Dressage-News

Members of the IOC Coordination Commission inspected the National Stadium, the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza and the Equestrian Park as part of their sixth visit to the Japanese capital, according to an on-site report by Inside the Games.

Dressage and show-jumping are housed at the Equestrian Park venue, with cross-country section of the event taking place at Sea Forest.

Equestrian competitions were initially going to be held at Dream Island on Tokyo Bay before the IOC approved a request from Tokyo to switch the venue to the Equestrian Park at Baji Koen in March 2015. That was the site of equestrian events at the 1964 Olympics. The switch was designed to restore existing facilities and save on the enormous costs of staging the Games.

Coates also visited the Sea Forest facilities, including the cross-country venue that Inside the Games reported he singled out for special praise, claiming the facility is “spectacular” and will form a great legacy for Tokyo as it will be turned into an open park after the conclusion of the Games.

Coates said the Equestrian Park site, which is currently under construction, was a “very, very impressive” venue.

“It is pleasing to us that it is on the site of the 1964 venue for these two disciplines,” he was quoted.

“I think you should all be very proud of this venue.

“We went to the Tokyo Stadium and Musashino and it is a wonderful venue.

“I went to Sea Forest and saw the work on the new rowing course and saw what they are doing there.

“The progress there is very good as well but what was spectacular was the work on the cross-country course.

“This is an area which is being remediated and will become a park afterwards.

“It will be outstanding for the horses and the riders and this is a wonderful park for the people of Tokyo and I think it is a great addition.”