Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Horses Gallop in Popular Destination for Equestrian Track Test

The preparation for the Paris Olympics 2024 started right after its announcement in 2017. Thirty-two sports with 329 events will be held in the Olympics. The tournament has included five new sports for the next year’s Games. Along with old sports and the new ones, equestrians will also be there with amazing top-notch horses and their capable jockeys. All the other sports are testing their own fields ahead of the Olympics. 

Along with them, some horses are galloping in the Versailles Palace Garden to test the tracks for the Paris Olympics. The Palace will be organizing the cross country part of the evening plus the modern pentathlon next year. The director general of the Paris Olympics Organization Committee, Etienne Thobois said that the testing began on 22nd August and continued till 23rd August. But what was the purpose of the testing?

The equestrian sport testing on the Versailles Palace Garden

According to Etienne Thobois, the testing was prepared to make sure that the 5-kilometer (three miles) cross-country track path was comfortable for the horses. He stated, “to ensure that the track conditions, particularly when it comes to the jump takeoff and landing, are constant and of good quality.” He added, “We’re a year away from the Games, and we’ve already been working on the track for over a year, precisely so as not to damage anything … even when we make a temporary mound so that the horses can express themselves.”

After testing the tracks, The director of the International Equestrian Federation in charge of Games Operation, Tim Hadaway said that the pontoon bridge across the Grand Canal was stable for the horses. He also asserted that the equestrian test was satisfying. According to the Associated Press magazine, another similar bridge was made to allow more horses access around the basin. All the preparation for the event has drawn many equestrian visitors to attend the event. 

Visitors of the Olympics event to witness the horses

Spectators will attend the event in a massive amount with 40,000 visitors. The wide jumping arena of equestrians will be organizing 20,000 seats which will require flattening the grounds before grandstands can built. The Versailles Palace president, Catherine Pegard stated that the palace welcomes millions of visitors every year. She confirmed that the site will be restored for equestrian events and will improve accessibility to make it look more beautiful and attractive in the Olympics. She said, “I found myself dreaming of the medals we’ll have, I hope, next year.”

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Every necessary guideline is underworking to qualify for the Olympics next year. Because the water level was dropped and the swimming events were canceled last week, the equestrian authorities decided not to arrange any equestrian events before the Olympics. The palace will remain open to the public during the 2024 Games and they can freely enjoy the event.  

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