TWO young Australian carriage drivers recently qualified for the World Singles Carriage Driving Championships to be held in Rome from July 30 to August 1.

The qualifying FEI-endorsed national driving event was held in mid-January just outside Canberra at Bungendore.

At an international qualifying event, two of the dressage judges have to be international, so Mark Wentein from Belgium and Marsoe Larose from Canada judged with three Australians.

The dressage test was new to the Australian single horse competitors, with the canter movement introduced for the first time.

Elizabeth Lawrence and Michelle Jones did exceptionally well, considering it was only the second time they had the opportunity to drive the FEI No. 9 dressage test in Australia.

The drivers qualified and were selected for the Australian team that will compete in Rome.

Lawrence's horse, Michael, scored 41 in the dressage and was deemed by the International judges and Boyd Exell to be possibly ranked in the top five harness dressage horses in the world for carriage driving.

Jones also demonstrated her ability in the cones section, gaining the only clear round out of all competitors.

Lawrence and Jones have both been driving and involved with horses all their lives and their parents have also competed and done exceptionally well overseas.

After the event, both drivers and their horses attended the Carriage Driving Clinic conducted by Boyd Exell at Bungendore, and then again at Woodend.

Both Lawrence and Jones are elated to have made it into the Australian team and both look forward to the challenges of driving at a World Championship.

Lawrence is planning to use this event as a warm up prior to taking her own horse to England next year and base herself with Boyd Exell to compete during their season on a yearly basis and Jones also is looking to compete overseas consistently after this event.

Exell will help the Australian team get to the World Championship by assisting with the leasing of suitable horses, accommodation and transport.

Exell will also give assistance in training to both Lawrence and Jones where possible, keeping in mind he will be busy getting ready to compete at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, US in October.

Exell will compete in the Australian team with fellow Australian Gavin Robson, who has based himself in the US for the last couple of years in preparation for the event.

Exell and Robson are looking forward to competing not only as individuals for Australia but also together in the Australian team, which is a first for Australia to have a Four in Hand Australian team compete at WEG.