The Olympics: When things are happening and how you can keep up to date
Keep this handy guide close to make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action. All times shown are British time (which is four hours ahead of Rio). Rio times are shown in brackets.
All the equestrian action will be shown on the BBC red button and on the BBC sport website. The following sessions may also appear on the main BBC TV channels: cross-country, eventing showjumping, showjumping team round two (team final) and individual final, dressage grand prix special (team final) and grand prix freestyle (individual final).
Friday 5 August
- Eventing first horse inspection: 12.30-1.55pm (8.30-9.55am)
- Opening ceremony: 11.30pm (7.30pm)
Saturday 6 August
- Eventing dressage: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Matt Hicks
Sunday 7 August
- Eventing dressage: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Matt Hicks
Monday 8 August
- Eventing cross-country: 2-7pm (10am-3pm) H&H Live
- Dressage horse inspection: 7.45-8.55pm (3.45-4.55pm)
Tuesday 9 August
- Eventing second horse inspection: Noon-1pm (8-9am)
- Eventing team showjumping, eventing individual showumping, eventing team and individual medal ceremonies: 2-7.30pm (10am-3.30pm) H&H Live
Wednesday 10 August
- Dressage grand prix: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Emile Faurie
Thursday 11 August
- Dressage grand prix: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Emile Faurie
Friday 12 August
- Showjumping horse inspection: 11.30am-1pm (7.30-9am)
- Dressage grand prix special team final and team medal ceremony: 2-8.30pm (10am-4.30pm) H&H Live with Richard Barrett
Saturday 13 August
- Showjumping training session: 2-6.50pm (10am-2.50pm)
Sunday 14 August
- Showjumping first qualifier (team and individual): 2-5.45pm (10am-1.45pm) H&H Live
Monday 15 August
- Dressage grand prix freestyle and individual medal ceremony: 2-6pm (10am-2pm) H&H Live with Hayley Watson-Greaves
Tuesday 16 August
- Showjumping team round one: 2-5.30pm (10am-1.30pm) H&H Live
Wednesday 17 August
- Showjumping team round two and team medal ceremony: 2-4.45pm (10am-12.45pm) H&H Live
Thursday 18 August
- Showjumping horse inspection: 8-8.30pm (4-4.30pm)
Friday 19 August
- Showjumping individual final and individual medal ceremony: 2-6.45pm (10am-2.45pm) H&H Live
Sunday 21 August
- Closing ceremony: 11.30pm (7.30pm)
Get all the action from H&H
H&H is sending two journalists and a photographer to Rio so that we can provide the best possible coverage of the Games both on our dedicated Olympics microsite and in the magazine.
- H&H Live (up-to-the-minute interactive written commentary, find links above) from every session of sport, including expert analysis from celebrity guests including Emile Faurie, Hayley Watson-Greaves, Matt Hicks and Richard Barrett
- Reports on all the action
- Interviews featuring fascinating competitor stories
- Daily video round-up of the competition
- Blogs from our journalists on the ground in Rio
Magazine issues
- 4 August: Olympic pull-out form guide — including every rider and horse, plus scorecards to fill in
- 12 August (H&H is published on Friday this week to allow us to report the full Olympic eventing, which finishes on Tuesday, 9 August): Olympic eventing report
- 18 August: Olympic dressage report
- 25 August: Olympic showjumping report
- 1 September: Olympic commemorative issue
- Our bumper magazine reports will feature full analysis, beautiful pictures, exclusive columns from the likes of Mark Phillips, Ruth Edge, Tina Cook, and many more plus special features, such as photos of every cross-country fence, showjumping course plans, thrills and spills, and dressage test sheets.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.