BY BETTINE VAN HARSSELAAR / KWPN
PHOTOGRAPHY: DIRK CAREMANS
Wout-Jan van der Schans is amazed as he tours the stables of Team Chardon, where multiple equestrian disciplines come together at one location. While joining Bram on the carriage box of his four-in-hand, he eagerly asks countless questions about four-in-hand driving and what it takes to control such an impressive turnout of four horses.
Yet the conversation mainly revolves around the road to the World Championship in Aachen: how are both men preparing for the event?
Dutch showjumping team coach Wout-Jan van der Schans appears to be in a less favourable position this year than the four-in-hand drivers, who have been collecting medals for years. However, the four-in-hand drivers will also need to remain vigilant this year, as countries such as Belgium, Australia, and the United States are on the rise. What are their goals, preparations and key areas of focus ahead of this year’s World Championships in Aachen?
Limited choice
For Van der Schans, preparations for Aachen began last year, as he already knew that he might not be able to call on a few of the ‘big names’ this year. “The choice is not particularly broad this year. Horses such as Harrie Smolders’ Monaco and Maikel van der Vleuten’s Beauville Z are not available for selection. That is why, with Aachen already in the back of my mind, I had many riders who might be considered for Aachen compete in Nations Cups held on grass last year. All of those horses have now already contested a comparable competition. Of the young combinations I selected for those events, a few proved themselves, while others did not.”
The same team
For the four-in-hand drivers, selecting the team is far less complicated: since 2018, the line-up has remained unchanged. The names IJsbrand Chardon, Koos de Ronde, and Bram Chardon have topped the list ever since, and it is highly likely that this trio will also represent the Netherlands in Aachen. “It almost never happens that someone withdraws,” says Bram Chardon. “And before I joined the team, Theo Timmermans had filled that position for many years. We have also had the same national coach, Ad Aarts, throughout that period. He has been remarkably consistent over the years and is someone who gets along well with everyone. He is able to make difficult decisions while still keeping everyone on good terms.”
Chardon sees the small, close-knit team and its strong performances over the years as a major advantage. “It’s fantastic that we’ve been competing with the same team for so many years. You really get to know each other well, we plan our competition schedules together and spend a lot of time together.”...
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