Dressage-News

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 9, 2017–Equestrian sports of dressage, eventing and jumping were approved for the 2024 Olympic Games at a city still to be decided, extending the inclusion of horse sports in the Olympics to 112 years.

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board on Friday approved equestrian sports for 2024–Los Angeles and Paris are bidding to host the Games–as well as a new format for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics of teams of three combinations with no drop score.

Participation will remain the same with a total of 200 horses–60 for dressage, the same as in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 but 10 more than London in 2012.

“The IOC’s confirmation of equestrian on the Olympic programme for the 2024 Games and approval of the new formats for Tokyo 2020 is a direct acknowledgment of our willingness to adapt and modernize our sport, so all the work to drive change and increase universality has been worthwhile,” said International Equestrian Federation President Ingmar De Vos.

“Approval of the formats for Tokyo means that we can now increase the number of flags in equestrian sport in line with the Agenda 2020 recommendations. With more than 30,000 athletes registered to compete in our three Olympic disciplines–and the numbers are growing every year–our new formats mean that athletes from more countries than ever before will now have the opportunity of one day realizing their dream of representing their country at the Olympic Games.”

Ingmar admitted approval by equestrian nations of the new formats “wasn’t easy for our community” but he credited the willingness to embrace the change as “without any doubt the reason we have got this fantastic news from the IOC today.”

Los Angeles and Paris are applying for 2024. The IOC has opted to award the 2024 Games to one city and 2028 to the other city. That decision will be made in mid-September.

“We have visited the equestrian venues at Paris and Los Angeles and we’re really excited to know that they will be hosting the next two editions of the Games after Tokyo 2020, as they both offer a fantastic opportunity to showcase our sport,” Ingmar said. “We will have an iconic venue in Paris, as equestrian will be staged in the grounds of Versailles, with the chateau as a truly spectacular backdrop not only for the stadium, but also for the cross country. And for Los Angeles we will be in the beautiful Sepulveda Basin, just 15 minutes from the athletes village, on the site of an existing golf course.

“Both venues provide us with a great opportunity to deliver the Games in a cost-effective way and, as France and the United States have a long and successful equestrian tradition, there will be huge public support for our sport.”