19 May 2025
Boyd Exell and Belgian team take top spot in Windsor
Although at first it seemed that both the Four-in-Hand ponies and the Four-in-Hand horses were invited, in the end only the Four-in-Hand horses competed, individually and in the Nations Cup!In both competitions there were two very convincing winners: Boyd Exell and the Belgian team.
Mega scores
Boyd Exell won the dressage with a mega score of 31.53 penalty points. Chester Weber also did a great job, his score of 35.06 penalty points would normally also be more than enough for a resounding victory, as would Mareike Meier’s (GER) score of 38.39. So the entire podium got under forty penalty points, an extraordinary result!
Boyd Exell during his dressage test in Windsor
Photo: Swingletree Photography
Jérôme Voutaz wins marathon
The marathon was won by Jérôme Voutaz (SUI), climbing from 16th place after the dressage to eighth in the standings. With his two fallen balls in the cones, he eventually finished seventh. Boyd Exell finished second and with one fallen ball in the cones he finished twenty penalty points ahead of the rest of the field of competitors.
In the marathon, Dries Degrieck (BEL) Glenn Geerts (BEL) finished fourth and fifth. This moved them up to sixth and second place in the intermediate classification, and because they managed to keep their cool on Sunday they finished second and third overall. Because of the good result of the two, the Belgian team managed to win the Nations Cup with more than 25 penalty points difference from Germany, the number two. Third place was for The Netherlands.
Dries Degrieck during the marathon in Windsor
Photo: Swingletree Photography
Good feeling
Chef d’equipe Mark Wentein announced beforehand that he had a good feeling about the competition in Windsor. “We had never seen four driver for Belgium before. I estimated the team result highly and hoped we would finish on the podium. Individually I was hoping for a top five placing, but that Dries and Glenn would also be on the podium individually I didn’t quite expect!”
Tom Stokmans was also part of the Belgian team. “He unfortunately had bad luck in the water obstacle, when one of his horses fell. Too bad, because he was super fast in the obstacles before. Sam Gees, the youngest driver of the competition, also did incredibly well. The marathon was very tough, the times were close together and quite a few balls fell. Every fallen ball was therefore one too many. Suppose Sam did not have any balls down he would have been super along with the rest in terms of times, very clever!”
Expectations
Why did Wentein have high expectations beforehand? “Since this year we have received extra budget for the Four-in-Hand horses from Paardensport Vlaanderen. All the drivers in ‘my team’ train themselves and have their own plan. But with the budget it is possible to get extra expertise and arrange extra training. We practiced a lot on the cones and it’s super cool that that has already paid off in Windsor.”
“Glenn Geerts was the only one of the day to go clear but had 5.39 penalty points for time overrun. Dries stayed within time but had one ball. With that, he won the cones and Glenn finished fourth. I’m proud because they moved up in the standings with staying focussed, others had a harder time finishing. It feels really good to work with them over the next few months towards the European Championships in Lähden (GER). I have confidence in all of them.”
Click here for the photo album
Glenn Geerts during the dressage in Windsor
Photo: Swingletree Photography
Copyright reserved. Acquisition without acknowledgment and permission from info@hoefnet.nl is not allowed.
