The organization of the ‘Paardenspektakel’ in Beekbergen – the largest horse driving event in the Netherlands – decided this week to cancel the event in 2024. The driving force behind the top event and organizer of CAI(O) Beekbergen, Mieke van Tergouw has taken this decision together with the board with a heavy heart: ‘Cancelling an event four months before the start is far from optimal for the sport, but we all feel that this is the only right decision with a view to organize the World Pairs Championships in 2025.’
Since the early 80s, the driving competition on the grounds of Riant Equestrian Centre in Beekbergen has been an integral part of the equestrian calendar. In the past 40 years six times the event was not on the calendar (covid, foot-and-mouth disease, world equestrian games in The Hague and an idea to organize the event every two years). Now, the organization is canceling the event for 2024 for another reason. The ‘Paardenspektakel’ in Beekbergen is always a spectacle, with the best two- and four-in-hand horses in the world on the starting list, with cool shows, a fun country fair for everyone and of course the parties in the evening.
‘Last year we had another very successful edition of our event. No expense was spared to put on a great compe¬tition despite the exceptional bad weather conditions. Afterwards, all the terrains were worked and levelled, but now – at the beginning of April – due to the heavy rainfall, there is still not enough recovery.
The event in Beekbergen will not take place this year for two reasons. As the first and most important reason, we want the grounds to be optimal for the 2025 Worldchampionship. You can see that the grounds are still recovering from the wet edition in 2023 and don’t want to be in this position again next year with the championship coming up.
Secondly, it is not financially feasible this year. With our date in the middle of the holiday period, we see that many sponsors are on holiday and therefore cannot and do not want to support the event anymore as Beekbergen is a business-to-business event as well. With the cancellation of 2024, we have a stronger proposition for 2025, both in terms of the field and financially.’
Because of this decision, a burden has been lifted from the shoulders of Van Tergouw and her organization. ‘We realize that our decision hits the equestrian athletes particularly hard, but we want to remain the best driving event in the Netherlands and that is why we have made this decision. Our sights are fully set on the World Championships pairs in 2025 and the years after.
For example, we are working on installing an all-weather floor for the World Championships this year in order to be less dependent on the weather, just like other event locations.’
Even after 2025, Beekbergen will remain on the international calendar – no longer at the end of July, as many sponsors have indicated that the holiday period is not feasible for them to contribute. From 2026 onwards, Beekbergen will be planned for the end of August / beginning of September.
Dates 2025:
- World Championship Pairs 2025: August 20 – 24, 2025
- CAIO Four-in-Hands 2025: August 27 – 31, 2025