Thomas Heffernan Ho Will Represent Hong Kong at Tokyo Olympics

Graphic courtesy of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation.

Upon the deadline for achieving the Olympic Games Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) on Monday 21 June 2021, the HKEF is delighted to confirm that eventing rider Thomas Heffernan Ho, who has earned the qualifying result to Olympics Eventing Individual, will be the representative for Equestrian to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Thomas also earned the first-ever Eventing Individual slot for Hong Kong back in 2020 by ranking the second regionally after India. Thomas and his long-term partner Tayberry has achieved the first full MER at Strzegom CCI4*-L and Arville CCI4*-S in 2019. Under the FEI requirement for the postponed Olympics, the combination further earned the confirmation result at Sopot CCI4*-S last September, and thus a full qualification to the Olympics.

With impressive achievement and being the only eventing rider in Hong Kong qualifying for the Olympics level, Thomas was selected the Hong Kong representative and will be competing with his horse Tayberry at Sea Forest Cross-Country Course and Baji Koen Equestrian Park from 30 July to 2 August.

On top of the first eventing representative, Hong Kong is also sending the first-ever Para Dressage team to the Paralympic Games. Based on the top six international results obtained before 31 January 2020, Hong Kong riders Timothy Tsang Tin-chi and Natasha Tse Pui-ting ranked among the top three on the FEI Paralympic Individual Asia Region Ranking List and attained the maximum of two slots available. Fleur Schrader, who received a Bipartite Commission Invitation with outstanding results, will be joining Timothy and Natasha to Tokyo.

With Hong Kong obtaining three individual slots and all athletes fulfilling the required criteria to form a team, it is exciting to see the first Para Dressage team to the Paralympics, marking the milestone of equestrian sport in Hong Kong. The Paralympic equestrian events are going to be held at Baji Koen Equestrian Park shortly after the Olympics from 26 to 30 August.

The HKEF would like to congratulate all riders for their achievements and we invite all to wish them the best of luck in Tokyo this summer.