Equestrian events at the 2024 Summer Olympics

The equestrian events at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were run from 27 July to 6 August at the Palace of Versailles, featuring 200 riders across three disciplines for both individual and team competitions, namely dressage, eventing, and jumping.[1] Men and women compete together on equal terms.

Equestrian
at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad
Pictograms for dressage (left), eventing (center), and jumping (right)
VenuePalace of Versailles
Dates27 July – 6 August 2024
No. of events6 (6 open)
Competitors200 from 49 nations
← 2020
2028 →

Qualification

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The 200 quota places for equestrians were divided among the three disciplines (75 for jumping, 65 for eventing, and 60 for dressage). Teams in each discipline consisted of three horse and rider pairs; any NOC that qualified a team (20 teams for jumping, 16 for eventing, and 15 for dressage) also received 3 entries in the individual competition for that discipline. NOCs that did not qualify teams could earn one individual place in dressage and jumping, and up to two individual places in eventing, for a total of 15 entries in jumping and dressage and 17 for eventing. Teams qualify primarily through specific competitions (World Equestrian Games and continental tournaments), while individuals qualified through ranking. The host nation France automatically reserves a team place in each discipline.[2][3][4][5]

Competition format

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Dressage

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The Palace of Versailles Arena, a temporary stadium erected atop the Etoile Royale esplanade for the dressage and jumping events.

Teams are made of three athletes, all of whom are also competing for individual medals. Nations without a team can be represented by a single individual athlete.

Dressage competition starts with the Grand Prix, which serves as a qualifier for both team and individual competitions. Athletes are drawn into six heats of ten athletes each, with the opening three heats being scheduled for the first day and the remaining three heats for the second day. Heats are drawn in such a way that no more than one athlete per NOC can be assigned to the same heat. Once the Grand Prix heats are concluded, team scores are decided by adding up the individual scores of the respective team members. The top eight ranked teams qualify for the team final (Grand Prix Special), while the top two individual athletes from each heat, plus the next best six ranked athletes, qualify for the individual final (Grand Prix Freestyle).

Grand Prix Special, which is used to decide team medals, is a slightly more rigorous dressage test with emphasis on difficult transitions (such as collected walk – piaffe). As the slate is wiped clean after the Grand Prix, team medals are determined solely based on scores achieved in the Special. Nations taking part in the team final are allowed to enter a substitute athlete between the Grand Prix and up to two hours before the Special.

Grand Prix Freestyle is open for 18 athletes and is used to decide individual medals. Each athlete designs their own test for the Freestyle, which must be set to music and must contain 16 compulsory movements. Riders can tailor a test to their horses' strengths, as well as incorporate movements that are more difficult than those required in the Grand Prix or the Special (such as a pirouette in piaffe or flying changes on a curving line) in order to increase their scores. Individual medals are assigned based on scores in the Freestyle.

Eventing

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Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka cross a pontoon on the Grand Canal during their cross-country run.

Competitions for team and individual medals run concurrently. Each athlete, riding the same horse, performs a dressage test, a cross-country round, and a jumping round. Team medals are then awarded by adding together the scores of team members, from all three phases. The team with the lowest number of penalty points wins the gold. The top 25 individual athletes after the first jumping round perform a second, final, jumping round to determine individual medals. Therefore, those competing for individual glory complete one dressage test and cross-country round, and two jumping rounds.

Athletes who for various reasons fail to start or finish any of the phases are eliminated from the individual competition. Teams with eliminated athletes receive penalty points: 100 penalty points for each eliminated athlete during the dressage and jumping phases, and 200 penalty points for each eliminated athlete during the cross-country phase. While they are excluded from the individual event, eliminated athletes may continue to compete in the following phases for their teams, unless they were eliminated for lameness, horse fall, horse abuse, or otherwise disqualified. Teams can additionally bring forward a reserve athlete at any point of the competition. In such a case, the respective team is awarded 20 additional penalty points.

Jumping

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Individual and team competitions are run separately. Individual competition begins and will run for two days. The first competition day serves as a qualifier, where a total of 75 athletes may start. Each athlete tackles the same course, which includes 12 to 14 numbered obstacles. Athletes are ranked based on the accumulated number of penalty points, and the top 30 advance to the individual final. In case of a tie for the last qualification place, athletes are separated by the time of their round. The individual final is held on a different course that includes 12 to 15 numbered obstacles. Athletes are once again ranked based on the accumulated number of penalty points. If two or more athletes are tied for a medal position, the tie is resolved in a jump-off.

