheel and I used one new dressage horse," Lázar said. "I knew everything was still possible after the dressage because the differences were so small. In the marathon, my horses were a little tired so I could not drive at my normal speed. But in the cones they were fit again, they really work well together and I trust them and they trust me. I am very happy that I have won in Breda, this is my first CAIO win ever."
With just one more competition to go, the standings are nearly complete. Lázar has taken over the lead from IJsbrand Chardon (NED), who did not compete in Breda as he is in his final preparations for Kentucky. After the CAI-A Donaueschingen from September 16-19, the drivers qualified for the 2010-2011 FEI World Cup driving season will be announced.
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