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The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.
In this case, a horse trained by Saif Salem Mohd Al Faresi (FEI ID 10014789/UAE), tested positive for the Banned Substance Arsenic following samples taken at the CEI1*100 Bou Thib (UAE), on 4 March 2021.
The trainer admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the trainer; the provisional suspension he already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. He was also fined CHF 5,000.
The full Decision is available here.
With a mix of debutant and experienced athletes set to take centre stage at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the Para Equestrian field is wide open.
In all, there are 78 Para Equestrian athletes from 27 nations confirmed in the list of definite entries published by the FEI today. Among them, one of the sport’s most enduring athletes, a strong contender for a ‘triple-triple’ and a Para Equestrian legend going for a record number of medals.
Tokyo will be the seventh appearance at a Paralympic Games for 60 year-old Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR) who is the only athlete to have competed at every Paralympics edition since Atlanta 1996, when Para Dressage was introduced. Currently ranked World No. 5 in the FEI Para Dressage World Individual Ranking for Grade I, Dokkan goes into Tokyo with his mount Aladdin, following top three finishes in all his competition participations from 2019 to 2021.
As the current reigning World and European champion, Sanne Voets (NED) has her sights set high for Tokyo. The 34-year-old is looking to win the team, individual and freestyle competitions in Tokyo to give her the elusive triple-triple of golds at European, World and Paralympic level, a feat last achieved by Great Britain’s Sir Lee Pearson. Voets will be going for gold alongside her horse Demantur “Demmi” with a freestyle routine, developed in collaboration with top Dutch freestyle producer Joost Peters, and one of her country’s most popular bands, HAEVN.
Known as the Godfather of Para Dressage, Lee Pearson is himself looking to add to his medal tally of 14 Paralympic medals – which includes 11 golds – the highest of any Paralympic Equestrian. One of the most recognisable faces in Para Equestrian, Pearson made his debut at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney where he won gold medals in the individual, freestyle and team. He won another three golds in Athens 2004 and then Beijing 2008, before a team gold, individual silver and freestyle bronze in London 2012. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Pearson brought home a freestyle gold medal and an individual silver.
While Great Britain’s Para Dressage team has enjoyed unrivalled success at every Paralympics since Atlanta, this year in Tokyo the USA are the hot favourites for team gold.
Lee Pearson will be reunited with his Rio 2016 teammates Sophie Christiansen, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells in Tokyo to defend Great Britain’s team title.
The US charge is led by Roxanne Trunnell, who is currently the highest ranked Para Dressage athlete in Grade I and in the FEI Para Dressage World Individual Ranking. Trunnell has won at every outing in the first half of 2021 and together with her horse Dolton, they have swept the Grade I classes at key 3* international events in the USA. Trunnell also served up a world record score of 89.522% for an FEI Para Dressage Freestyle Test. Trunnell will be joined by three time Paralympian Rebecca Hart, as well as Beatrice De Lavalette and Kate Shoemaker who will be making their Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
Current World and European champions the Netherlands are also desperate to make it a hat trick at the Paralympics. The team includes the hugely experienced European champion Frank Hosmar, back-to-back World champion Rixt van der Horst, and Sanne Voets.
“This year marks the 25th anniversary of Para Dressage’s debut at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta,” FEI Para Equestrian Committee Chair Amanda Bond said.
“And while they will be a very different Paralympics to what we’ve been used to, these Games are an opportunity to bring Para Equestrian to the forefront. Equestrian sport is unique, with its hallmark being the close connection between athlete and horse. This relationship is all the more special in Para Dressage as the two athletes really become one.
“I know I speak on behalf of the whole community when I say how thrilled we are to have this opportunity following some challenging times. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a triumph over adversity. I send my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to all those who have contributed to making the Olympic and Paralympic Games happen, and to the people of Japan for welcoming the international sporting community to what has been billed the Games of Hope.”
Although equestrian fans will see some old sporting rivalries play out, there are a number of athletes who will be making their debut appearance in Tokyo.
One of these athletes is 26-year-old Sho Inaba, an emerging talent on the Japanese Para Equestrian scene, who will be competing with his horse Exclusive. Inaba competed at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon (USA) where he finished 14th in the individual test for his Grade. He has shown that he has what it takes to reach the podium, winning individual and freestyle medals at international competitions held in Gotemba (JPN) in 2019.
