{"id":48906,"date":"2026-04-27T17:22:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/?p=48906"},"modified":"2026-04-27T17:47:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:47:50","slug":"belgique-attelage-kladruby-degrieck-domination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sohorse.eu\/en\/news\/2026\/04\/27\/belgique-attelage-kladruby-degrieck-domination\/","title":{"rendered":"Four-in-hand driving: Belgium in control at Kladruby"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nations Cup victory and an individual win for Dries Degrieck: in Kladruby, Belgium delivered a masterclass from start to finish. Behind this perfect weekend stands a confident team and a clear-headed staff, led by Marc Wentein, steadily building toward the World Championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe dominated from the start\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Some weekends just click. This was one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab Not only this weekend, but the one before as well<\/em> \u00bb, pose d\u2019entr\u00e9e Marc Wentein, le chef d’\u00e9quipe de l’attelage belge \u00e0 4 chevaux.
\u00ab We were second in the World Cup in the Netherlands, and now we win the Nations Cup here, with an individual victory for Dries as well. So yes, it\u2019s a great success for the Belgian team. <\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Kladruby, in the stunning setting of the Czech National Stud, the script was crystal clear.
Dressage remport\u00e9 par Dries Degrieck, marathon g\u00e9r\u00e9 (2e), maniabilit\u00e9 solide (3e). \u00c0 l\u2019arriv\u00e9e, pr\u00e8s de huit points d\u2019avance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab From the start, we dominated. Dries wins the dressage, stays consistent throughout, and takes the win with a comfortable margin. <\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A team that delivers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Behind the individual win stands a solid unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Glenn Geerts and Tom Stokmans, Belgium also secured the Nations Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab These are the same drivers who performed very well at last year\u2019s European Championship in L\u00e4hden. \u00bb Wentein recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Driving
(Marc Wentein surrounded by his three drivers at the 2025 European Championships)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


\u201cBut we haven\u2019t stood still. Dries is working with an entirely new group of horses. Glenn has two new ones, Tom has one as well. So clearly, we are testing things with the World Championships in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A winning team\u2026 that keeps evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A momentum that keeps building<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Czech success is part of a much bigger picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Dries Degrieck. Full of confidence, he comes off a World Cup-winning indoor season and keeps the momentum going outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Dries
(\u00a9FEI\/Massimo Argenziano)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cFrom my perspective, it started even before the final,\u201d explains Wentein.\n\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t forget Dries won Mechelen, Leipzig, then the World Cup Final in Bordeaux.\u201d
\u00ab After that, he won the first outdoor competition in Exloo, finished second in Kronenberg\u2026 and now this. It\u2019s an incredible run. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But beyond the results, it\u2019s the way he\u2019s doing it that stands out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab He now has almost ten horses available. Even here in Kladruby, he tried combinations that had never worked together before. And still, the result is there. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Dries<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A full-scale test before the Worlds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kladruby wasn\u2019t just a target.
It was also a testing ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab We are clearly in a preparation phase for the World Championship in Aachen this summer. \u00bb, confirms Wentein.
\u00ab We are testing, adjusting, building. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, all lights are green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re heading in the right direction\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now comes the challenge: turning momentum into medals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t count your chickens before they hatch,\u201d Wentein smiles.
\u201cBut we are heading in the right direction. Two podium finishes in the first two Nations Cups, a clear plan\u2026 everything is in place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next stop: Windsor.
Familiar ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab Last year, we won the Nations Cup there. So it\u2019s not by chance, this is something structured, planned, organized. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Opponent identified\u2026 and already beaten<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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On the international stage, a few names still loom.
Dont Chester Weber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Chester
(Chester Weber, WEG Tryon. \u00a9FEI\/Liz Gregg)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u00ab He\u2019s a very strong driver, especially in dressage. \u00bb Wentein admits.
\u00ab But we\u2019ve already beaten him. So we know we can be ahead. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measured words. No arrogance, just confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moving forward, without getting carried away<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Belgium wins. Belgium tests. Belgium builds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And above all, Belgium stays grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab There\u2019s always room for improvement. \u00bb Wentein concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this pace, the real question might not be whether Belgium can reach the World Championship podium\u2026\nbut how high they can climb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n