Look out Boyd Exell - here comes Tim Price, Carriage Driver!
The sun is out, the season is nearly over and there is always some fun to be had in France at Les Etoiles de Pau
As well as the CCI5* eventing competition, this year Pau has re-introduced the ‘Crazy Ride’ – or carriage driving with a difference.
This new singles carriage driving contest is referred to as a “combined marathon”: a highly technical course with a mixture of marathon obstacles (driven cross-country) and cones, in two rounds (Saturday and Sunday in the main arena). It makes for an easier-access format for spectators, featuring sport and technical skills, and less gruelling for the horses at the end of a busy international and national season
Saturday saw the first round of the Crazy Cup CAIO2* with Claire Lefort, World Champion in the team event in 2022, the favourite to win this test. She proved that she is in great shape by taking the lead with Darwin de Féline her leading horse, and fourth with Hacendoso RD, a horse lent to her for this weekend’s event.
Last year's winner of the CCI5* here and World Number One Eventing rider, Tim Price, not competing this year but supporting his wife Jonelle who is currently in second place after cross country, had some spare time on his hands so tried his hand at carriage driving, accompanied by Claire Lefort.
A good effort Tim but maybe don’t give up the day job (although the little men on horseback, pictured below, would love you to join them if you're free tomorrow?)
As well as big humans on horseback, there are always strangely small ones too and, of course, plenty of flying unicorns that have escaped from the stables
