Latest from Horse & Hound in La-2028-olympic-games

LA Olympics organisers promise Hollywood blockbuster for the opening ceremony

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 06:05:00 +0000

The LA Olympics opening ceremony will take place in two venues at the same time – and it will be a Hollywood blockbuster.

On 14 July 2028, the Games will launch at the 2028 Stadium in Inglewood and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, about eight miles away.

A spokesperson for the Games said the ceremonies have been “handed to Hollywood”, in the hands of Peter Rice, who went from 20th Century Fox to Disney where he is head of ceremonies and content.

He is joined by Ben Winston, the Emmy Award-winning producer behind the Paris-to-LA Olympic handover in 2024, and experienced ceremonies producer Scott Givens.

“There is no event of this scale in the world,” Mr Rice told Variety. “We also are putting it on in Hollywood, which has a unique opportunity to tap into the entertainment world that no other city anywhere can do.”

Last time LA hosted the Olympics, in 1984, the opening ceremony featured a man in a rocket pack taking off from the coliseum and landing on the track, followed by the rolling out of 84 grand pianos.

“2028 breaks it in two, combining the modernity of the 2028 stadium with the rich history of the coliseum, which will become the first venue to stage events at three Olympic Games,” the spokesperson said.

“In 1984, Los Angeles reinvented the Olympic opening ceremony inside one stadium. Now it is doing it again – across two, with Hollywood telling the story.”

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Fancy volunteering at LA28 Olympic equestrian events? Find out how...

Lucy Elder — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:01:25 +0000

Fancy joining the ranks of LA28 Olympic equestrian volunteers? Applications to be part of the crew at the Olympic (14 to 30 July 2028) and Paralympic Games (15 to 27 August 2028) are now open.

Applicants are asked to select up to two zones in which they would prefer to volunteer – the equestrian events are taking place in the Arcadia zone. The online form states that “preferences will be taken into consideration, but cannot be guaranteed”.

People are asked to give a first, second and third choice of role. These include sport, driver, medical, operations, technology, ceremony, communications and more.

Nine-time Olympic champion Carl Lewis, who won four gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, is an official ambassador for the LA28 volunteer programme; he said that “the role of a lifetime is waiting”.

“I know what it means to compete on the world's biggest stage, and I know first-hand that the magic of the Olympic Games is not just made by the athletes – it is made by the people who show up to support them,” he said.

“Los Angeles has always shown up for me, and now it's our turn to show up for the world. If you want to be part of something historic, apply today.”

Up to 60,000 people will make up the volunteer crew for the 2028 Games. Some roles require specialist skills, for areas such as medicine and translation, and there are spaces in the application form for people to highlight these.

“In 2028, the world’s attention will be on LA as the world’s best athletes make history, but it's the crew behind the scenes that help make those moments possible,” said LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover.

“Their impact cannot be overstated – behind every event, every venue and every moment will be the LA28 volunteer crew, ready and eager to play a vital role in the delivery of the LA28 Games.”

For information, visit: https://volunteer.la28.org/en

● Do you enjoy volunteering? What have been some of your favourite memories and why should people get involved? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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‘Important milestone’ as equestrian competition timetable released for LA28 Paralympics

Lucy Elder — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:37:52 +0000

The competition timetable for para dressage at the LA28 Paralympic Games (15 to 27 August) has been revealed.

The first trot-up will take place the day before the opening ceremony (14 August) and competition will be spread across six days, including one rest day, from 16 to 21 August. As with the Olympic competitions, the para dressage events will take place at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia.

“Following the comprehensive presentation by LA28 at the FEI General Assembly 2025 and the confirmation of the Olympic competition schedule, the announcement of the Paralympic timetable is another important milestone,” said FEI president Ingmar De Vos.

“The schedule is compact, balanced and designed with horse and athlete welfare at its core. Three non-competition days are built in to allow horses and athletes to settle in, prepare and recover, while also providing flexibility should unforeseen circumstances arise.

“We are very pleased with the progress being made towards the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events and look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the organising committee over the next two years.”

Mr de Vos added that the FEI welcomes the fact para dressage retains its number of medals and quota places from Paris 2024.

“Strong foundations are now in place, and we are confident LA28 will deliver exceptional Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events in a truly outstanding venue,” he said.

Competition is set to take place in the mornings and from mid-afternoon into the evening, with gaps in the timetable from around noon until 3pm.

The timetable is provisional at this stage, but as it stands today (28 May), the para dressage competition opens with the individual medals (16, 17 and 18 August), followed by the team medals (19 August). There is a rest day on 20 August and all freestyle medals will be decided on 21 August.

The timetables for all other sports have also been revealed and the full schedule features more than 1,100 hours of competition.

“The Paralympic Games are a must-see elite sporting event,” said Janet Evans, LA28 chief athlete officer.

“As the world’s third largest sporting event, they celebrate athletic excellence at the highest level, demonstrating relentless determination and the limitless potential and power of sport. With more sports and days of competition than ever before, LA28 is setting the stage for a legendary Paralympic Games.”

Ileana Rodriguez, LA28 vice-president of Paralympic strategy and relations, added: “We have the opportunity to break barriers and redefine what the Paralympic movement and disability representation can mean for the next generation.

“We have the chance to shine a brighter light on more Paralympians than ever before, and I cannot wait for fans everywhere to witness the extraordinary athleticism and unforgettable moments that their performances are sure to bring.”

See the full para dressage timetable for the LA28 Paralympic Games below

(Image credit: FEI)

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How to get tickets to LA28 if you missed the registration deadline

georgia.guerin@futurenet.com (Georgia Guerin) — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:15:32 +0000

If you’re feeling late to the party and are still hoping to get your hands on LA28 equestrian tickets, don’t worry as there’s still time.

The first batch of official LA28 Olympics tickets has dropped today and will be available to purchase for fans who were lucky enough to be randomly assigned access to the first slot after registration. The pre-sale for locals has closed.

How to get tickets to the LA28 Olympics

If you registered on or before 18 March 2026

You may have been allocated a time slot, in which case you just need to log on during your slot to purchase tickets. Not all those who registered have been allocated a time slot – these fans do not need to do anything and will be automatically entered into the draw for the next ticket drop.

