How to qualify for Equestrian eventing at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained 

Equality is one of the principles of Equestrian - a unique Olympic sport in which men and women compete for the same medals in the same events.

And Paris 2024 will be no exception. Once again there will be three equestrian disciplines - dressage, jumping and eventing. And each of them is unique, including within the qualification process.

The eventing competition is made up of three phases: dressage, cross-country and jumping, which are spread over three consecutive days. A competitor rides the same horse throughout, therefore it requires considerable experience in all branches of equitation.

Before showcasing their performance at Chateau de Versailles, where the event will take place at Paris 2024, athletes need to qualify for the Games. Find out how riders can secure their spots at the next Olympic Games.

How many athletes will compete in equestrian eventing at Paris 2024?

A total of 65 athletes will take part in equestrian eventing at Paris 2024, including three from the host country. There will be a maximum of three athletes per National Olympic Committee (NOC), including a maximum of two individuals or a team of three.

To be eligible to participate at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, athletes must be born on or before 31 December 2006 (no younger than 18 years of age in the year that the Olympic Games take place). All horses must be born on or before 31 December 2016 (no younger than eight years of age in the year that the Olympic Games take place).

What is the equestrian eventing qualification pathway to Paris 2024?

16 quota places for teams (48 athletes) will be allocated through the team qualification process, and 17 athletes will obtain one individual quota place each for their NOC through the Individual qualification process.

Team qualification process

16 NOCs will obtain team qualification; one as a host country place, fourteen team quota places through FEI Olympic Group Qualification Events and one through the FEI Eventing Nations Cup 2023, as per the list below. A team consists of three Athlete/Horse combinations.

• One quota: The host country.
• Seven quotas: The seven highest ranked teams from the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro, ITA (15-18 September 2022) excluding the host country team.
• Two quotas: The two highest ranked teams from the 2023 FEI European Eventing Championship, Pin du Haras, FRA (9-13 August 2023) from FEI Olympic Groups A and/or B excluding teams qualified as above.
• One quota: The highest ranked team from a Group C 2023 FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event (Location & date TBD), excluding teams qualified as above.
• Two quotas: The two highest ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and/or E at the 2023 Pan American Games, Santiago, CHI (26-29 October 2023), excluding teams qualified as above.
• Two quotas: The two highest ranked teams from the Olympic Groups F and/or G at a 2023 Group F and G FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event (Location & date TBD) excluding teams qualified as above
• One quota: The highest team according to the final classification of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series 2023, (location & date TBD) excluding teams qualified as above.

Individual qualification process

Only NOCs that have not accepted a team quota place are eligible to obtain individual quota places. Each athlete can obtain a maximum of one individual quota place for that athlete’s NOC.

14 quotas: The two highest-ranked athletes in the FEI Olympic Ranking – Eventing from each of the seven below-mentioned groups will qualify one individual quota place each for their NOC:

• 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

Three quotas: Three individual quota places will be allocated in descending order of the highest ranked athletes in the FEI Olympic Ranking – Eventing (overall ranking/up to a maximum of two quota places per NOC).

What is the Paris 2024 Equestrian eventing competition format and schedule?

The eventing competition will take place over three days: 27 July (eventing dressage), 28 July (eventing cross-country) and 29 July (eventing jumping) at the Chateau de Versailles.

All penalty points from all three phases are added up and the competitor with the lowest total points will be the winner. There will be two sets of medals to be awarded in two open events: the individual and team competition.

READ MORE: Olympic Games Paris 2024 sports calendar released

Equestrian eventing athletes to watch at Paris 2024

At Paris 2024, Andrew Hoy has the opportunity to compete at his 9th Olympic Games, a feat only four athletes in Olympic history have achieved. The 63-year-old Australian won a silver medal at Tokyo 2020 in the eventing team competition and became Australia's oldest Olympic medalist with six medals in his collection.

At Tokyo 2020, German rider Julia Krajewski made history in individual eventing by winning a gold medal and becoming the first woman ever to win gold in the event since Tokyo 1964 when women first took part in the event at the Olympics. Can the 33-year-old repeat the triumph or will a new star shine?

On the team side, France will expect to achieve more at Paris 2024 than they did at Tokyo 2020. They went to Tokyo as defending champions in team eventing, but Great Britain ended a 49-year drought to claim the title for the first time since 1972, and the silver medal went to the Australian team. Chateau de Versailles would be a great stage for France to return to the top of the podium once again.

Equestrian eventing qualification timeline to Paris 2024

• 15 – 18 September 2022: FEI Eventing World Championships (Pratoni, ITA)
• FEI Eventing World Championships 2022 – 31 December 2023: Period for NOCs to obtain a team quota place (NOC Certificate of Capability)
• December 2022 (Exact Date TBC): FEI to publish List of Olympic Ranking Events (and ranking rules) and List of 2023 MER Events
• 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023 (TBC): Ranking Period: FEI Olympic Ranking - Eventing
• 1 January 2023 – TBC 2024 (“MER Deadline”): Period for Athletes and Horses to obtain the FEI minimum eligibility requirements
• 9 – 13 August 2023: FEI Eventing European Championships (Pin du Haras, FRA) – FEI Olympic Groups A, B
• TBC 2023: Designated FEI Olympic Qualification Event (TBC) – FEI Olympic Group C
• 20 October – 5 November 2023: Pan American Games (Santiago, CHI) - FEI Olympic Groups D & E
• TBC 2023: FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event (TBC - FEI Olympic Groups F & G
• End of the 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup season: FEI Eventing Nations Cup Final Classification
• December 2023 (exact date TBC): FEI to publish list of 2024 MER Events
• Date: The Tripartite Commission to confirm in writing the allocation of Universality Places to the NOCs (where applicable).
• TBC: FEI to inform NOCs/NFs of their team quota place allocation
• TBC 2024: The NOCs to confirm to the FEI the use of the allocated team quota places to the FEI.
• TBC 2024: FEI to inform NOCs/NFs of: 1. allocation of Composite Team(s) quota place(s) (TBC) ; 2. reallocation of one Individual place to each NOC that has withdrawn their Team quota place; 3. allocation of Individual quota place. Determination of Individual quota places and Composite Teams based on FEI Olympic Ranking - Eventing
• TBC 2024: NOCs to confirm use of allocated Individual quota places and Composite Team(s) quota places to FEI
• TBC 2024: FEI to reallocate all unused quota places.
• TBC 2024 (“MER Deadline”): Deadline to achieve the minimum eligibility requirements. FEI Nominated Entries
• One day after the MER Deadline: FEI to receive FEI Certificates of Capability (Athlete and Horse combination)
• 8 July 2024: Paris 2024 Sport Entries deadline
• 26 July – 11 August 2024: Olympic Games Paris 2024

Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at Paris 2024.