‘A sad day for the sport’: Pentathlon GB on loss of riding phase

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 6, 2021: Japan's Natsumi Takamiya falls from her horse in the women's individual riding show jumping event during the modern pentathlon competition at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, at Tokyo Stadium. Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS (Photo by Stanislav KrasilnikovTASS via Getty Images)

(Image credit: Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS)

Pentathlon GB said it was a “sad day” for the sport, as world governing body UIPM announced riding would be dropped after the Paris Olympics.

UIPM released the news, rumours of which had been spreading for days, yesterday (4 November), stating that a consultation would run on which sport would be brought in.

“We are, of course, disappointed at the suddenness of this decision and the lack of consultation until now, but we also understand that modern pentathlon’s place in the Olympic Games is very important and was under threat. We will be exploring with the UIPM the impact of this decision on our sport and fully supporting the search for a new, fifth discipline, but meanwhile we have a team to prepare for Paris 2024 where we will be double defending Olympic champions.”

“British pentathletes have always enthusiastically supported the riding discipline and many of our leading athletes have come into the sport from a riding background, most notably Tokyo gold medallist Kate French. Others have come to the sport from a non-riding background and excelled, such as Olympic champion Joe Choong. The sport will be very different without this important source of new athletes and we will have to fully assess our talent pathways.”

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

TOPICS

Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.

‘A sad day for the sport’: Pentathlon GB on loss of riding phase

In response, Pentathlon GB chairman David Armstrong said the governing body is aware the decision will have come as a “significant shock” to athletes.

“But also because of a desire to make the sport more accessible,” a spokesman said.

“These ambitions are acknowledged but it is disappointing that the excellent work done by the sport’s riding working group in recent weeks has not been given the opportunity to be tested in practice before this decision was made.

You might also be interested in:

Coach who struck Olympic pentathlon horse banned from the Games

Riding axed from modern pentathlon: consultation on replacement sport

Top eventer calls for pentathlon rule change after controversial scenes