Reminder emails will be sent 24 hours and 3 hours before time slots begin and will include a link to the ticket platform.

If you have not yet registered

If you have not registered yet, you need to wait for a future registration window – the window is due to open ahead of subsequent drops. LA28 has confirmed that additional ticket draws will take place later this year, although specific dates have not yet been announced.

You can sign up for updates here.

Once you have your time slot

You will only be able to select and purchase tickets during your allocated time slot. Tickets are limited to 12 per registration, but you can return to make multiple purchases anytime within your time slot, up to your ticket maximum. Fans who don’t meet their ticket maximum or who missed their window will be automatically entered into future draws.

“With a variety of options for everyone to experience the Games in person, single tickets will start at $28,” said an LA28 spokesperson about Olympic events in general.

If you can’t see availability for equestrian sports or sessions in this drop, more tickets may be available in future drops if you have not reach your maximum number of tickets.

Tickets for LA28 Paralympics

Tickets for the Paralympics will become available in 2027.

LA28 resale tickets

A verified resale programme through AXS, Eventim, Ticketmaster and Sports Illustrated Tickets will launch in 2027 for fans looking to buy or sell on the secondary market.

LA28 Olympic equestrian events schedule

All equestrian events will be held at Santa Anita Park.

Eventing: 15-18 July 2028

15-16 July – Dressage
17 July – Cross-country

Dressage: 20-24 July 2028

20-21 July – Grand Prix, team and individual qualifier
22 July – Grand Prix Special, team final
23 July – Grand Prix Freestyle, individual final

Showjumping: 25-29 July 2028

25 July – Team qualifier
26 July – Team final
28 July – Individual qualifier
29 July – Individual final

For more information, visit la28.org

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Format changes proposed for LA28 Olympics – but three riders per team will remain

Lucy Elder — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:03:30 +0000

A little tinkering with the format for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games is expected this year, but there will be no return to four on a team.

Proposed updates to the Olympic and Paralympic rules were discussed at the 2026 Sports Forum. These will now be debated over the summer before final versions are put to a vote at the FEI general assembly in December.

For eventing, it was suggested that the penalty for substituting in the alternate combination should be raised from the current 20 penalties.

There were three proposed changes to showjumping: a tweak to the rules to allow a replacement team to jump in the final, should one of the original 10 qualified teams opt not to start; provision for jump-offs for all medals in the team and individual finals – previously it was just for gold – and modifications to the draw for the individual qualifier.

In eventing, dressage and para dressage there are proposals around what should happen to team scores in the event of a competitor being disqualified. In dressage, the FEI is also looking at potentially changing what happens to team scores if a rider is eliminated (eliminations and disqualifications are viewed differently), plus tweaks to the grand prix draw. The minimum age of horses competing at the Paralympics is proposed to be raised to seven from six years old.

International Jumping Riders Club president Francois Mathy Jr suggested that the Longines League of Nations format is used for team showjumping, so four competitors jump the first round (with a drop score) then only three tackle the second round with all scores to count.

“In many cases, one bad round eliminates any chance to be [in the team final],” he said. “I think it would make the sport more interesting.”

He also proposed changes to qualification for the individual final. The startlist for the final is currently decided on one individual qualifying round, but Mr Mathy suggested competitors also jump the first round of the team qualifier and the best 30 athletes go forward to the final.

FEI executive director of sport and games Áine Power responded, saying that the four/three team idea is interesting, but that the agreed quota of competitors equestrian sport is allowed to have is a “hard number”. She added that mixing the team and individual qualifiers would make it hard for people to follow.

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Ireland appoints former Badminton winner as eventing team manager: ‘I want an Olympic medal’

Becky Murray — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:51:55 +0000

Australian Olympic rider and Badminton winner Sam Griffiths has been appointed high performance eventing manager of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI).

Sam, who has 14 five-star starts and six championships under his belt, will lead the Irish team to the 2026 World Championships in Aachen and throughout the build-up to the LA Olympics in 2028.

“I’m really excited to be appointed,” said Sam. “Ireland is a very strong equestrian nation with exceptional horses and riders so I’m hoping I can get the best out of everyone.”

Among his many achievements, Sam won Badminton Horse Trials with Paulank Brockagh in 2014. Two years later they were part of the team that won bronze at the Rio Olympics, finishing fourth individually. Sam and Happy Times completed Burghley six times, finishing third twice, and competed at the 2012 London Games.

Sam takes over from Dag Albert, who led Ireland to silver at the European Championships at Blenheim in September, the country’s first senior European eventing team medal in 30 years.

“This is a strong period for Irish eventing with some young combinations as well as the more established ones, and the European Championships was obviously a great result,” said Sam.

“Ireland is a nation very much on the up. I learned a lot throughout my riding career and as head coach for New Zealand and I’m hoping to implement some of the philosophies I’ve honed along the way to this programme.

“I’m ambitious, we have the World Championships on the horizon and we want to go well there. That’s also a stepping stone to the Olympics, with qualification to Los Angeles on offer and from there we have European Championships, but what I want is an Olympic medal, so let’s all pull in the same direction to get there.”

Sam added that he has an “Irish connection” through his Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh, bred by his friends Paula and Frank Cullen.

“My cousin also lives in south Dublin who I see on a regular basis, so I definitely feel like there’s a bit of Ireland in me. It’s also been fantastic to be supported by TRM, who I know have been great supporters of the HSI youth programme for many years,” he said.

“It’s going to be an exciting time for Irish eventing, and I can’t wait to get started.”

An HSI spokesperson said Sam is “one of the most respected figures in international eventing”.

“His experience spans talent development, championship preparation and performance systems aligned with best international practice,” he said.

“He played an integral part in the redesign of New Zealand’s high performance eventing program along with the high performance director, while also serving as head coach for over three years, including at the Paris Olympics in 2024. He also acted as chef d’equipe at various international events and Nations Cups.”

HSI chief executive Denis Duggan said the organisation is delighted to welcome Sam.

“Sam brings an exceptional blend of elite competitive experience and proven high-performance management expertise. His understanding of what it takes to succeed at the very top of the sport, both as an athlete and as a leader, will be of enormous benefit to our eventing programme,” he said.

