THERE seems to be no way of stopping Australian champion four-in-hand driving champion Boyd Exell on his way to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in September.
Last weekend, at the world famous Aachen horse show, Boyd scored his third individual victory. He previously won in 2003 and 2009.
Boyd led right from the dressage phase and held on to his lead despite having one cone down and a time fault in that phase..
Boyd drove the same team of black horses that won this event last year and said they were "getting better at every show".
"Unlike in some other countries where it is common, the format where the marathon takes place after the cones is new to me," he said.
"My horses were a little too fresh for the cones, which resulted in a knock down and time penalties, but other than that I did not mind.
"I encourage this new format to promote driving and to make it more spectacular and understandable for the media and the spectators.
"My goal in the marathon was to protect my lead.
"I went the long way in the first obstacle to see how my horses were doing and after that I just went for it. I even felt like flying in the last obstacle."
Four times world champion IJsbrand Chardon, of The Netherlands, finished second, ahead of Germany's Christoph Sandmann.
The Netherlands won the Nations Cup, ahead of hosts Germany, and Switzerland.