Currently ranked World No.1 in Grade III, Tobias Thorning Joergensen (DEN) was the breakthrough star of the 2019 FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Rotterdam (NED), winning gold medals in the individual and freestyle tests with his horse Joelene Hill, as well as team bronze. Joergensen is following in the footsteps of his mother Line Thorning Jorgensen who represented Denmark in Para Dressage at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games.
Belgium’s Kevin Van Ham will make his debut following his impressive first major appearance at the 2019 FEI Para Dressage European Championship, where he placed fifth in the individual and freestyle competitions. Ranked World No. 7 in Grade V, Van Ham will be confident going into the Paralympics having topped the podium at the 3* international event in Grote-Brogel (BEL) in the individual and freestyle tests in June 2021.
Following the final selection, athletes will soon be making their way to Aachen (GER) for final training sessions and quarantine before continuing to Tokyo.
Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg
Quick link
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Clearly the images of Cian O’Connor’s horse Kilkenny are distressing to see, but the gelding was immediately checked by veterinarians straight after last night’s Jumping Individual Final at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The vets established that this was a nosebleed (epistaxis) and, as a precaution, the horse was sent to the onsite Veterinary Clinic for further examination.
The horse was treated and returned to its own stable last night. Following consultation with the onsite veterinary treatment team, the Irish team veterinarian, the athlete and chef d’equipe, it was agreed that the horse would not be presented at today’s horse inspection and will therefore take no further part in the Games.
In addition to ongoing monitoring by the Irish team veterinarian, one of the onsite Veterinary Clinic Team Leaders re-examined the horse this morning and reported that the horse had improved considerably overnight.
Under the FEI Jumping Rules, blood on the flanks or in the horse’s mouth results in elimination, however, equine epistaxis is not a cause for elimination. As a result, Cian O’Connor and the nine-year-old Irish-bred gelding were ranked seventh in the Jumping Individual Final after completing the course clear of jumping penalties and with just a single time fault.
The Olympic Games are all about the coming together of the best of the best and the human and equine athletes have been meticulously prepared for the occasion. An essential part of that preparation is shoeing, and just as with human athletes, a horse can only perform at its best if the shoes fit perfectly.
This is where Olympic lead farrier from London 2012 and Rio 2016, Ben Benson (GBR) comes into play here at Baji Koen Equestrian Park. Benson is working together with a hand-picked international team and 18 Japanese farriers to provide an all-round shoeing service to the onsite horses.
While many teams bring their own horseshoes, the equine shoe shop – officially known as the farriery – is stocked with 10 to 12 different styles of shoes in eight different sizes. And Ben Benson and his team can copy any type of shoe, the goal being to change as little as possible.
As well as being able to analyse the biomechanics and balance of a horse, it is equally important for the farriers to know exactly what type of shoe is needed for each of the three Olympic Equestrian disciplines here in Tokyo – Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping. For horses competing on sand, a shoe with a light grip is preferable to keep their feet on top of the surface, whereas on grass a firmer grip is required.
“It’s all about traction and support”, Benson explains, “but a set of shoes is only as good as the person who puts them on.”
Shoes for Dressage horses should have a degree of flexibility, allowing them to perform set patterns of movements on the flat. For the Cross Country, Eventers need a more concave shoe, which can cut into the grass footing and provide stability. The Jumpers will look for a something in between the two and, as for the Eventers, will need the option of customising with studs for extra grip when needed.
As with so many things in life, the devil is in the details. Every extra centimetre on a hoof adds 50 kilograms to the horse’s back, potentially leading to imbalance and emphasising the importance of re-shoeing horses on average every four to five weeks. In an ideal world, horses arrive at the Olympics having been shod just before leaving for the Games, and head back home in time for their next shoeing. But the quarantine period horses had to undergo prior to arrival in Tokyo meant many horses have reached their shoeing deadline onsite, so Benson and his team have been kept busy.
To be selected to be part of an Olympic farriery team is a career highlight, and Benson is always eager to share his incredible depth of knowledge and has provided invaluable know-how to numerous farriers over the years.
Being lead farrier at multiple Olympic Games comes with a lot of responsibility. It requires building a relationship of trust with the athletes and their support personnel, as well as excellent communication within the farrier team.
“It’s not always easy when the stakes are this high”, Ben Benson says, “but it is clear that everyone at the Olympic Games is an expert in their field. Despite the immense pressure, athletes need to trust that the team is made up of the best farriers in the world and that their horses are in the best possible hands.” And they are!