The first day of team competition serves as a qualifier and is opened to a total of 20 teams. At the end of the qualifier, teams receive their placing by adding up the penalties incurred by the three team members. Athletes who withdraw or are eliminated or who retire from the competition will not be given a score. Teams with one athlete who has withdrawn, retired, or been eliminated from the team qualifier will be placed according to the combined penalties incurred by the two athletes who completed the competition. Teams in which all three athletes completed the competition without being eliminated or retiring shall be placed before teams with only two athletes who completed the competition without being eliminated or retiring. Teams with two athletes who have withdrawn and/or retired and/or been eliminated from the competition will be eliminated. The top 10 teams based on the qualifier results advance to the team final. In case of a tie for the last qualification place, teams are separated by the combined time of their three team members. The team final is held on a different course. Teams are once again ranked based on the accumulated number of penalty points of their team members. If two or more teams are tied for a medal position, the tie is resolved in a jump-off.

Disqualification

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Team Belgium was disqualified from the Eventing team competition after finishing in fourth position due to a positive banned substance result. Rider Tine Magnus's horse, Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z, was found to have the presence of Trazodone in its system during competition.[6]

Competition schedule

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Day Date Start Finish Event Phase
Day 1 27 July 09:30 18:30 Individual eventing Dressage
Team eventing
Day 2 28 July 10:30 15:00 Individual eventing Cross-country
Team eventing
Day 3 29 July 11:00 13:30 Team eventing Jumping
15:00 16:00 Individual eventing
Day 4 30 July 11:00 16:30 Individual dressage Dressage Grand Prix Day 1
Team dressage
Day 5 31 July 10:00 15:30 Individual dressage Dressage Grand Prix Day 2
Team dressage
Day 6 1 August 11:00 14:00 Team jumping Qualification
Day 7 2 August 14:00 16:00 Team jumping Final
Day 8 3 August 10:00 15:30 Team dressage Grand Prix Special
Day 9 4 August 10:00 14:00 Individual dressage Grand Prix Freestyle
Day 10 5 August 14:00 18:00 Individual jumping Qualification
Day 11 6 August 10:00 12:00 Individual jumping Final

Participating nations

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A total of 49 NOCs qualified equestrians.

Medal summary

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Medal table

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  *   Host nation (France)

RankNOCGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Germany4105
2  Great Britain2035
3  France*0112
4  Australia0101
  Denmark0101
  Switzerland0101
  United States0101
8  Japan0011
  Netherlands0011
Totals (9 entries)66618

Medalists

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Games Gold Silver Bronze
Individual dressage
details
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl
on TSF Dalera BB
  Germany
Isabell Werth
on Wendy
  Germany
Charlotte Fry
on Glamourdale
  Great Britain
Team dressage
details
  Germany
Frederic Wandres
on Bluetooth Old
Isabell Werth
on Wendy
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl
on TSF Dalera BB
  Denmark
Daniel Bachmann Andersen
on Vayron
Nanna Merrald Rasmussen
on Zepter
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour
on Freestyle
  Great Britain
Becky Moody
on Jagerbomb
Carl Hester
on Fame
Charlotte Fry
on Glamourdale
Individual eventing
details
Michael Jung
on Chipmunk Frh
  Germany
Christopher Burton
on Shadow Man
  Australia
Laura Collett
on London 52
  Great Britain
Team eventing
details
  Great Britain
Rosalind Canter
on Lordships Graffalo
Tom McEwen
on JD Dublin
Laura Collett
on London 52
  France
Nicolas Touzaint
on Diabolo Menthe
Karim Laghouag
on Triton Fontaine

Stéphane Landois
on Chaman Dumontceau
  Japan
Toshiyuki Tanaka
on Jefferson
Kazuma Tomoto
on Vinci De La Vigne

Yoshiaki Oiwa
on Mgh Grafton Street
Ryuzo Kitajima
on Cekatinka
Individual jumping
details
Christian Kukuk
on Checker 47
  Germany
Steve Guerdat
on Dynamix de Belheme
  Switzerland
Maikel van der Vleuten
on Beauville Z
  Netherlands
Team jumping
details
  Great Britain
Ben Maher
on Dallas Vegas Batilly

Harry Charles
on Romeo 88

Scott Brash
on Jefferson

  United States
Laura Kraut
on Baloutinue

Karl Cook
on Caracole de la Roque

McLain Ward
on Ilex

  France
Simon Delestre
on I.Alemusina R 51

Olivier Perreau
on Dorai D'Aiguilly

Julien Epaillard
on Dubai du Cèdre

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Paris 2024 – Equestrian". Paris 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Paris 2024 Olympic Games". FEI. 30 June 2022.
  3. ^ Nicolas Kohlhuber (18 August 2022). "How to qualify for equestrian jumping at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained". IOC. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. ^ Chiaki Nishimura (14 September 2022). "How to qualify for Equestrian eventing at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained". IOC. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. ^ Marta Martín (18 August 2022). "How to qualify for equestrian dressage at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained". IOC. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  6. ^ "FEI announces an equine doping case from the Paris Olympic Games". FEI. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Paris 2024 Olympic Competition Schedule" (PDF). FEI. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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