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What a remarkable World Cup season it has been for Dries Degrieck! This year, he has already secured wins in two FEI Driving World Cup events. Could he be the first Belgian in over 20 years to win the Driving World Cup in Mechelen? The possibility is certainly on the horizon. On the opening day of driving at Jumping Mechelen, the 29-year-old delivered a commanding performance in the FEI Driving World Cup – CAIW – Warm Up.

In the drive-off, he was the only competitor to remain faultless, defeating two former Dutch Jumping Mechelen winners. Koos de Ronde picked up eight penalty seconds, while Bram Chardon also made an error.

Dries reflected on his stellar form this year: “Winning in Mechelen is an incredible feeling—I couldn’t be happier. The pressure is definitely higher here, with so many friends and family cheering me on. It can be a bit distracting, but today, it seemed to give me an edge. My horses were quite quick through the obstacles. They might have had a little too much energy, as I really had to work hard to keep them under control. They’re still young, but this is their third season competing in the World Cup, and that experience is really starting to show.
I owe much of my recent success to the incredible support I receive. My father is a huge source of strength for me. I also couldn’t do it without my navigator, Tara Wilkinson, and my backstep, Kim Van Holder.”