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.”
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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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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
