Tor Van Den Berge Represents Australia at Pairs World Championship

The 2025 FEI Driving World Championship for Pair Horses took place in Beekbergen, The Netherlands, where 24 nations and 89 combinations of the world’s best horses and drivers came together for four days of competition.

Australia’s sole representative, Tor Van Den Berge, proudly flew the Australian flag, competing with Leo and Nanda Van Der Burght’s KWPN geldings Jaquar, Jayton, and Lars VS. The trio showed their strength and promise, producing personal bests across all three phases to finish mid-field in the highly competitive field.

Tor reflected on the significance of the event and the performance of his horses:

“It was fantastic to represent Australia again at the World Pairs Championship. Where 24 Nations brought together 89 combinations of the best horses and drivers in the world. We took Leo and Nanda Van Der Burght’s wonderful pair who haven’t been together very long. It was great to share the experience with them. The horses did their personal best in all three phases and finished mid field so we couldn’t be happier with them.”

Tor’s campaign began with a score of 55.39 in the Dressage phase, driving Jayton and Lars VS. The team then moved into the Marathon phase, where Jaquar and Jayton tackled the demanding course to finish on 110.28. The competition concluded with the Cones phase, where Jayton and Lars VS produced a steady round with 13 penalties. This gave Tor a total score of 178.67, placing him 45th overall in a field of more than 80 combinations.

The World Championship was ultimately dominated by Hungary’s Martin Hölle, who claimed his fifth consecutive individual gold medal, helping secure Hungary’s seventh straight team title. While the spotlight was firmly on Hungary’s historic achievement, Tor’s performance was an important reminder of the strength and determination of Australian drivers on the world stage.

By finishing mid-field against the best in the world, Tor and his team demonstrated the potential of Australia’s presence in international carriage driving. His achievement reflects not only his skill and experience but also the dedication of the owners, support team, and the horses themselves.

Equestrian Australia congratulates Tor Van Den Berge for his outstanding effort in Beekbergen and thanks him for once again representing Australia with pride.

Full results HERE.