“This appointment follows a thorough and competitive process, and Sam stood out for his vision, technical knowledge and alignment with HSI’s high-performance strategy. His commitment to horse welfare and to transparency within the sport reflects the values at the heart of HSI’s high-performance system.”

Mr Duggan thanked Dag Albert for his “commitment, professionalism and contribution”.

“Dag has played an important role in supporting our athletes and in strengthening the foundations of the high performance eventing programme, and we wish him every success in the future,” he said.

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‘You can count on us’: LA28 Olympic organisers share update on equestrian plans

Lucy Elder — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:06:39 +0000

Fresh details of how the LA28 Olympics will come to life in a little over two years’ time have been shared by top decision-makers at the Games.

Niccolò Campriani, vice president of sports on the LA28 Olympic organising committee, and Cesar Hirsch, LA28’s equestrian subject matter expert, shared a progress update at the FEI General Assembly in Hong Kong on 7 November.

Mr Hirsch said LA28 is “on the detail phase” to finalise cross-country plans and that the venue design at Santa Anita “is in its final stages”.

“We’re going to offer a great field of play, great spectator experience,” he said.

“We are actually considering having a fan zone [at Santa Anita] and offering the spectators an experience of a lifetime.”

Most sports venues, including Santa Anita, will be within a 50km radius of the Olympic Village, which will be at the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) university campus. The pair explained that one of the ideas behind having venues close together is that it will make it easy for fans to discover new sports. Dedicated Olympic traffic lanes will be in place between the village and venues.

“UCLA already hosts 15,000 students every day, and so they are already operating at Olympic Village level,” said Mr Campriani.

The committee has 30 years of weather data from nearby airport LAX; it will also install a separate monitoring system at the venue and plans to share that data with the FEI and national Olympic committees. Logistics for equine air travel and transfers are also in place.

A full-time equestrian specialist is set to start in January, a test event is in the works for 2027,

“More than anything, you have a team that is going to give the very best until the very end, until the last day of the Paralympics, you can count on us,” said Mr Campriani.

The LA28 Olympic competition timetable was released last week (12 November) – eventing will be the first of the equestrian disciplines at the Games, followed by dressage and ending with showjumping. The equestrian events are scheduled to avoid the heat in the middle of the day.

The equestrian events will take place from 15 to 29 July 2028, with three rest days factored in. Eventing dressage is back to running over two days (15 and 16 July), after it was squeezed into a single day at Paris.

In other Olympic news, the FEI has already met with organisers of Brisbane 2032 and is planning a visit. The equestrian venue is set to be at Toowoomba.

Mr De Vos also said that the FEI has received requests “from quite a number of national federations” to ask for endurance to be included in the Olympic programme as an additional discipline, and that the FEI will “take it up with the IOC”.

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Call for medals for the horses as well as riders at LA28 Olympics: ‘We have two athletes’

Lucy Elder — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:44:03 +0000

A call for horses to receive medals at LA28 as well as their riders was put to Olympic organisers at the FEI General Assembly (7 November).

Currently it is the riders, rather than the horses, who officially receive medals. But European Equestrian Federation president Quentin Simonet asked organisers of the Los Angeles Games whether they would consider having medals for the horses too.

“We have two athletes,” he said. “They are both delivering the performance.”

While acknowledging the success of past Olympics, Mr Simonet said that he is “sure [LA28] wants to be better than the previous Games”, noting it would be an “added value” to recognise the horses in this way.

The question came at the end of an update on progress for LA28 given by Niccolò Campriani, an Olympic gold medal-winning shooter and now vice president of sports on the LA28 Olympic organising committee, and Cesar Hirsch, LA28’s equestrian subject matter expert.

Mr Campriani replied: “I love the proposal. It’s absolutely, in the end, an IOC [International Olympic Committee] decision. But LA28 has shown in the last couple of years that we’re pretty good at challenging the IOC on things that we believe in.

“As an athlete coming from an individual sport, if I could have broken the medal in two, three pieces, and given one to my coach and one to my psychologist, I would have done it. I totally agree that there is always a team effort.”

FEI president Ingmar De Vos said that he liked the idea and the FEI would write to the IOC.

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Hopes of ‘truly outstanding’ LA28 Olympic Games as equestrian competition schedule released

Lucy Elder — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:20:25 +0000

The LA28 Olympic competition schedule for all sports was released today (12 November) – and eventing will be the first of the equestrian disciplines at the Games.

The equestrian events will take place over 16 days, starting on 14 July 2028, at Santa Anita Park.

Eventing kicks off the equestrian disciplines – the first horse inspection will take place on 14 July, the same day as the opening ceremony, followed by two days of eventing dressage, on 15 and 16 July. This is a change from Paris, where the eventing dressage was squeezed into a single day.

There are also three competition rest days factored into the equestrian timetable, giving organisers more breathing space than at the last Olympics.

Pure dressage follows eventing in the timetable and showjumping will be the final equestrian discipline on the LA28 Olympic competition schedule.

The equestrian events are scheduled for mornings and late afternoon, avoiding the heat in the middle of the day. LA is eight hours behind the UK, so the sport will be mainly evening to night-time viewing for Brits watching at home – and an early alarm will be needed to watch the conclusion of the eventing competition at 5am (UK time) on 19 July.

FEI president Ingmar De Vos said the announcement “is great news”.

“[The schedule] is well balanced and mindful of horse and athlete welfare. It includes three days without competition, which will allow for the horses and athletes to ease into the event, prepare and rest comfortably. It also permits for adjustments in the event of unforeseen circumstances,” he said.

“We are very pleased with the progress in preparations for the LA28 Olympic equestrian events accomplished over the past few months and look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the organising committee over the next three years.

“The [International Olympic Committee] IOC’s confirmation that equestrian would retain the same medal events and quota places as for Paris 2024 is a very positive development, as is the approval of Santa Anita Park in Arcadia as the venue for all the equestrian competitions. A solid basis has been set and we anticipate truly outstanding LA28 Olympic equestrian events in a wonderful setting.”

LA28 chief executive Reynold Hoover said ticket registration is due to open in January 2026.

“Now is the time to start planning what events you want to attend, which sports are coming to your neighborhood and the moments of history you don’t want to miss,” he said.

