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CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
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WORLD DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP

2023 the World Driving Championship will be hosted by three countries. Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Ten drivers from ten countries will compete in a total of 20 races.

 The horses are divided in two groups called A and B. Group A includes horses which are considered as the best and group B includes the horses of a lower category. Each participant will drive the same number of horses from group A and B.

 Points for the Championship are awarded in each heat according to the official order of finish. The winner of the race receives 17 points and then in descending order 12 (2); 9 (3); 7 (4); 6 (5); 5 (6); 4 (7); 3 (8); 2 (9); and 1 (10)

 

read wdc rules

20 races on 4 tracks in 3 COUNTRIES

The first leg will be at Victoria Park Wolvega in the Netherlands on Sunday August 13. GelsenTrabPark in Gelsenkirchen in Germany will host the second leg on Tuesday.

On Wednesday the World Driving Championship moves to Belgium for the third leg at Hippodrome de Wallonie in  Mons.

After a one day break the 2023 World Driving Champion will be crowned on Friday August 18 after the final races at Trabrennbahn Mariendorf in Berlin.

  • Sunday August 13 – Wolvega- 5 races
  • Tuesday 15th – Gelsenkirchen – 5 races
  • Wednesday 16th – Mons – 5 races
  • Friday 18th – Berlin – 5 races
MEET THE DRIVERS
Pete-McMULLAN
Peter McMullen
Australia
Peter McMullen had a great year in 2021 where he won 315 races and was titled Australian driver of 2021.
Hanna Huygens
Hanna Huygens
Belgium
Hanna Huygens, 26, was the Belgian champion driver in 2022. She has already been Belgian monté rider champion twelve times.
Doug-McNair-World-Driving-Championship
Doug McNair
Canada
Doug McNair, 34. McNair won an O’Brien Award as Canada’s Driver of the Year in 2017. The top win is the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing colts, that same year, with Stay Hungry.
Santtu Raitala
Santtu Raitala
Finland
Santtu Raitala, 32.  Raitala is the leading driver in Finland with more then 400 wins in 2022.
NIMCZYK-MICHAEL-World-Driving-Championship
Michael Nimczyk
Germany
Michael Nimczyk, 36. Nimczyk has more than 2200 wins and has been the German driver champion six times. The biggest win is from the Super Trot Cup 2017 with Lighten up Today.
RODNEY-GATT-World-Driving-Championship
Rodney Gatt
Malta
Rodney Gatt, 33. Gatt has been Maltese champion for the last six years. Gatt also competed in the 2019 World Driving Championship where he won one of the races.
Ebbinge-Rick-World-Driving-Championship
Rick Ebbinge
Netherlands
Rick Ebbinge, 39. Ebbinge is the defending World Driving Champion. In the World Driving Championship 2019 he won 4 of the 24 races, including a double win on the last race day.
BlairOrange
Blair Orange
New Zealand
Blair Orange has been five-time New Zealand champion.
Miodrag-Pantic
Miodrag Pantić
Serbia
Miodrag Pantić will represent Serbia in the World Driving Championship.
Jordan Ross
Jordan Ross
USA
Jordan Ross, 25, grew up around horses in Tennessee and is making a name for himself in the American Midwest, earning over $1.6 million in 2022.
Final results

leaderboard after 4 of 4 legs

PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONS

The first winner of the World Driving Championship was Herve Filion of Canada in 1970. The legendary Ulf Thoresen won the championship four times.

  • 2019 — Rick Ebbinge / Netherlands
  • 2017 — James MacDonald / Canada
  • 2015 — Dexter Dunn / New Zealand
  • 2013 — Pierre Vercruysse / France
  • 2011 — Jody Jamieson / Canada
  • 2009 — Birger Jorgensen / Denmark
  • 2007 — Christophe Martens / Belgium
  • 2005 — Roberto Andreghetti / Italy
  • 2003 — Mark Jones / New Zealand
  • 2001 — Jody Jamieson / Canada
  • 1999 — Sylvain Filion / Canada
  • 1997 — Heinz Wewering / Germany
  • 1995 — Dave Magee / USA
  • 1993 — Heinz Wewering / Germany
  • 1991 — Maurice McKendry / NZ
  • 1989 — Ron Pierce / USA
  • 1987 — Ted Demmler / Australia
  • 1985 — Tony Herlihy / New Zealand
  • 1983 — Robert Cameron / New Zealand
  • 1981 — Ulf Thoresen / Norway
  • 1979 — Ulf Thoresen / Norway
  • 1978 — Kevin Holmes / New Zealand
  • 1977 — Ulf Thoresen / Norway
  • 1975 — Keith Addison / Australia
  • 1974 — Joe Marsh Jr. / USA
  • 1973 — Ulf Thoresen / Norway
  • 1972 — Guiseppe Guzzinati / Italy
  • 1971 — Adolf Ubleis / Austria
  • 1970 — Herve Filion / Canada