Polish Dressage Team Secures Qualification for Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Following on from their Eventing Team’s success in securing a Paris 2024 Olympic Games slot in Baborówko (POL) earlier this month, Poland’s Dressage Team has emerged victorious in the FEI Dressage Olympic Qualifier for Group C held at Pilisjászfalu (HUN), earning a place next to their compatriots next Summer.

In a fiercely contested competition, Poland topped the leaderboard, ending the day on a total of 204.892 points, just ahead of Hungary, who finished on 202.152 for the home crowd, and Israel taking third place on 192.522 points.

The qualification was determined during the Grand Prix test, which was part of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ hosted near Budapest, showcasing the skills and finesse of fifteen talented athlete combinations. 
With every combination executing the same movements, the panel of international judges were evaluating technical proficiency, suppleness, proper framing, smooth transitions, and the harmonious connection between rider and horse. Ultimately, the slot went to the team with the highest total score based on the scores of their three best athletes in the CDIO3*-NC Grand Prix Competition.

Leading the charge, Żaneta Skowrońska-Kozubik of Poland and her remarkable mount Romantic P delivered an exceptional performance, firmly placing Poland at the top of the leaderboard. While Lisa Müller of Germany and Gut Wettlkam’s D’avie FRH clinched the individual victory with an impressive score of 72.543%, Skowrońska-Kozubik's commendable marks propelled Poland ahead of Hungary in their quest for a coveted ticket to Paris.

The Polish team's success was further bolstered by the outstanding performances of three other athletes who secured positions in the top 10. Mateusz Cichon and Herzregent 2 claimed sixth place with a score of 67.913%, Magdalena Jura and Ron secured eighth place with 67.283%, and Marta Sobierajska and Ultrablue De Massa finished in 10th place with 65.565%.

The home-team of Hungary displayed remarkable determination throughout the competition, narrowly missing the top spot and settling for second place. Benedek Pachl and Donna Friderika delivered an impressive performance, earning them fourth place with a score of 68.804%. Anikó Komjáthy-Losonczy showcased exceptional skill aboard Dior S, securing seventh place with a score of 67.696%, while Jazmin Yom Tov, the youngest athlete in the event at just 21 years old, claimed ninth place with her mount Konfucius.

The top 10 was completed by Franziska Stieglmaier of Germany with Samurai 504, who secured the Individual bronze medal with a score of 69.522%, and Rudolf Widmann, also representing Germany, finished fifth aboard Ferrari OLD with a score of 67.978%.

Germany's outstanding performances positioned them as the leaders in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ competition, with the Grand Prix Special set to captivate audiences on Saturday.

As the event unfolds, the anticipation continues to build. Will Germany retain the Nations Cup points, or will Poland, Hungary, or Israel rise to claim the top honours?

Looking ahead
Overall, there are 15 Olympic team slots up for grabs for Paris 2024 - one has been allocated to France as the host country, with the remaining fourteen team quota places allocated through FEI Olympic Group Qualification Events such as this one.

The six highest ranked teams from the 2022 FEI Dressage World Championships, Herning (DEN) - Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands and the USA have secured their places.  Also from Herning, the place for the highest ranked team from the Olympic Group G went to Australia.

Now with Poland clinching the Group C allocation, this leaves just 6 slots left for teams to win: the 3 highest ranked teams from the 2023 FEI European Dressage Championship in Riesenbeck (GER) this September, the 2 highest ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and/or E at the 2023 Pan American Games, Santiago (CHI) in October, and the final spot to the Olympic Group F, for which the allocation procedure for is still to be decided.

Photo Caption: Polish Dressage riders qualify for the Olympics Games in Paris 2024 during the FEI Dressage Olympic Qualifier - Group C.
Team Poland - Magdalena Jura, Mateusz Cichon, Chef d'equipe Andrzej Salacki, Marta Sobierajska, Team Vet - Dr. Maciej Przewoźny, Żaneta Skowronska-Kozubik Daniel Karpinski 

Copyright © FEI/Łukasz Kowalski