“Athletes and fans from around the world now have what they need to plan an unforgettable Olympic experience.”

Day 15 (29 July) has already been dubbed “Super Saturday” by the organisers, as it is set to be the busiest day of the Games as a whole. A total of 26 finals across 23 sports are scheduled to take place that day, including the individual showjumping final.

LA28 Olympic competition schedule: equestrian disciplines

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A PDF version of the LA28 Olympic equestrian timetable (pictured above) is available on the FEI website and a PDF version of the full competition schedule for all sports can be found on the LA28 website

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Mark Phillips: ‘Santa Anita may be the most difficult Olympic site on which to design a cross-country course ever’

Mark Phillips — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:32:51 +0000

Mark Phillips shares his thoughts on recent top-level cross-country courses and decisions around LA2028

After more than 40 years of designing advanced cross-country courses and over 30 years at five-star, matters pertaining to course-design have played a major part in my life. June 2025 has turned out to be a landmark month.

At Defender Bramham Horse Trials, Andrew Heffernan took over the reins from Ian Stark. He used the basis of Scotty’s track and added his personal touches, which resulted in general acclaim, leading many to think that he will play a major role in the years to come.

His learning curve was steep, including that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach on cross-country day when designing at the upper levels. I’m sure next time he will introduce one or two more speed bumps, without losing his inherent instinct for distances and flow.

At Luhmühlen, Mike Etherington-Smith’s course had more of a five-star feel this year, but was uncharacteristically twisty with incessant turns. Riders had to go faster in between fences, which may have contributed to an unprecedented number of horses failing to finish on the last day.

The continued dearth of German riders in their home five-star makes you think that if they don’t “use it”, they may well “lose it” as the competition is now being run under new management.

When I started working on the five-star 20 years ago, the leaderboard was adorned by German greats like Michael Jung, Ingrid Klimke, Andreas Dibowski and Bettina Hoy, but in recent years it has been more the domain of overseas riders.

Los Angeles dramas

Last week, the breaking news was that the expected 2028 Olympic course-designer Derek di Grazia had reached such an impasse with the organisers at Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles, they told the FEI that they could no longer work with him.

Alec Lochore visited the park earlier this year with his site manager’s hat on, to do a feasibility study for the FEI to see if all the Olympic disciplines could be staged on and around the racetrack – which is not what happened at the 1984 Games, when the cross-country was held at Fairbanks Ranch near San Diego.

Alec determined that there were two or three ways to achieve a cross-country track of between eight minutes and 8min 30sec using the racetrack, infield and part of the car park.

The FEI then played a major role in keeping eventing in the 2028 Games, resisting the lobby to drop eventing at Santa Anita.

Quite how Derek was unable to accept versions of Alec’s proposals put forward by the organisers remains something of a mystery. The organisers said that they got on well with Alec and wanted him as designer.

The FEI was then between a rock and a hard place. There was no time to go through the normal selection process due to the track needing to be set this summer, because to be ready for the 2027 test event, the turf has to be laid on the car park by September this year before racing starts again in October.

The FEI therefore went along with the request to appoint Alec Lochore as LA28 course designer and has appointed Mike Etherington-Smith as course adviser. Both are due on-site in the next couple of weeks. Many upper-level designers have been vocal in their disappointment, as Alec has no championship or five-star experience.

For the sake of the sport, I hope Alec and Mike can come up with a great course. Alec certainly has a challenge on his hands as he now has to deliver on his feasibility study, probably on the most difficult site ever for an Olympic cross-country course.

On to Blenheim

Back home, the selectors met last week to pick the initial 18 British-nominated entries for the Europeans at Agria Blenheim in September. The final list of nominations doesn’t have to be in until 18 August, but riders will know where they stand by the end of this month.

The final six have to be entered by 1 September so there may be a hard-luck story for some, first for being a reserve and second for not being able to run at Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Sadly, the same scenario will be repeated when the next Europeans go to Avenches in September 2027.

● Which younger riders would you like to see given a chance at the Europeans? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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‘No stone unturned’: major new deal supports Britain’s top riders until next Olympic and Paralympic Games

Lucy Elder — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:29:02 +0000

British Equestrian (BEF) and Agria have signed a major new partnership to make the equine insurer the principal partner of the BEF’s World Class programme.

The pair have described the agreement as “the first sponsorship of this type for British Equestrian in the modern era of the sport”.

BEF performance director Helen Nicholls said: “With Agria behind us, we’re looking forward to the next cycle as we build towards Los Angeles in three years’ time.

“We are fortunate to have a World Class programme which is the envy of many nations and supports the riders in their quests to produce top results time and time again.

“However, our pursuit of excellence across the programme never stops and to have the support of Agria alongside UK Sport and the National Lottery means we can continue to evolve and deliver performances which inspire a nation.”

Agria UK chief executive Vicki Wentworth said: “This new partnership to support elite equestrian sport is the final piece in the jigsaw for Agria’s major collaborations. With our top-to-bottom commitment to horse welfare, competition, education, policymaking and sustainability – along with an unerring love of the horse – this partnership means Agria can play a huge part in helping Britain stay at the top of the world in equestrian sport.

“We share the BEF’s ethos in leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding the best care, education and training for our horse and human athletes, and we’re immensely proud to support those representing our country in this way.”

Multiple Paralympic gold medallist Natasha Baker added: “As a multiple Paralympian, I know just how vital the help we receive from World Class is – it can be the difference between a medal and coming home empty-handed. So I am thrilled to hear about this new partnership with Agria, which has also supported me for a number of years.

“From best practice while travelling long distances with your horse to rider sports psychology, World Class performance leaves no stone unturned in helping horses and riders to achieve their best on the world stage. This quest is a perfect fit with Agria, which cares passionately about horse welfare and education. I am very excited about this new partnership.”

Britain’s showjumpers will be the first to compete under the Agria banner in this new deal at the Longines FEI Showjumping European Championships (16 to 20 July), followed by the rest of Britain’s senior squads at their respective European Championships this summer. The support will continue to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

British Equestrian has also signed a new four-year agreement with D&H, so the feed brand will continue its role as official supplier of equine nutrition.

