How Do You Qualify for the Equestrian Events at 2024 Paris Olympics?

Each day, the Paris Olympics 2024 are drawing closer, and athletes from all around the world are scrambling to secure their spots. In that spirit, the equestrian world is also abuzz with excitement as horse athletes and their riders get ready for the upcoming trials. Therefore, athletes do not want to miss being part of this iconic relationship and will try their best to earn the final berths in the days to come.

Equestrian events at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The equestrian events at the Paris Olympics 2024 will take place between July 27 and August 6. The historically significant Palace of Versailles will play host to the 200 equestrian riders and their horse athletes. Both rider and horse will be taken care of by support staff and veterinarians provided by the Olympic committee. Furthermore, these 200 participants will be divided into separate individual and team quotas for the dressage, eventing, and jumping competitions.

In each of the three disciplines, the teams will comprise three horse-and-rider pairs. A NOC that does not qualify for the team events may send one athlete each in the dressage and jumping competitions and two more in the eventing category. France, as the host country, reserves a team qualification in all of the three disciplines.

Competitions and the number of athletes attending it

The 2024 Summer Olympics or the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will have some significant changes where the equestrian events are concerned. The opening ceremony overlooking the serene River Seine will be attended by all 200 gold aspirants. The eventing competitions will have 65 horse/athlete combinations divided into 16 teams. Each team will have three combinations plus one reserve combination in case of an injury.

The dressage and jumping combinations will follow the same team formation. The former will have 60 athlete/horse combinations in 15 teams while jumping will show the prowess of 75 athlete/horse combinations in 20 teams.

Qualification process for equestrian jumping

Paris Olympic 2024 offers two medals events, and 75 athletes will try their luck to make the podium in one. The eligibility criteria state that an athlete cannot be younger than 18 before competing in the Olympics. Thus, only those who were born on or before December 31, 2006, may compete. Furthermore, there is also an age criterion for the horses that states that they must be born on or before December 31, 2016, to be eligible.

Team qualification route:

Five Quotas – These spots go to the five top-ranked teams in the 2022 FEI Jumping World Championships.

One quota – The highest-ranked team apart from the qualified teams at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final 2022 will claim this spot.

Three quotas – The three highest-ranked teams from the 2023 FEI Jumping European Championship in the Group A and B category will seize these berths.

Two quotas – Two teams with the highest scores in the Group C 2023 FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event will also get the chance to qualify.

Three quotas – The three highest scoring teams at the FEI Olympic Groups D and E at the 2023 Pan American Games will also qualify.

Two quotas – The two highest scoring teams at the Olympic Groups F at a 2023 Group F FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event.

Two quotas – Six horse/athlete combinations with the highest scores at the 2023 Group G FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event in the Olympic Groups G group will also qualify.

One quota – The 2023 FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final’s highest-scoring team will get this spot.

Individual qualification:

The remaining fifteen tickets will be divided among 14 pairs with either FEI Olympic Ranking, FEI Olympic Group Qualification Event, or FEI Olympic Ranking. The last spot will go to the athletes via overall ranking in the FEI Olympic Ranking.

Qualification process for equestrian eventing

The same age criteria apply to the athletes and horses in the eventing competitions as well.

Team qualification route:

One quota – The host country automatically gets this.

Seven quotas – Only the seven top-ranking teams from the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships get these spots.

Two quotas – The highest scorers in the FEI Olympic Groups A and B category at the 2023 FEI European Eventing Championship are eligible for these spots.

One quota – The team with the most points at the Group C 2023 FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event will claim this berth.

Two quotas – These spots went to the top scorers in the Groups D and E categories at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Two quotas – The highest-ranked teams at a 2023 Group F and G FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event may claim these spots.

One quota – The 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series’ highest-scoring team will carry off this spot.

Individual qualification

The 14 quotas will be divided among the two highest-scoring athletes from NOCs such as:

A – North Western Europe

B – South Western Europe

C – Central & Eastern Europe; Central Asia

D & E – North America, Central & South America

F – Africa & Middle East

G – South East Asia, Oceania

The rest of the three quotas are allocated for the highest-ranked athletes at the FEI Olympic Ranking in the eventing class.

Qualification process for equestrian dressage

Again, the age restriction applies here. Beyond that, the qualification criteria are as follows:

Team qualification route:

One quota – The host nation receives this spot.

Six quotas – The 2022 FEI Dressage World Championships’ six highest-ranked teams will occupy these spots.

Three quotas – The 2023 FEI European Dressage Championship’s top three finishers in the Group A and B class will receive this spot.

One quota – One quota each will go to the highest scorers in the Group C, F, and G class of the 2023 FEI Olympic Qualification Event.

Two quotas – The highest-ranked teams in the Olympic Group D and E at the 2023 Pan American Games got these spots.

Individual qualification

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In the same manner as before, 14 quotas will go to the rank holders in the FEI Olympic Ranking, FEI Olympic Group Qualification Event, and FEI Olympic Ranking. The last qualifier will also allot one more quota to the overall rank holder.

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