It was Body Exell’s sixth victory in the overall classification of the four-in-hand drivers, the Prize of the Richard Talbot Family at the CAIO in Aachen. The four letters stand for the French for “Concours d’Attelage International Officiel”. That is the term for international four-in-hand driving competitions with a Nations’ Cup classification, like those that have been staged regularly at the CHIO Aachen for many years already and which have become a highlight for many athletes and spectators.

Boyd Exell dominated the competition from the beginning to the end, won the dressage, the Prize of Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & CO. KG, was the fastest in the XXXL Pallen Marathon, the cross-country course and also won the concluding obstacle driving course. The recipe for success of the Australian driver, who lives in England? He didn’t want to give it away: “You don’t reveal your grandma’s recipes,” he joked. But then he did: “It is all down to the quality of the horses. I have built up a strong team of horses of the years.” He wasn’t just referring to the four cracks that excelled here in Aachen either. Exell has 40 horses in his yard, two top teams for outdoors, two for indoors and several youngsters as well as livery horses, the owners of whom train with him. Of course, this wouldn’t be possible without the corresponding support: “My team comprises of ten to twelve people, who take care of everything. They are just as important as the horses!” Coming to Aachen is a highlight for Exell every year: “I plan everything around Aachen, only compete at a few shows beforehand and then rest my horses first again. Because Aachen is very demanding!”

The World Cup winner, Ijsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands, had to make do with second place. Chester Weber came third for the USA. Georg von Stein was the best German driver in sixth place, followed by Christoph Sandmann in seventh place, Michael Brauchle in 13^th place as well as René Poensgen and Rainer Duen, who ranked 17^th and 18^th.

The German team also noticed how demanding Aachen is and the fact that it has its own rules. Namely, after the dressage, they had set themselves the goa of catching up lost points and actually ultimately succeeded in claiming second place in the FENDT Nations’ Cup. The team comprised of: Georg von Stein, Christoph Sandmann and Michael Brauchle. The victory went to the Netherlands with Ijsbrand Chardon, Koos de Ronde and Theo Timmermann on a total score of 325.570 points, Germany’s overall score was 356.960 points. Friedrich Otto-Erley, the Chef d’Equipe of the German Drivers said dryly: “That is the normal ranking. But the difference in points was too high!” After the dressage competition, the Prize of Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & CO. KG Germany was lying in a disappointing fifth place. “So, we didn’t imagine we’d be able to finish second today,” admitted Otto-Erley. But the German team delivered good results in the XXXL Pallen Marathon and in the Prize of H&T Automotive Components (see above). Third place went to the Belgian team with 365.660 points.