EDIT 12/21/2023
This series of events has been canceled.
Black Prong has been selected as the only North American venue to host the qualifying shows and the first-ever, “Stay at Home” International Carriage Driving Nations Cup! Drivers will be competing head-to-head against drivers from the UK, New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, and Australia for the title of World Champion! To provide ample qualifying opportunities to drivers in North America, our carriage driving schedule has been updated for 2023-2024.
The Carriage Driving Nation Cup is an exciting new event in association with the Wessex Driving Club which is an affiliate of the British Carriage Driving Association. It aims to fill the space between the two and three-day CDE events and the one-day club events to provide a championship for the whole spectrum of carriage drivers across the world.
It will be run over two days. The first day will be dressage. Two new tests have been developed that are a fusion of a traditional dressage test and a precision and paces test. The same ‘footprint’ is driven by all levels in a 30m x 60m arena. Novices (beginners, training, and preliminary drivers) drive the test predominantly in a working trot with a walk and halt and one lengthened stride section. Open (intermediate and advanced drivers) drive the same movements but in collected, working, and extended trot, working and free walk, halt, and rein back and one-handed. This will be followed by Phase Two – Cones. The second day will be – Marathon Obstacles. The marathon obstacles are progressive – meaning the first obstacle is gated A, B, and C – the second obstacle is gated A, B, C, and D, and so on for the remaining obstacles. The four Obstacles will be built before the show allowing plenty of time for walking.
Points amassed in each phase will be converted into penalties. The Driver with the lowest penalty score at the end of the competition is the winner. In the event of a tie the lowest score in the Obstacles will be the winner. Backsteppers are considered Navigators in all phases and may talk throughout the competition. The Competition will be driven in marathon-style dress for all phases.
Classifications:
- Para Drivers – We accept Self Classification
- Small Ponies and VSEs are 11hh and under
- Ponies are between 11.1hh and 14.2hh
- Horses are 14.2hh or above
- Single, pair, and tandem
- Teams in pony divisions only
- Novice (beginner, training, preliminary)
- Open (intermediate, advanced, and above)
- Junior Drivers can compete in Novice or Open
- Para Drivers can compete in Novice or Open
- Senior Drivers (65 and over) can compete in Novice or Open
There will be five qualification shows and the world championships. You must complete three of the five qualifier events without elimination to qualify for the Championship event. The Championship show currently has the following nations participating: UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, and the USA. Possibility of additional nations: Germany, Canada, Holland, Norway, and Malta. There were 63 drivers in last year’s Championship! National gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded at the conclusion of the Championship show. International awards will be shipped after the conclusion of the Championship show. The Championships will be televised worldwide!
Nations Cup Qualifier Schedule:
- December 21-23, 2023- First Qualifier for Nations Cup 2024
- February 9-11, 2024- Second Qualifier for Nations Cup 2024
- April 24-26, 2024- Third Qualifier for Nations Cup 2024
- May 24-26, 2024- Fourth Qualifier for Nations Cup 2024
- June 21-23, 2024- Fifth and Final Qualifier for Nations Cup 2024
- August 8-11, 2024- International World Championship
Nation’s Cup & Single Day Event Organizer: Janet Carswell
Entry forms coming shortly!