Arena surfaces
But the farriers are not the only ones with a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. Those in charge of the arena surfaces, or footing, also have a big role to play.
As with human athletes, the leg and hoof of the horse withstand great forces when the hoof makes contact with the ground, especially as horses weigh over half a tonne. And when the horse is moving at speed or turning, those forces increase, whether they’re competing on grass or an all-weather sand surface.
Creating the perfect sand footing for the arena-based Equestrian sports has now become an exact science, with a complex layering system that ensures the best surfaces for the horses to perform on, whether that’s for Dressage or Jumping.
The Olympic footing at the Baji Koen Equestrian Park here in Tokyo – with exactly the same composition on the main field of play and all the training arenas – is top quality sand mixed with roughly 1.5% of polyester textile fibres. The sand provides impact firmness and grip, and the fibres provide cushioning, elasticity and responsiveness.
“Sand is the most important ingredient in footing, and then the textiles and fibres are like the spices in your soup”, Oliver Hoberg (GER), the man in charge of the arena surfaces says.
Keeping that mix right, and maintaining the footing is all part of his daily routine, which involves dragging (raking) and watering, but the balance needs to be expertly monitored so that the surface allows horses to produce optimal performances.
Hoberg works in extremely close cooperation with the FEI Footing expert, Professor Lars Roepstorff (SWE), the scientific brain in the partnership who conducts daily checks on all the Equestrian Park arenas with a “mechanical hoof” originally created for testing racetrack surfaces. The hoof, which has now been adapted for the different equestrian sports disciplines, mimics the load placed on the horse’s leg and hoof when performing a Dressage test or landing over a fence, whether that’s on sand or on grass.
“Special sensors measure both horizontal and vertical forces as the mechanical hoof hits the ground and those sensors measure the response from the ground so we can actually measure what the horse feels when it jumps on the surface”, Professor Roepstorff says. “The footing is absolutely crucial, both to performance and to the health of the horse, and the different functional properties of the footing will affect how the horse performs.”
Those different functional properties allow for “tuning” of the surface, depending on the sport. But the only way to produce perfect footing is through perfect maintenance to ensure uniformity on all parts of the arenas.
“The footing is only as good as the level of maintenance”, Oliver Hoberg says. “In fact maintenance is just as important as the type of surface used in the arena.”
With the correct level of maintenance, modern all-weather footing lasts up to 20 years, so there’s a great post-Games legacy plan, as all the arenas will remain in-situ when the venue is handed back post-Paralympics to its owners, the Japan Racing Association, so that they can continue to be used for equestrian sport for many years to come.
But for Games time, the right blend of footing, monitoring and maintenance will provide the supremely fit Olympic equine athletes with the optimal stage on which to produce their peak performance. And they’ll be wearing their best shoes too!
FEI Vaulting returned in great fashion over the weekend, as Boulerie Jump in Le Mans, France hosted the biennial FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors 2021. An arena that has housed many momentous Vaulting moments once again provided the stage for Vaulting history, with Sam Dos Santos winning gold in the individual male competition, securing a first ever medal in Vaulting for The Netherlands.
Austria’s Anna Weidenauer took top honours in the female category, whilst Germany once again proved a Vaulting powerhouse taking two golds, with Arne Heers & Lily Warren untouchable in pas-de-deux and retaining the prestigious squad title.
Fifty-six competitors lined up at the start of the week in the female category showing an unprecedented standard. Coming into the final round it looked to be a two-way tussle between defending champion Mona Pavetic (GER) and Austria’s Anna Weidenauer. Weidenauer, leader after the first round lost some of her 0.12 advantage to Pavetic in second round compulsories, resulting in a nail-biting finish.
Hailing from URC Wildegg, which has previously produced multiple female champions, Anna Weidenauer held her nerve to add her name to the history books. Alongside lunger Maria Lehrmann and Chivas 14, she took the top step of the podium on a combined score of 7.974, narrowly taking the title from the 2019 champion Mona Pavetic (7.931), with bronze going to Germany’s Gianna Ronca (7.820).
History was made in the individual male category as 15 year old Sam Dos Santos lead throughout all four rounds of the competition to secure the first ever medal for The Netherlands in Vaulting. Together with his lunger Rian Pierik and horse Chameur, his dynamic, expressive freestyle impressed both judges and audiences alike. The Dutch trailblazer finished on a combined score of 8.360 marking a historic moment for Vaulting in The Netherlands.
