Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
A total of 90 horse and rider combinations will descend on Pratoni del Vivaro to the east of Rome, Italy, next week as the 2022 FEI World Championships for Eventing and Driving are finally upon us. Definite entries have just been released, confirming the nominated entries that were sent in last month.
Representing 27 countries, 16 of which will field a team of four riders (and most major governing bodies will also opt to fill their individual allotment) and the remainder of which will send individual competitors.
The all-important qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris lie front of mind for those competing in Italy next week. The top seven teams from Pratoni — excluding France, which as Olympic host country secures automatic qualification — will march on to Paris with their berth in hand. The remaining teams will need to qualify through other Championships such as 2023 European Championships or the 2023 Pan American Games, among others.
Individual berths, while not given out with Pratoni placings, are given to the top-ranked rider in each FEI group (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) and to countries which have not accepted a team berth.
Lea Siegl (AUT) and DSP Fighting Line. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Definite entries are primarily a narrowing-down from a country’s long list of qualified and in-contention riders. Most larger countries have already announced their traveling squad — visit our Ultimate Guide to FEI World Championships to catch up on team announcements — but some rosters have taken a clearer shape with this latest entry update:
Austria has narrowed its list to a three-rider team consisting of Harald Ambros with Mountbatton 2, Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati and Oklahoma 2, and Lea Siegl and DSP Fighting Line.
Belgium has named its five-rider squad (which will be divided into four team members and one individual competitor): Karin Donckers and Fletcha van T’Verahof, Jamo Verwimp and Mahalia, Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville, Senne Vervaecke and Google Van Alsingen, and Maarten Boon with Gravin van Cantos.
Japan will send a team of four to Italy: Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka JRA, Yoshiaki Oiwa and Calle 44, Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne JRA, and Toshiyuki Tanaka with Swiper JRA.
The Netherlands will not field a team this year, instead sending two individual pairs: Sanne de Jong and Enjoy as well as Jordy Wilken with Burry Spirit.
The full list of Definite Entries and much more information ahead of next week can be found here. FEI World Championships for Eventing begin in earnest on Wednesday, September 14 with the first horse inspection. Dressage will commence on September 15 and conclude on September 16, followed by cross country on Saturday, September 17 and show jumping on Sunday, September 18. All phases of competition will be live streamed on FEI.TV, which is now a part of ClipMyHorse.TV — click here to learn more and sign up.
Want more Pratoni news? Head over to our Ultimate Guide to FEI World Championships for Eventing, and be sure to sign up for the #Pratoni2022 Daily Digest email, which will begin delivering to your inbox daily on Tuesday, September 13.
