A portrait of confidence and concentration, Boyd Exell shimmies his team to the start line. Pulsating techno music pumps from the PA system as applause ripples around the stands.
The event is the final qualifier of the 2022/23 FEI Driving World Cup, the venue, Germany's internationally famous Leipziger Messe.
"Number one in the world," declares the announcer. "More titles than any other driver in history."
Exell has little difficulty dispatching his rivals and it's scant wonder. He's so far unbeaten in a season where he's chasing an unprecedented 10th indoor championship and is already a five-time FEI world champion.
Fittingly for the NSW-born and raised 50-year-old, he's clearly the Bradman of his chosen sport. Yet the vast majority of Australians probably know nothing of him. Or what he does.
Carriage driving is an obscure pastime even for its elite exponents. The late Prince Phillip, who began his career after an injured wrist forced him to quit polo and eventually competed into his 80s, was arguably the best known of them.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, four-in-hand driving trials first caught on among the English well-to-do in the mid-19th century. London's foundation club was established in 1856 with an exclusive membership of 30. The US followed suit in 1870.
Despite this, properly-constituted driving events didn't catch on in Australia until 1972 and the discipline that would bring Exell far-flung fame, dressage, wouldn't win local recognition until 1981. But by then, he was already hooked.
Phillip formalised the competition rulebook in 1968.
At its most basic, driving a single horse, a pair or team of four, competitors contest three demanding trials beginning with a dressage round, in which they perform a set sequence of moves in a large arena. Each is scored out of 10, with penalties for errors and dismounts.
The second phase, or marathon, is run over a 22km course featuring water, mazes, gates, steep slopes and tight bends.
Finally, in the cone driving phase, competitors weave through a set sequence of up to 20 pairs of markers that form a timed course of up to 800m. Balls are balanced on each of the cones, with penalties for any dislodged by wheel or horse.
Exell won his first Australian pairs championship aged 16.
To make the most of his talent, he then moved from the south coast town of Bega to the UK and took the obscure sport by storm. After winning national selection, he honoured a lengthy tradition of Antipodean sporting upmanship by accepting a role training Britain's team.
Since then, there have been multiple international equestrian athlete of the year awards to go with his all-conquering run of titles.
"In an incredible display of dominance, Boyd Exell showed the world why he is the most decorated four-in-hand carriage driver in history," according to the official report of his indoor victory in Leipzig last weekend.
"The pressure was on as for the first time in the ... series Boyd lined up against his three closest rivals at once. Yet he held his nerve in spectacular style to win with two rounds of sheer brilliance."
Equnews.com dubbed him "the man who keeps on winning" and declared that he simply "left no room for the competition".
Despite the high praise, Exell seemed hardly fazed.
"Our focus is very much on the final in Bordeaux," he said afterwards.
"But the win in Leipzig is a great way to start the year after a month away in Australia."
With the world cup up for grabs in France next month, "it would be hard to bet against him winning a record 10th title" according to Carriage Commentator editor Sarah Dance.
Whether that means more Australians will get on board when he takes to Bordeaux Exhibition Centre on February 2-5, who knows. They can watch the action live on fei.tv
Australian Associated Press