The silver medal went to Germany’s Philip Goroncy (8.263), with his fellow compatriot Simon Stolz taking bronze (7.731).
In the pas-de-deux category Arne Heers and Lily Warren were in a league of their own. Together with their horse Capitano 59 and lunger Sven Henze, they scored a spectacular 8.732 in the final round to finish on a combined total of 8.578, an impressive 0.5 ahead of their nearest competitors.
Anna Weidenauer secured her second medal of the day as she partnered with Paul Ruttkovsky to take the second step on the podium (8.083). Whilst having only secured their first ever Vaulting medal mere hours earlier, Sam Dos Santos & Elise Van De Ven took The Netherland’s medal tally to two, taking bronze (8.037).
In the squad competition Germany triumphed taking top honours on a score of 7.805. With Michelle Arcori on the lunge and horse Elias 75, the highly decorated team from Ingelsberg fought off tough competition from the field who were all vying for the much sought-after squad title. It was a fight to the end with the United States of America taking silver (7.669) and Switzerland bronze (7.655).
This week marked Vaulting’s triumphant return on the world stage, with the emergence of new stars and another nation staking a claim on the medals, for National Coach of the Netherlands Claire De Ridder the momentous achievements of Sam Dos Santos, Elise Van De Ven and the depth of talent they have coming through, she hopes can inspire the next generation.
“It is really incredible, we knew before he (Dos Santos) came here how talented he was, but he didn’t have competition experience.
“I hope from the achievements here this weekend that the sport will evolve more in The Netherlands. I hope it inspires younger Vaulters and shows them that it is possible to win medals and have these successes. I am excited for the future, we have so much talent coming through.
“To see everyone here, united, it really brings people together and that is what Vaulting is all about.”
It is with great sadness that we announce that the Swiss horse Jet Set, ridden by Robin Godel has had to be euthanised after pulling up extremely lame on the Sea Forest Cross Country Course during Equestrian Eventing at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on 1 August 2021.
Clear to this point, the 14-year-old gelding, pulled up extremely lame after jumping the final Mt Fuji water complex (fence 20) on the Sea Forest Cross Country Course today.
The horse received immediate veterinary attention at the fence and, after an initial assessment, was transferred by horse ambulance to the onsite Veterinary Clinic.
Sadly, ultrasound scans revealed an irreparable ligament rupture in the lower right limb, just above the hoof, and on humane grounds and with the agreement of the owners and athlete, the decision was taken to put the horse to sleep.
In line with the FEI Veterinary Regulations, samples have already been taken from the horse and a post mortem will be conducted.
The state-of-the-art Veterinary Clinic at Baji Koen Equestrian Park, specially built for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is fully equipped to ensure that all onsite equine athletes have access to world-class veterinary facilities.
The Japan Racing Association (JRA), owner of the Baji Koen facility, has invested in a complete refurbishment of the entire venue used for the Olympic equestrian events in 1964. This includes construction of the brand new Veterinary Clinic and stables, providing an unprecedented post-Games legacy for both the racing and equestrian sport community in Japan.
Staffed with a mix of domestic and international world leading professionals specialised in advanced veterinary medicine, the Clinic offers both routine and emergency services, treatment boxes for use by team veterinarians and physiotherapists, a clinical pathology laboratory for blood count and biochemistry analysis, a fully stocked pharmacy, radiography and ultrasound scanning, and – if needed – ultramodern hi-tech surgery facilities.
A veterinary ambulance service is accessible around the clock and emergency veterinary clinical services are available 24/7.
Stringent biosecurity measures to prevent any possible contamination are in place across the entire Equestrian venue, and are at an even higher level for all veterinary facilities, including the horse ambulances.
"In 2016 the JRA demolished the former veterinary clinic here at Baji Koen and built these fabulous facilities so that we can provide optimal care for the Olympic and Paralympic horses during the Games. And it has a double benefit as a great investment for the future”, said Tokyo 2020 Veterinary Service Manager Dr Hiroko Aida, who is also a leading veterinarian at the JRA. “The veterinary surgeons we have onsite are some of the best in the world and it is a real honour to be a part of this team."
Sea Forest Veterinary Clinic
A second Veterinary Clinic has been set up onsite at Sea Forest Cross Country Course (SFC). This temporary facility is in place especially for the cross country, the second of three tests in the Equestrian Eventing discipline at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The SFC Veterinary Clinic will be fully operational throughout the stay of the Eventing horses at Sea Forest from the night of 31 July to post-competition on 1 August.
