Wow! What a whirlwind of a week. The eventers worked their magic in Tokyo, and now have their first female Olympic champion after Julia Krajewski won individual gold for Germany at Tokyo 2020.
The British team won Olympic eventing gold for the first time since 1972. They topped the dressage, increased their lead considerably after cross-country, and, despite both individual leader Oliver Townend and third-placed Laura Collett both having a show jump rail down, they finished 13.9 penalties ahead of the Australians, who took silver.
Team GBR were the only ones to finish on a total score of less than 100 (86.3) - according to EquiRatings, it was the lowest team score in the history of the Olympics.
The U.S. team put in a solid performance and finished sixth overall in the competition.
Check out more great photos from Tokyo 2020, provided by Equestrian Media Services.
Click here to view all of our Tokyo 2020 coverage.
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.