‘This is only the beginning’: horse sport confirmed for 2028 Olympics
2ME134K The British team of Tom McEwen, Laura Collett and Oliver Townend displays their gold medals as they ride in the ring after winning the the equestrian eventing jumping teams final at Equestrian Park in Tokyo at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool)
(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)
The 2028 Olympics are “firmly within our sights”, as all three equestrian disciplines will feature.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that dressage, showjumping and eventing will be part of the Los Angeles Games, as confirmed at its executive board meeting on 12 and 13 October.
“We are delighted,” FEI president Ingmar De Vos said.
“Equestrian has been part of the Olympics since 1912, and with such a strong heritage and enthusiasm for the sport in the US, we are looking forward to delivering successful and engaging Games, focused on the future and the values which make it unique in the sporting landscape.
A spokesman for British Eventing said the news “allows our senior and up-and-coming youth riders to focus on achieving their dreams and goals, and for our continued gold-medal winning delivery on the global stage”.
BE CEO Rosie Williams told H&H: “It’s great to see the announcement. What it means for BE is that we have a target to aim for in the development of our riders, horses, officials, backroom supporters and fans.
“This announcement will also bring great momentum to our domestic competitions, not only to provide the right events for our talented combinations but also to build on our fan base of those prepared to get up in the middle of the night to watch! For now, we are excited for Paris and hope we can get a huge following, but it’s great to know we have LA firmly in our sights as well.”
The IOC board recommends the inclusion of modern pentathlon, “acknowledging the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing and the optimisation work conducted by the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) to reduce costs and complexity”.
“The IOC noted that it is essential for the UIPM to continue to implement the necessary changes in governance and modernise,” an IOC statement said. “Without the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing, the sport would not have been included in the programme.”
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