Olympic Equestrian Dressage competitions are already well underway and, by tomorrow morning, all equine athletes will have settled into their temporary home at the historic Equestrian Park venue in Baji Koen, with the arrival of the final batch of Show Jumping horses. To allow our equine and human athletes to optimise their performance in the Tokyo climate, comprehensive heat and humidity protocols have been put in place by the FEI and the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games (TOCOG).
The FEI has been working on minimising the impact of heat and humidity on performance since before the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, and the work on Tokyo 2020 is a continuation of that.
Heat countermeasures in place onsite at both Equestrian venues for equine athletes:
Stable Manager Patrick Borg is proud of the onsite accommodation provided for the horses by the Baji Koen venue owners, the Japan Racing Association: "We can compare the stables in Tokyo with the Ritz in Paris. It’s five-star stabling for the horses. We try to do the very best for them.”
Baji Koen stables:
Heat countermeasures in place onsite at both Equestrian venues for humans:
“We have ongoing and direct contact with the Weather Information Centre, which is constantly monitoring the weather specifically for the two Equestrian venues, providing us with detailed information that allows the onsite team to make informed decisions on whether there may be a need to delay or interrupt a competition”, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström said. “If there is bad weather forecast then we receive hourly updates, and this can be more frequent if necessary.”
Official weather data and forecasts (primarily WBGT readings) from the official Tokyo 2020 weather provider, Japan Meteorological Agency, form the basis of decision-making, combined with in-situ readings. In addition, onsite conditions are monitored multiple times a day by the FEI Climate Advisor David Marlin, in liaison with the FEI Veterinary Director, FEI Veterinary Commission, FEI Chief Steward and Tokyo 2020 Sport team.
To assist National Federations with optimal preparation for the Games, the FEI produced a series of educational Beat the Heat videos, aimed at optimising both human and equine performance in hot and humid conditions. Practical advice has been made available through the FEI Athlete hub, as well as on the dedicated Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic hub.
Alongside its own research, the FEI has made available to its community a number of important documents, including the IOC advice – Beat the Heat – for human athletes preparing for the Games. These are available on the Olympic Hub here and Paralympic Hub here (scroll down to the Medical, Veterinary & Climate Information sections).
Can horses fly? Well yes, they can if they’re Olympic athletes!
And in a piece of history-making, 36 of them flew into Japan last night – the first full cargo load of horses ever to land in Haneda, the waterfront airport that serves the greater Tokyo area and which is now welcoming a very different group of Olympic athletes.
“To see these horses arriving at Haneda airport is a truly historic occasion, and what makes it even more special is that these are not simply horses, they are Olympic horses”, Administrator of Tokyo International Airport Takahashi Koji said. “It’s a really big night for the airport, and particularly for the cargo team, and we see it as one of the major milestones of the final countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
The four-legged time travellers are all Equestrian Dressage horses and include some Olympic superstars, among them Bella Rose, the mare ridden by Germany’s Isabell Werth, the most decorated Olympic equestrian athlete of all time.
Also landing at Haneda en route to the stunning equestrian venue at Baji Koen, owned by the Japan Racing Association, is Gio, the ride of double Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), who will be bidding for a three-in-a-row title in Tokyo.
The 36 equine passengers will be flying the flag for teams from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Portugal and host nation Japan, as well as individuals from Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Ireland and Morocco. And they will be joined by a further group of Equestrian Dressage stars flying into Tokyo tomorrow.
The first Olympic flight out of Europe saw the horses travelling from Liege in Belgium, where there’s even a special airport horse hotel, flying on an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 777-F to Dubai, a 90-minute refuel and crew change and then on to Tokyo.
From a sustainability perspective, Emirates has implemented a number of initiatives to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions where operationally feasible, including its long-standing operation of flexible routings in partnership with air navigation service providers to create the most efficient flight plan for each flight. The airline, which operates one of the world’s youngest aircraft fleets, also uses advanced data analytics, machine learning and AI in its fuel monitoring and aircraft weight management programmes.
Like human passengers, all horses travel with a passport. They will already have undergone a 60-day health surveillance period prior to a seven-day pre-export quarantine. They all also have an export health certificate and are thoroughly checked over by veterinarians prior to boarding.
