Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
What is the path to qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games? A total of 65 combinations will compete in eventing, with 15 teams made up of three combinations each (45 total combinations) and a further 20 slots allotted to individual combinations. EN is breaking down the qualification process in a handy series of articles.
As the host nation, Japan automatically received one of the team quota places. The top six teams from the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games at Tryon also qualified. As Japan finished fourth at WEG and already had qualification as the host nation, the qualification berth stretched to the team that finished seventh.
Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand all secured Olympic qualification at WEG. Alongside Japan, that gives us seven nations already qualified for Tokyo, with a further eight team slots up for grabs.
This is a critical week for qualification, as one Olympic team slot is on the line at Baborówko CCIO4*-L in Poland, with two team slots up for grabs at Saumur CCIO3*-L in France.
The CCIO4*-L at Baborówko is an FEI Olympic Qualification Event for Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Central Asia. Belarus, Poland and Russia have all fielded teams for the competition. The best placed team from those three countries will secure Olympic qualification. Click here to view the full entry list.
The CCIO3*-L at Saumur is serving as an FEI Olympic Qualification Event for Africa and the Middle East, as well as Southeast Asia and Oceania. China, Hong Kong and Thailand have all fielded teams, and the two best placed nations will take an Olympic slot. Click here to view the full entry list.
Looking ahead to the Pan American Games, which run at the CCIO3*-L level on Aug. 1-4 in Lima, Peru, two Olympic slots will be awarded to the two best placed teams. No countries in FEI Olympic Groups D and E have secured qualification, and all eyes will be on the U.S., Canada and Brazil.
Two Olympic team slots will be awarded to the two best placed teams from FEI Olympic Groups A and B not already qualified at the FEI European Championships, which run at the CCIO4*-L level in Luhmühlen, Germany, on Aug. 28-Sept. 1. Great Britain, Ireland, France and Germany are already qualified.
The 15th and final Olympic team slot will be awarded at the conclusion of the 2019 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series to the highest ranked country in the final standings not already qualified. The series kicks off this weekend at Houghton Hall CCIO4*-S in England and will conclude at Boekelo CCIO4*-L in the Netherlands on Oct. 13. Click here to view the Nations Cup calendar.
Next up in EN’s series: the qualification process for the 20 individual slots. If you want to read more about Tokyo qualification in the meantime, click here. Go Eventing.
