The World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen, considered the equestrian sport’s premier event, began July 8 and continues through July 17. As Germany’s official equestrian show, it attracts the sport’s top athletes from around the world to compete in the disciplines of jumping, dressage, eventing and four-in-hand driving and vaulting.
More than 350,000 people have been attending this event that concludes with a folk festival where participants and spectators wave white handkerchiefs bidding each other farewell and promising to return for next year’s event.
Live Oak International alumni Chester Weber, four-in-hand driving, and Cian O’Connor, jumping, are participating in this year’s event.
As winner of the 2015 Live Oak International, Weber has an impressive record with earlier wins at the Kingdom of the Sun CDE, and the Saumur CAI-A4*. His 2014 European tour included his history maker as the first American to win the Four-in-Hand division at the CHIO Aachen.
That same year, he also took the Individual Silver Medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France and grabbed top billings as the FEI’s No. 1 Ranked Four-in-Hand Driver in the World. He is also the only American to get the World Driving Championships’ individual medal for winning the Individual Silver Medal in 2008.
In 2016 Weber won his 13th National Championship title. The win was personally satisfying as it was accomplished at Weber’s family farm, host of the 2016 Live Oak International CAI. “I couldn’t be prouder of my family and the whole team’s effort to get this done,” Weber said.
Following this victory, Weber took top ranks in the Drebkau CAI 3* combined driving event in Drebkau, Germany. Weber also drove his team to the top of board at the FEI World Cup Qualification Four-in-Hand. As 2016 progresses, Weber continues to push his team forward.
Competing in Wednesday’s CHIO Aachen dressage competition for four-in-hand, Weber took third place driving Boris W, Eddy, Baldun and Zion. Fellow U.S. teammate and Live Oak International alum Allison Stroud took 11th place.
Cian O’Connor is no stranger to the equestrian world. He is a two-time Olympian who won a Bronze medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In 2015, he competed in Live Oak International and won the 1.40m $10,000 Waldron Private Wealth Management Welcome Speed Stake.
However, it was his horse Good Luck, the 10-year-old Belgian stallion that stole the show. Owned by Adena Springs and Ronnoco Jump Ltd, Good Luck jumped to the top of the leader boards in the 2015 $50,000 CSI2*-W Live Oak International Grand Prix and World Cup Qualifier.
This year, O’Connor is competing at CHIO Aachen with Good Luck, Dorade and Callisto. Callisto competed in this year’s Live Oak International $100,000 CSI3*-W Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifier presented by Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club. Regarding competing at Live Oak International, O’Connor said “You can give a horse a nice start on grass at Live Oak International, and there aren’t too many nice grass arenas in this part of the world […] It’s more like an English country estate, there’s just something special about it, and I certainly like going there.” O’Connor is joined in CHIO Aachen by fellow teammates Jonathan Gordon and Bertram Allen. In Wednesday’s S3: Prize of Handwerk Jumping competition, O’Connor took the top spot riding Be Gentle with a time of 69.46.
For more information on CHIO Aachen as well as competition results, follow us on our social media channels, and stay tuned for future blogs!
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Learn more about Chester Weber and Cian O’Connor as they compete in CHIO #Aachen! https://t.co/JpzdhxAP0f
— Live Oak Int (@LiveOakInt) July 14, 2016