The agreement marks D&H’s fifth Olympic and Paralympic Games cycle of involvement with Britain’s senior championship teams and World Class programme.

D&H will provide diet analysis, feed testing and nutritional advice for horses, as well as supporting in the movement of equestrian feedstuffs for championships up to and including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

D&H managing director Linda Porter said: “We have worked with British Equestrian since 2009 and we are delighted to have extended our nutritional partnership for another four years, incorporating another championship cycle, which will kick off with the FEI European Championships later this year.

“Both British Equestrian and D&H are committed to delivering excellence in nutrition for happy healthy horses, and we work closely with the World Class programme to provide nutritional support to the country’s leading and up-and-coming horses and riders.

“The next four years look set to be yet another exciting chapter for British Equestrian and we are excited to be at the forefront of that.”

BEF chief executive Jim Eyre added: “British Equestrian and our World Class programme are delighted with the news that D&H will once again be a key player as a valued partner.

“Their loyalty and high standards speak volumes about their values as a brand, as well as their ability to continuously innovate.

“We look forward to harnessing their expertise and knowledge as we strive for medals at the elite sport end alongside educating and developing knowledge across the equestrian community.”

Lotus Romeo UK is also continuing its agreement to support British teams with riding jackets and tailcoats in a new four-year deal, up to and including LA28.

Ms Nicholls said: “Over the past years, their jackets have provided our teams with optimum comfort and quality, allowing them to compete at their best while proudly representing Great Britain, and the team at Lotus Romeo deliver an excellent service. We’re looking forward to building on this work to ensure our athletes are fully equipped to perform while looking amazing.”

Claire Hubbard of Lotus Romeo UK added: “Seeing the British athletes perform at the highest level on the field of play in Lotus Romeo jackets and tailcoats is an honour, and we look forward to supporting them over the next four years on their journey to Los Angeles.”

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‘Humbled and honoured’: British course-designer takes top job at LA Olympics

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:19:32 +0000

British course-designer and event organiser Alec Lochore said he is “humbled, honoured and delighted” to be appointed as the cross-country course-designer for the 2028 Olympics.

Mr Lochore, who organises Burnham Market International Horse Trials among others, and is an FEI level four designer and technical delegate, was the unanimous choice for the LA28 job at the FEI board meeting this week. His fellow Brit Michael Etherington-Smith will be course advisor.

“I am humbled, honoured and delighted to have been asked to design the cross-country track for the Olympic Games LA28,” Mr Lochore said. “It will be a great challenge, and one which I am looking forward to immensely.

“I am fortunate enough to have been involved with the organisation and planning of several Olympic Games, and each is unique and special. The Olympics is the biggest showcase that our sport – any sport – has, and to be chosen as course-designer is very exciting.”

The FEI said Mr Lochore, who has over 20 years’ experience in international eventing, “brings a distinctive blend of strategic leadership, technical insight, and course-design expertise”. He was eventing manager at the 2012 Olympics, overseeing cross-country planning and the test events, and at the 2020 Games. He has also had different roles at World and European Championships, and served on the FEI eventing committee.

“I would like to congratulate Alec Lochore on this important appointment,” said FEI president Ingmar De Vos.

“He holds excellent credentials, as a first-class eventing course-designer but also as a technical delegate and an organiser. He was instrumental in advising the FEI on the cross-country feasibility at the LA28 equestrian venue at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and we are confident that, in cooperation with Mike Etherington-Smith, he will design a course that challenges the world’s best while showcasing the heart of our sport to a wider global audience. Work on the LA28 Olympic cross-country course will begin in the coming weeks.”

The Games run from 14-30 July 2028 and the equestrian competition will be at Santa Anita Park.

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Home of 1984 Olympic Games set to become ‘breathtaking stage’ for equestrian events at LA28

Lucy Elder — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:06:55 +0000

The LA28 Olympic equestrian events will be held at Santa Anita Park – the home of horse sport at the 1984 Games.

The announcement is a change from the previously earmarked venue of Galway Downs, the owner of which said last week (11 April) was “surprised” to learn days earlier that it had been “suddenly removed from consideration”.

FEI president Ingmar De Vos said Santa Anita Park will be a “spectacular venue” for the Olympics.

“The FEI has very fond memories of Santa Anita, which hosted the equestrian events at the 1984 Olympic Games,” said Mr De Vos.

“The venue is set to offer a breathtaking stage for all the Olympic equestrian competitions and the proximity to LA city will undoubtedly attract many spectators to Santa Anita.

“We look forward to continuing our cooperation with LA28 to deliver spectacular equestrian events at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.”

While in 1984 the cross-country for the Olympic eventing was held at the satellite venue of Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in San Diego County, in 2028 all phases of the equestrian disciplines will be on the same site at Santa Anita Park.

The venue is where Mark Todd and Charisma sealed the first of their legendary back-to-back individual Olympic eventing titles.

Mark Todd and Charisma at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. (Image credit: Trevor Jones/Getty Images)

US Equestrian chief executive Bill Moroney said the federation has the “utmost confidence” in the LA28 organising committee.

“We anticipate exceptional equestrian sport will take place at this special legacy venue from the 1984 Olympic Games,” he said.

“We are also extremely pleased that the IOC [International Olympic Committee] has confirmed the athlete quotas across the disciplines for 2028 and they remain unchanged from 2024.”

IOC sports director Kit McConnell thanked the FEI for “active engagement in all the discussions regarding the venue”.

“We have created a strong partnership with the organising committee and the city of Los Angeles, which enjoys the full support of the local equestrian community,” said Mr McConnell.

The FEI said the venue for equestrian events at the LA28 Paralympics is set to be announced “at a later date following the review and approval of the International Paralympic Committee governing board”.

Santa Anita Park operates mainly as a racecourse and has hosted the Breeders Cup numerous times. It also holds international showjumping, including a World Cup qualifier.

Its grandstand seats 26,000 spectators and its grounds can accommodate a crowd of 50,000. There are 61 barns that can house more than 2,000 horses, plus an on-site veterinary clinic.

At the last LA Games, the US won three gold medals across the equestrian events; its eventing and showjumping teams tasted glory on home soil, and Joe Fargis on A Touch Of Class were crowned Olympic showjumping champions.

