A vehicle transport operator is world four-in-hand-driving

For more than a quarter of a century now, Christoph Sandmann has been striking a successful balance between his profession and his hobby. The 49-year-old from Lähden in the Emsland region of Lower Saxony not only has a tight rein on his company Sandmann Transporte in his capacity as managing director, but is also two times team world champion and eight times German champion in the challenging equestrian sport of four-in-hand combined driving.

The passion for the pastime runs in the family. “My father and his carriage used to take part in competitions. At the age of 15, I was hit by the combined driving bug, and I began entering competitions myself when I was 18. After many successful entries in world and European championships, I’m proud of the fact that my daughter Anna now upholds the sporting tradition,” says Christoph Sandmann.

Combined driving is versatile. A competition consists of three sub-disciplines: dressage, cross-country – also known as marathon, and obstacle driving between individual pairs of cones. In order to win a place on the podium, the performance has to be outstanding in all three elements. This is why the world’s top drivers are, almost without exception, full-time professionals. Christoph Sandmann, who only pursues the time-consuming and cost-intensive sport as a hobby, is one of these exceptions. “The sport demands a great deal from the driver and the animal, and the requirements are constantly increasing. Four-in-hand in particular is what could be called today’s Formula 1 of combined driving,” explains Sandmann. “It calls for maximum precision, power and stamina from the horses, excellent materials and mutual trust. A further very important factor: combined driving is always a team sport!”

When he takes part in national or international competitions, Sandmann always travels with lots of equipment and gear: at least two carriages – one for dressage, the other for marathon – and up to five horses then need to be transported. “Only four are harnessed. But the international regulation allows us to field five horses. This means that we can also hitch up a special talent, for example, for the cross-country element,” the 49-year-old points out. In addition, fodder, carriage accessories, harnesses and, of course, everything required to meet the needs of the two-legged members of the team have to be taken along to the competitions.

The solution to the logistics problem is an Actros 2541 L 6×2, manufactured in 2007. Its body is from Müller, the expert for horse transporters and trailers from Zeitlofs in Bavaria. In addition to comfortable living quarters for up to six persons, it also has room for six horses. Thanks to the Telligent Roll Control of the Actros, the four-legged passengers travel is much more relaxed than in a trailer, which, in the case of haulage for Sandmann, is reserved for the carriages.

Tough training is absolutely essential in order to stay competitive at the top of the combined driving sport. The two times team world champion explains: “Our combined driving training ground borders directly on company premises. This way, I can sit on the carriage for an hour or two several times a day. And only recently, the German championships were held here in front of a large crowd of spectators.”

Following his apprenticeship as an office clerk and subsequent successful completion of technical college training, he moved more by chance into the logistics business in 1992: “With the help of an acquaintance I was able to buy a truck at an affordable price and initially began groupage distribution work as an owner driver for a high-profile logistics firm. During the almost 25 years since then, that developed into Sandmann Transporte.” Today, the company is a specialist for demanding vehicle logistics. The focus of business activity: transportation of light-duty commercial vehicles, cars, agricultural machinery and – how could it be otherwise – horsebox trailers.