
Equestrian events were included in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1900 and then in 1912, in a format very similar to that which was used at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. In the past, the three-day event (Eventing) was restricted to military officers, while the jumping and dressage competitions were open to civilians, but only a handful of civilian riders competed up to 1948. [Full story]
Eventing: 75 riders and 75 horses (no reserve horses)
Dressage: 50 riders and 50 horses (10 reserve horses/1 per team)
Jumping: 75 riders and 75 horses (15 reserve horses/1 per team)
PRINCIPLES
QUALIFICATION TIMELINE
Eventing:
| 20-27 August 2006 | World Equestrian Games (WEG), Aachen (GER) |
| 14-29 July 2007 | Pan-American Games, Rio de Janeiro (BRA) |
| 6–9 September 2007 | FEI Group F & G Championship, Blenheim (GBR) |
| 13-16 September 2007 | European Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) |
| 15 November 2007 | Deadline for the submission of requests for Tripartite Commission Invitation places by all NOCs |
| 1 May 2008 | FEI Olympic Riders Ranking -- Eventing used to determine individual entries |
| 1 May 2008 | FEI to inform NOCs/NFs of their qualified quota positions (also for ranking list) |
| 31 May 2008 | NOCs to confirm use of qualified quota positions to FEI |
| 15 June 2008 | FEI to confirm allocation of final qualification places, including confirmation of any allocation of Tripartite Commission Invitation places |
| 30 June 2008 | Deadline for riders and horses to achieve the FEI minimum eligibility criteria |
| July 2008 | The Tripartite Commission will confirm, in writing, the allocation of Invitation places to the NOCs |
| 23 July 2008 | Deadline for Beijing 2008 Organising Committee to receive entry forms submitted by NOCs |
SYSTEM
Eventing:
| Event | Qualification | Total |
| EVENTING TEAMS | The 5 best placed teams from the 2006 World Equestrian Games, Aachen(GER) | GER (1) |
| GBR (2) | ||
| AUS (3) | ||
| USA (4) | ||
| SWE (5) | ||
| The 2 best placed teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and E of the 2007 Pan American Championship, excluding the teams qualified above |
2 | |
| The best placed team from the Olympic Group F/G Championship at an FEI approved 2007 Asia Pacific Eventing Championship excluding teams qualified above |
1 | |
| The 2 best placed teams from the 2007 European Championship (Pratoni Del Vivaro ITA), excluding teams qualified as above |
1 | |
| 10 | ||
| EVENTING INDIVIDUALS | The host nation (CHN & HKG) will be qualified with 1 individual, if not otherwise qualified |
1/1 |
Each NOC of the competitor placed first in the FEI Olympic Riders Ranking - A - North Western Europe; |
7 | |
| The completion of the quota, either to fill up the spaces available or following the cancellation of team or individual entries by a nation, will be achieved by taking the riders in their order of classification in the FEI Olympic Riders Ranking -- Eventing of 1 May 2008 to reach a total of 75 riders | + | |
| In accordance with the specifications noted under the heading 'Tripartite Commission (IOC-ANOC-FEI) Invitation places', Invitation places may be distributed to NOCs if confirmed by the Tripartite Commission | + | |
| Total | 75 riders and 75 horses (no reserve horses) |
Entries confirmed (CHN)
None
Entries confirmed (INT'L)
Dressage Team Competition: 8 places
Germany, Netherlands, USA, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain, Canada, Brazil
Eventing Team Competition: 9 places
Germany, Great Britain, Australia, USA, Sweden, Canada, Brazil, France, Italy
Jumping Team Competition: 15/16 places
Netherlands, USA, Germany, Ukraine, Switzerland, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, People's Republic of China/Hong-Kong
Raimondo D'Inzeo
Raimondo D'Inzeo and his brother, Piero, were the first Olympians ... [Full story]
Lis Hartel
Women won the right to compete in Olympic dressage for the first time in 1952. [Full story]