Britain claimed showjumping and eventing team silver, and British pathfinder Ginny Elliot became the first British woman to win an individual Olympic eventing medal; bronze with Priceless (pictured, top).

Individual dressage champions Reine Klimke and Ahlerich led the German side to team gold.

What happened to Galway Downs?

H&H reported last year that Galway Downs, an existing facility in Temecula, had been proposed as the equestrian sport venue. But Mr de Vos said at the FEI Sports Forum (31 March to 1 April) that “the venue will be decided soon and it’s all open”.

At a press briefing last Wednesday (9 April), the IOC was asked for information on the equestrian venue for LA28.

IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said: “The executive board has validated the masterplan in broad terms and that’s a really practical and very helpful step forward.

“As for the announcement, including each and every detail, let’s be clear, this will be the responsibility of LA [organisers].”

“What I can tell you is that the key principles that were followed for the establishment of the masterplan was to use and maximise the existing venues, no new permanent infrastructures, maximise also the opportunities within the city of LA and also regroup the venues to avoid standalone. Every time you have a standalone [venue], you are complexifying the operation.”

On 11 April, Galway Downs said it had been told late on 9 April that “another venue” had been selected. We now know this to be Santa Anita Park.

Galway Downs owner Ken Smith said: “We are extremely surprised that we were suddenly removed from consideration. We don’t understand how, based on the 28 March City Council’s vote of approval, this could happen.

“When we started this process more than four years ago, we understood the equestrian venue selection for LA28 would be a highly competitive, evolving process. Being selected as the proposed equestrian venue put Galway Downs and Temecula Valley on the world stage. We’re very proud of that, and we’re just getting started. Galway Downs will continue to host elite national and international competitions as well as additional sporting events.”

Temecula mayor Brenden Kalfus added that Galway Downs has showcased its equestrian centre in Temecula Valley as “the superior venue capable of hosting all Olympic equestrian [events]”.

“While the city is disheartened to learn of this abrupt change, particularly in light of LA28’s venue approval granted by the Los Angeles City Council just two weeks ago, we remain confident that Galway Downs will continue its legacy and mission uninterrupted as a vibrant, world-class Olympic-calibre equestrian presence in Temecula Valley,” he said.

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Eventing confirmed for LA28 Olympics following success of Paris 2024

Lucy Elder — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:45:55 +0000

Eventing is confirmed for the LA28 Olympic Games following the “historic success” of Paris 2024.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board finalised the sporting programme and competitor numbers at a meeting in Lausanne yesterday (9 April).

Equestrian sport will retain the same number of places and medals as it had for the Paris Olympics. This means team and individual medals for each discipline, and 200 horse/rider combinations across the disciplines, with a split of 75 for showjumping, 60 for dressage and 65 for eventing.

“We are extremely pleased with the IOC decision,” said FEI president Ingmar De Vos. “The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games were a historic success for equestrian sport, which proved very popular with the live crowds and TV and online viewers worldwide.

“It’s great news that our numbers remain unchanged and we are looking forward to delivering exciting sport at the same level of excellence.”

The IOC board also approved LA28’s “venue master plan” – details are yet to be announced and these will come from LA28 organisers “at a later date”. H&H reported last year that Galway Downs, an existing facility in Temecula, had been proposed as the equestrian sport venue. But Mr De Vos said last week that “the venue will be decided soon and it’s all open”, adding that the FEI is under a non-disclosure agreement.

Although horse sport in principle was agreed to be part of the LA28 programme in autumn 2023, a slight question mark had hovered over eventing being among the disciplines – although leading FEI figures long stressed their confidence it would be included. To have this now confirmed is welcome news.

Eventing’s inclusion had been contingent on all phases running at the same venue as the pure dressage and showjumping. At previous Games, including Tokyo, there have been occasions where the cross-country has run at a satellite venue.

At a press conference following the meeting yesterday, IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said: “The executive board has validated the masterplan in broad terms, and that’s a really practical and very helpful step forward.

“As for the announcement, including each and every detail, let’s be clear, this will be the responsibility of LA [organisers].

“All these principles were followed, and now the master plan has been adopted. For the details, let’s wait until LA will make the announcement.”

IOC sports director Kit McConnell added that the FEI has been a “really strong partner” in working through all the above considerations and thanked the federation for its “active engagement”.

The qualification process for LA28 was discussed at the FEI Sports Forum last week (31 March to 1 April) and will be voted on at the FEI general assembly in November.

The IOC had previously asked the FEI to submit a new competition format for eventing at LA28, which it did in 2024. An FEI spokesperson told H&H today (10 April) that discussions on the proposed new format have not continued.

“Discussions were conducted at the time given that the Olympic Broadcasting Service had expressed interest in having medals awarded after the cross-country as such a change might have led to increased viewing figures,” the FEI spokesperson told H&H.

“However, given how successful the current Olympic format was in Paris, these discussions haven’t continued.”

The spokesperson added that any proposed changes to Olympic formats will be discussed first at next year’s FEI Sports Forum, and put forward for approval at the 2026 FEI general assembly.

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Key decisions concerning horse sport at LA28 Olympics expected in days

Lucy Elder — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:10:28 +0000

Decisions on the equestrian venue for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and eventing’s inclusion in the programme are expected to be confirmed in the next week.

H&H reported last year that Galway Downs, an existing facility in Temecula, had been proposed as the home to horse sport at LA28 – a change from the Sepulveda Dam recreation area, which had been earmarked previously.

But at the FEI Sports Forum this week (31 March to 1 April), FEI president Ingmar De Vos said that “the venue will be decided soon and it’s all open”.

“We hope, we think – there is an executive board meeting of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] on 9 April, so we believe that hopefully by then the master plan, the venue master plan, will be finalised, and that we will know where we will go,” he said.

“But we are in permanent contact with the Los Angeles organising committee about this – everything’s going in the right direction, but we are under a non-disclosure agreement so we cannot say anything.”

He added that the FEI is also awaiting confirmation of its quota of competitors – it is seeking 200, as in Paris – and the events, by which he means individual and team medals in each discipline.

Mr De Vos was asked for information on the question over the LA venue, during a press briefing after the forum.