Business class travel
The horses fly two per pallet, or flying stable, which is the equivalent of business class. Their comfort and safety is ensured by flying grooms and an on-board veterinarian. And, unlike two-legged passengers, the horses not only get their in-flight meals (including special meal requests of course), but are able to snack throughout the trip, on hay or haylage, except when they are taking a nap.
So as they are flying business class, does that mean the horses get flat beds to sleep in? Although horses might occasionally indulge in a spot of lying down to snooze in the sun at home, they actually sleep standing up. They have something called the “stay apparatus”, which allows tendons and ligaments to effectively lock the knees and hocks (in the hind legs) so that they don’t fall over while they’re dozing off. So there’s no need for flat beds on the flight.
A total of 325 horses will be flown into Tokyo across the two Games and the complex logistics for this massive airlift have been coordinated by transport agents, Peden Bloodstock, which has been in charge of Olympic and Paralympic horse transport since Rome 1960 and is the Official Equine Logistics Partner of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), global governing body for equestrian sport. Peden Bloodstock became title partner of the FEI Best Athlete Award in 2019.
A convoy of 11 state-of-the-art air-conditioned horse trucks, owned by the Japanese Racing Association, transported today’s precious equine cargo – and 13,500 kilograms of equipment – on the final transfer from Haneda to Baji Koen where the equine superstars had the chance to settle into their Olympic Athlete Village, aka the stables.
“Like all the athletes arriving into Tokyo for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the horses are honed and ready to compete on the sporting world’s biggest stage”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “After all the challenges the world has faced, finally we’re almost there and now it’s only a matter of days before we hear those magical words, let the Games begin!”
Fast flight facts:
Total transport trivia across both Games
Haneda Airport (HND)
Haneda Airport handled over 87 million passengers in 2018, making it the third busiest airport in Asia and the fourth busiest in the world, after Atlanta, Beijing and Dubai. Following expansion in 2018, Haneda is able to handle 90 million passengers per year – not counting horses!
With Haneda and Narita combined, Tokyo has the third-busiest city airport system in the world, after London and New York City.
Equestrian sport in Tokyo 2020
A record number of countries – 50 – will be competing in the equestrian events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games following the introduction of new formats that limit teams to three members, meaning that more countries will have the opportunity to compete on the Olympic stage than ever before.
A total of seven countries will be fielding full teams in all three Olympic disciplines, including the host nation Japan. The others are Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Sweden and United States of America.
Unique gender equality
Equestrian is the only sport in the Olympic movement in which men and women compete head to head throughout the Games, making it a totally gender neutral sport. And the FEI doesn’t need a policy regarding transgender athletes as there are no requirements for our athletes to state their gender in order to participate in FEI competitions, or at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Equestrian is not a gender-affected sport that relies on the physical strength, stamina and physique of an athlete as there are no gender based biological advantages. Success in equestrian is largely determined by the unique bond between horse and athlete and refined communication with the horse.
Sustainability:
Sustainability is a key theme across the Games, and equestrian is very much a part of that. In line with Pillar 1 of the IOC Sustainability Strategy: Minimum Environmental Burden, the redevelopment of the Japan Racing Association-owned Baji Koen Park as the equestrian venue for Tokyo 2020 has minimised environmental impact and ensured the legacy of the venue used for the Tokyo Games in 1964.
“The original plan for equestrian put forward by the Tokyo Organising Committee was for a totally temporary venue in the Tokyo Bay area, but when the FEI was consulted on this as an option, we pushed for the alternative which was to re-use the 1964 Olympic equestrian venue at Baji Koen,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez says. “This was the optimal choice from a sustainability perspective as it minimises environmental impact, but it also ensures the legacy of this wonderful venue.”
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games (TOCOG) has incorporated a further sustainability initiative into the equestrian venue with the incineration of used bedding from the horses’ stables for power generation.
And aligned with Pillar 2 of the IOC Sustainability Strategy: Urban environment plans harmonising with nature, only native species that integrate well with local flora and fauna have been planted at the Sea Forest cross country venue. This includes the use of a native grass species, Zoysia japonica, for the footing on the course itself.
Olympic equestrian involves three disciplines, with a quota of 200 starters in total:
Equestrian Dressage (60 starters)
Equestrian Eventing (65 starters)
Equestrian Show Jumping (75 starters)
Countries per Olympic discipline
Equestrian Dressage – 30 NOCs represented: AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, CHI, DEN, DOM, ESP, EST, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, IRL, ITA, JPN, KOR, LUX, MAR, MEX, NED, POR, ROC, RSA, SGP, SUI, SWE, UKR & USA.
