And they're off! Eventing kicks off today in Tokyo (Thursday, July 29 – 7:30 p.m. ET), with the first of three Olympic dressage sessions. Competitors from 29 nations will go head to head, vying for a spot on the coveted Olympic podium.
The Field:
The Officials:
New Format Explanation:
This year, there is a new eventing format, and only three riders will compete for a team. There is no drop score. However, there is an opportunity to substitute a horse and rider.
With the new format, the traveling reserve must pass both horse inspections, and they can be subbed into the competition up to two hours before the dressage phase begins, with no penalty to the team. The horse that the reserve replaces then becomes the new team reserve. So what happens next?
If all of the combinations make it through all three phases, their scores are combined, and they get a team score.
If a combination doesn't complete the dressage phase, 100 penalty points are added to the overall team score.
If a combination doesn't complete the cross-country phase, 200 penalty points are added to the overall team score.
At this point, the team has a few choices:
1. They can bring the reserve combination in and keep the penalties acquired from the incompletion, plus 20 more penalties for bringing in the reserve. Whatever penalties that reserve accumulates will also be added to the team's final score.
2. OR, the team can bypass the substitution and bring the eliminated or retired pair back into the competition with the non-completion penalties added to the score. There are exceptions to this if the horse suffers from an injury, disqualification, horse fall, or if the rider gets penalized because of unsafe or abusive riding. At this point, a substitution is also not allowed.
Only one substitution can be made per team, and it must be both horse AND rider. Substitutes made overnight between phases will only inquire 20 penalties. Only riders that compete in all three phases are eligible for individual medals.
Helpful Links:
The Full Schedule:
*(Note that days and times are provided in Eastern Daylight Time first and Japanese Standard Time second.)
Click here to view the official Olympic schedule.
Eventing Dressage Team and Individual Day 1 – Session 1
THURSDAY, JULY 29, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM (EDT)
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (JST)
Eventing Dressage Team and Individual Day 1 – Session 2
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 4:30 AM – 7:10 AM (EDT)
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 5:30 PM – 8:10 PM (JST)
Eventing Dressage Team and Individual Day 2 – Session 3
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM (EDT)
SATURDAY, JULY 31, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (JST)
Eventing Cross-Country Team and Individual
SATURDAY, JULY 31, 6:45 PM – 10:10 PM (EDT)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 7:45 AM – 11:10 AM (JST)
Eventing Jumping Team Final and Individual Qualifier
Eventing Jumping Individual Final
Eventing Team Victory Ceremony
Eventing Individual Victory Ceremony
MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 4:00 AM – 9:25 AM (EDT)
MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 5:00 PM – 10:25 PM (JST)
The USEA Foundation is pleased to announce a new initiative, the Janet Briggs Fund for the Continuing Education of Licensed Officials. Established in memory of Janet Briggs, this fund honors her lifelong dedication to the sport of eventing by supporting the ongoing education and development of eventing licensed officials.
In the rolling countryside of Metamora, Michigan, there’s a place where eventers gather not just to compete, but to celebrate the spirit of the sport. Area VIII’s Hunter’s Run Farm—home to the Hunter’s Run Farm Horse Trials—has long been a beloved destination for riders across the Midwest, and this year, it’s gearing up for one of its most exciting seasons yet.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
Warm weather is here, and the show season is underway, which is a perfect time for a yearly saddle and equipment check. Recently, Bates Saddles held a webinar alongside British Eventing where Emily Bates, head of product innovation at Bates Saddles, went through a saddle health check. Here are some of her top tips!