“What we can say is that the venue has not been finalised yet,” he said. “The organising committee is looking at a lot of different aspects, such as the climate such as the costs.

“They want… and this is very clear instruction also from the IOC, that we need to be as cost efficient as possible, which means that there are maybe some other options that do not necessarily need a remote Olympic Village. So they are looking at that.

“The organising committee is finalising the cost calculations of the different possibilities.”

Eventing’s inclusion is contingent on all phases running at the same venue as the pure dressage and showjumping, and the decision on this is also expected on 9 April.

At the forum, Mr De Vos shared positive news on the increase in digital engagement and broadcast figures for Paris 2024 on previous Games, and what this means in the wider picture.

“I was very happy that I even received a phone call from the IOC director general [Christophe De Kepper] congratulating us on our performance on digital and on broadcasting,” he said. “That’s very important, because this has helped to consolidate our position in the Olympic programme.”

The qualification process for LA28 will be voted on at the 2025 FEI general assembly in November.

Early suggestions shared at the forum included tweaking the reallocation process, so if a nation turns down a team spot, it is not automatically granted an individual place. Individual places would have to be earned instead.

The idea was also raised to allocate two more Olympic team tickets to the 2026 World Showjumping Championships, so there would be a total of seven LA28 team places available.

This would come at the cost of removing any chance of securing Olympic team qualification via the Longines League of Nations finals in 2026 and 2027. The series’ predecessor, the Nations Cup final, was historically a way of securing Olympic qualification. The reasoning behind the idea is to give nations outside Europe more opportunity of qualifying through the World Championship route.

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Are these our Los Angeles 2028 Olympic eventing individual medallists?

Pippa Roome — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:30:14 +0000

Who will be the LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists? It sounds a long way away, with the Paris Games barely in our rear view mirror, but we all know how quickly an Olympic cycle goes round.

Sam Watson, co-founder of data analytics company EquiRatings and 2018 world eventing team silver medallist, has analysed the metrics about the Paris medallists and used the info to make some predictions about the Los Angeles Games. Read on for a summary of what he said…

Sam has used a metric called the EquiRatings Elo, which he describes as “our most powerful metric for predicting consistency and quality. Every international horse has an Elo rating. Horses lose points when beaten by lower-rated competitors and gain points when defeating higher-rated ones. The best horses consistently beat top competition.”

At the start of 2021 – so three and a half years before Paris, just as we’re now three and a half years before LA – the horses who went on to take the top four individual places at the 2024 Olympics were all rated among the top performers in their age group by Elo.

Eventual gold medallist FischerChipmunk FRH (Michael Jung, Germany) was the top-rated 13-year-old. Silver medallist Shadow Man (Chris Burton, Australia) was the highest-rated 11-year-old. Bronze medallist London 52 (Laura Collett, Great Britain) was the second best 12-year-old (behind Andrew Hoy’s double Tokyo medallist Vassily De Lassos), while fourth-placed JL Dublin (Tom McEwen) was fourth in the 10-year-old rankings.

So can we use this to predict the LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists?

Sam has detailed for us the top horses in the 10- to 13-year-old categories right now by Elo, who could be in the running to be on the podium in Los Angeles. They are…

Lordships Graffalo, best 13-year-old – Ros Canter’s British Paris Olympic team gold medallist, already a Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials winner. He has a higher rating now than Chipmunk before Paris.
Zaragoza, best 12-year-old – the ride of Gaspard Maksud of France, who is based in Britain. She is a European team bronze medallist from 2023, who was eighth individually then and sixth at the 2022 worlds. Passed over for Paris selection last season, she had her revenge when sixth at Burghley.
Nickel 21, best 11-year-old – Tokyo Olympic champion Julia Krajewski’s Paris ride for Germany, the Aachen winner was called up from the alternate spot and went there relatively inexperienced, acquitting himself well for individual 11th.
HSH Blake, best 10-year-old – a young star for the USA’s Caroline Martin, who was the 2023 Pan Am champion and very much a talking horse going into Paris, albeit without huge mileage, which is perhaps why the pair ultimately slightly underperformed there in the first two phases for 37th. That experience will have brought both horse and rider on hugely and they’ll be on home soil in 2028.

Full article from EquiRatings

It’s fascinating to wonder if Graffalo, Zaragoza, Nickel and Blake could be in the running to be LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists. So much can vary and change in horse sport, from injury to changing riders (note both Shadow Man and JL Dublin had different riders in Paris to at the start of 2021), but these metrics can also be powerful indicators.

Who do you think will win the medals in 2028? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com for a chance to be published in Horse & Hound, including your name and address (town and county will be published). Letters may be edited for clarity and length.
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Piggy March: ‘It’s vital we keep eventing in the Olympics – even if that means putting cross-country last’

Piggy March — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:32:44 +0000

The British Eventing season’s under way, as Piggy March ponders Olympic formats and the why those who love eventing need to come together and stay supportive

The average alarm clock for grooms going to Poplar Park must have been about 2am – it’s a rude awakening for the first event of the season, but definitely worth it.

I’ve been going to Poplar for years and it’s great to see it become so popular again, probably due to the good going provided by the sandy ground, given the uncertain weather.

There’s only so much training you can do before you’re ready to blow the cobwebs away. It brought a smile to my face to see Ballaghmor Class, aged 17, having a buck on the lunge before his dressage.

Olympic fever

An Olympic year always starts with much excitement and anticipation and the potential British squad look as strong as ever.

Some pairs with great championship form will not do a five-star this spring as they save horses for Paris. As riders, we are left to do what we think best for our mounts and there are pros and cons of each pathway. It must be hard being a selector when some combinations are placing at those early five-stars and others are relying on four-star shorts.

We’ve recently heard that the Los Angeles Olympics are likely to run with the team showjumping before cross-country and the second showjumping round for individual medals last.

I don’t love the short-format team proposal – the best thing about eventing is the horsemanship involved to get a horse ready to showjump following cross-country. The trend away from this may encourage our sport to move more towards dressage and showjumping-bred horses, rather than blood types.

Still, it’s a positive that the proposal keeps the individual showjumping after cross-country and that it pushes for the cross-country to be 10 minutes rather than shorter.