Equestrian Eventing – 29 NOCs represented: AUS, AUT, BEL, BLR, BRA, CAN, CHN, CZE, DEN, ECU, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, HKG, IND, IRL, ITA, JPN, NED, NZL, POL, PUR, ROC, RSA, SUI, SWE, THA & USA.
Equestrian Show Jumping – 35 NOCs represented: ARG, AUS, BEL, BRA, CAN, CHI, CHN, COL, CZE, DEN, DOM, EGY, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, IRL, ISR, ITA, JOR, JPN, LAT, MAR, MEX, NED, NOR, NZL, POR, SRI, SUI, SWE, SYR, TPE, UKR & USA.
Competition dates per discipline
Equestrian Dressage – 24, 25 & 27 July (team final), 28 July (individual final)
Equestrian Eventing – 30 & 31 July (Dressage), 1 August (Cross Country), 2 August (Jumping – team & individual finals)
Equestrian Show Jumping – 3 & 4 August (individual final), 6 & 7 August (team final)
Age requirements
There are minimum age requirements for all three of the Olympic disciplines, for both human and equine athletes, but there is no maximum age.
Olympic Games
Equestrian Dressage: All Athletes must be born on or before 31 December 2005 (16 years of age). All Horses must be born on or before 31 December 2013 (eight years of age).
Equestrian Eventing: All Athletes must be born on or before 31 December 2003 (18 years of age). All Horses must be born on or before 31 December 2013 (eight years of age)
Equestrian Show Jumping: All Athletes must be born on or before 31 December 2003 (18 years of age). All Horses must be born on or before 31 December 2012 (nine years of age).
Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games: there is just one Paralympic discipline, Para Equestrian Dressage, with 78 starters
Para Equestrian Dressage – 27 NPCs represented: AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CAN, CZE, DEN, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, HKG, IRL, ITA, JPN, KSA, LAT, MEX, NED, NOR, POR, RPC, RSA, SGP, SUI, SWE & USA.
A total of 16 countries will be fielding full teams.
Competition dates: Para Equestrian Dressage – 26-30 August
Age requirements
There are minimum age requirements for Para Equestrian Dressage at the Paralympic Games, for both human and equine athletes, but there is no maximum age.
Para Equestrian Dressage: From and including the year in which they reach their 16th birthday, Athletes are eligible to take part in the Para Equestrian Dressage Competitions. Horses must be born on or before 31 December 2015 (six years of age - the age being counted from 1 January of the year of birth).
Click here for more information on Equestrian at the Olympic Games.
Video content
Rights-Holding Broadcasters: VNR and b-roll footage of the departure from Liege, the arrival in Tokyo and in the EQP venue are available for download on Content+
Non-RHBs/digital media: VNR and b-roll footage (subject to the IOC’s News Access Rules) will be available for download here (login: media@fei.org password: FEI2018) at 16:00 JST.
Photo caption:
Haneda history-making: the first full cargo load of horses ever to land in Tokyo’s Haneda airport ready for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Equestrian competitions. © FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.
Images
Images from the departure from Liege, the arrival in Tokyo and in the EQP venue are available now on the FEI Flickr account for editorial use only.
The FEI Tribunal has issued two Consent Awards in an equine anti-doping case involving Banned Substances.
In this case, the horse Lucky Boy Du Jugant (FEI ID 106PN38/UAE), ridden by Ajamal Jamsaid Alam (FEI ID 10114848/UAE) and trained by Musab Saleh Al Marzooqi (FEI ID 10113747/UAE), tested positive for the Banned Substances Nandrolone and its metabolite 5α-estrone-3β, 17α-diol, following samples taken at the CEI1*100 - Bou Thib (UAE), on 6 January 2021.
The positive finding was initially notified as an Atypical Finding (“ATF”) following which further investigation was carried out, resulting in the decision by the Atypical Findings Panel, that this ATF should be pursued as an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
Both athlete and trainer admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences proposed by the FEI. In its Consent Award, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and athlete from the event, and imposed an 18-month suspension on the athlete and the trainer. The period of the provisional suspension of athlete and trainer, which came into effect on 3 March 2021, shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period, meaning both will be ineligible until 02 September 2022. They have each also been fined CHF 5,000.
The full Decisions are available here.
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