Second place in the Prize of Family Richard Talbot at the CHIO Aachen 2025 proves it once again: Mareike Meier is one of the world's top four-in-hand drivers. The discipline remains extremely male-dominated. But the 39-year-old tried it out at some point, enjoyed it and then ‘just did it’. In the latest episode of the CHIO Aachen podcast, she reveals her recipe for success, gives insights into the extraordinary atmosphere in the drivers' paddock and talks about how she balances this demanding sport with her family life.

She is considered a pioneer, a role model and one of the best in her sport: Mareike Meier, long known by her maiden name Mareike Harm, was the first woman to reach the world elite in four-in-hand driving. To this day, she and Anna Sandmann are the only successful female drivers in this male-dominated sport. The 39-year-old hears these statements all the time and is often asked about them. “But that doesn’t bother or annoy me at all. It makes me realise how special it is and also makes me proud,” says Meier in the latest episode of the CHIO Aachen podcast.

At the beginning, hardly anyone believed she would be able to hold her own in the sport. Her switch from single to four-in-hand driving was viewed with scepticism. “I heard a lot: As a woman, you can’t do that. Dressage might be possible, but marathon – that won’t work, she doesn’t have the strength to keep it up,” she recalls, pausing briefly. Then she adds: “But somehow we managed it.”

Whereby “somehow” is of course an understatement; behind her success lie hard work and a perhaps unusual approach to marathon driving. “My strength is that I drive with foresight and take my foot off the gas in good time so that I can make the turns. At the same time, however, my weakness is that I’m not as fast as my colleagues,” analyses Mareike Meier. In order to achieve the consistency and confidence that repeatedly earn her top placings in the most difficult competitions, she started slowly: “My mother always said, ‘If you’re unsure, just slow down to a walk.’ Of course, we didn’t do that, but we did focus on finishing safely first. And then we improved.”

She usually drives the carriage with her two colleagues Linda and Nicole – which is also unusual, as the three of them are an all-female team. “It works really well for us,” is Meier’s assessment. The fact that driving involves incredibly complex logistics does not deter her from pursuing her passion. “You don’t get rich with this sport, but it’s a lot of fun and it’s our life. We work with the horses every day and think about driving 24 hours a day.”

This is made possible in part by her husband Kevin, whom Mareike Meier married last year. The two have known each other all their lives, but only got together a few years ago. “When friendship turns into love,” says the 39-year-old, beaming. Their daughter Lina Marie now completes their family happiness.

For more exciting insights into the life of a four-in-hand driver and the answer to the question of why there were no carriages at the wedding, listen to the new episode of the CHIO Aachen podcast. You can find it here and wherever podcasts are available.