In the future, riders will probably seek two different types of horse for championships compared to five-stars, as they are contrasting top-level competitions. That said, the British team who took gold in Tokyo were all five-star winners – and yet a team founded on those same campaigners didn’t do so well at the Pratoni World Championships, where they were arguably caught out by a smaller course.

Many went to Rio thinking an Olympics would have a softer cross-country track and fell foul of a tough Pierre Michelet course. We have a French designer again in Paris – Pierre Le Goupil – and I’ve never known a championship in France not to be a serious cross-country competition.

As a rider, when I’m buying horses I love to find a quick-thinking, sharp horse who will still want to gallop and jump at 11 minutes – my heart lies with that type rather than a fancy mover. I’d prefer to work harder on the dressage than worry about whether the lights are going out at eight minutes.

It is vital we keep eventing in the Olympics and we have already made compromises to ensure that, particularly fielding only three in a team. Many nations’ funding is dependent on our Olympic status and as a sports person, the Olympics is the pinnacle of your career. If we have to put cross-country last to keep that, who cares?

Good luck, Rosie

Not many would want to take on leading British Eventing, so thank you to new CEO Rosie Williams.

Eventing is going through difficult, uncertain times. It’s an expensive sport, with many safety requirements and for years it’s been supported by people doing it for the love of it, but now stakeholders from landowners to organisers and riders need to make a business of it.

I hated to see two of my favourite events, Rockingham and Somerford, pull the plug, and the loss of the Festival of British Eventing is a shock.

I hope those who love eventing can club together and stay supportive. It’s easy to criticise and impossible to keep everybody happy, but we need to try to help to keep the sport viable.

Good luck, Rosie. Here’s to a safe season for all in 2024 and fingers crossed for gold medals.

● What are your hopes for the 2024 eventing season? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 7 March

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H&H eventing editor: ‘Cross-country last at the Olympics – I have three big questions’

Pippa Roome — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:30:05 +0000

Last weekend’s news that the Olympic eventing format in 2028 might have to be a short format-style competition came as a surprise.

Setting aside the short notice, when we all thought eventing’s place in the Games was already secure, moving to having cross-country as the final phase – the crux of this – raises three broad questions.

Olympic eventing format: three questions

The first is one of principle and history. Eventing’s roots are in the military and the traditional format is designed to show that a horse remains fit, supple and obedient on showjumping day after the rigours of the speed and endurance test. Although there are far more eventing competitions in the world now in which cross-country is the final phase than ones in which showjumping runs last, it sticks in the craw to abandon that at the highest level of our sport, our showcase event where we are displaying our passion to the world.

The second, linked, question is around horse welfare. When cross-country is the final discipline, there is no horse inspection after it to ensure horses are still in good fettle following that test. Would this make a difference to the way riders tackle the cross-country – and could we see more “bad pictures” as a result, with lame or tired horses pushed to finish?

I’m not terribly convinced by that argument. I think that in the moment a rider would make the same decision to continue on a lame or tired horse whether or not there was showjumping still to come. It is of course wholly unacceptable and something we need to continue to work to remove from the sport, but we have seen horses pushed too hard at Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials and other long format events, despite the fact riders know there is another phase to come. With an Olympic medal at stake – and, presumably, an all-to-count format of just three riders, with heavy penalties for substitution – the pressure to finish and to finish fast is there whatever the format.

I don’t know that riders would ride differently – the more salient point is that with cross-country last, they could be rewarded differently for those actions. If the ground jury didn’t pull them up mid-round – and we all know that is an inexact science and doesn’t always happen when it perhaps should – a rider who finished with an exhausted or lame horse could take home a medal rather than being eliminated at the trot-up or adding plenty of penalties in the showjumping the next day.

A formal horse inspection after cross-country would slow proceedings down to an unacceptable degree – no one wants to wait several hours after cross-country has finished to know the final result. Is there a compromise? Perhaps each horse could be trotted up half an hour after its round. We’d need separate officials to preside over that, though, because the ground jury would be busy making decisions around the cross-country, which would continue to run simultaneously.

And that leads us on to question three, which is that cross-country results at big events are rarely quick. It is common at Badminton and Burghley for scores to be provisional for many hours after the last horse sprints through the finish flags, while the ground jury review penalties for the likes of missed flags and broken frangible devices.

Again, no one wants to have a medal ceremony four hours after the sport finishes, when all the crowd have gone home. If cross-country is to come last at the Olympics, the sport has to find a way to solve this, whether it’s simpler rules, more officials or something else.

A hybrid format?

In the detail, one of the suggestions is a hybrid format – dressage in the morning and team showjumping in the afternoon on both the first two days, followed by cross-country on day three (where the team medals would be decided), then showjumping for the individual medals on day four.

I don’t understand the advantage of mixing up the dressage and showjumping in this proposal – that seems confusing and like something of a red herring among the bigger questions.

Aside from that, I quite like this idea and the way it retains something of the traditional format with the individual medals decided in the pressure cauldron of showjumping. One has to wonder, though, if the International Olympic Committee want to go back to four days of eventing, having reduced to three for Paris, and whether this proposal really satisfies the request to award medals after cross-country.

Another proposal puts both the team and individual showjumping phases before the cross-country. This seems wildly confusing as a scoring proposition… “William Fox-Pitt is just starting, he’s on a score of 32 for the British team but 36 individually because he had one down in the individual showjumping round”. Perhaps this can be solved by giving out total team scores plus individual scores which include both rounds, and never getting into the breakdown of the team scores. But I’m not sure it’s where we want to go if we are trying to make the sport more understandable by the general public.

And what if someone falls off and is eliminated in the individual showjumping? Could they still go cross-country for their team? If the International Olympic Committee insists we cannot give two medals for one performance – and that ship sailed long ago – the “individual final” surely has to come after all the team elements are concluded.

In the end, for me, having cross-country last is not the worst proposal I’ve ever heard for the Olympic eventing format. We all know the sport exists at the top level in multiple different formats and that we have to make compromises to keep our place at the Games.

If we are retaining all three tests, in much their current form, I can live with that. But there are certainly some details to iron out to ensure our all-important social licence is to the fore here and that we can crown our champions in a timely manner.

What do you think? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.