Not correct. Group D is North America. Two individuals from Group D will get individual spots. Individuals from the US will not be eligible because the US has a team spot. Hence, the only potential individuals to get Group D spots are from Canada as it appears that Mexico and Puerto Rico are considered to be Group E (Central and South America).
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Interesting, so 2 from each group then? Will the Americans be counted for this in this…?
No individuals will be taken from countries that have qualified and are sending teams - which sorta makes sense as the intent is to make the sport more representative of the world.
There is some verbage I haven’t processed about what happens if a nation that has qualified a team doesn’t send a team - I think they may then get some sort of preference for an individual spot but there seem to be some nuances that didn’t seem worth sorting out in the context of this discussion.
If a country that qualified at a championship run at a level lower than 4*-L (ie anyone other than the Europeans) doesn’t have enough qualified riders/horses to field a team, it goes to FEI points.
If MER’s aren’t met by the end of the year, the team slot reverts back to the country with the 3 highest ranked riders on the FEI world rankings who has not qualified a team.
It’s hard to overstate how hot and, worse, humid it around Tokyo in August. I hope the weather doesn’t cause any health crises.
I would agree with that, but didn’t we have the same concerns about Rio and China? They weren’t great, but they worked out I think. I suspect the Olympics won’t be around in present form past this one because of the tremendous cost. It doesn’t help that so many coaches, in various disciplines have been found to be perverts. I think especially the gymnasts. Everyone loves the gymnasts. I seem to remember that NBC took a bath last time, so if that happens again. They may not be so eager to spend that much in the future if it is becoming a money-losing game. IIRC, the only one that made any money was the one in LA. So I don’t know how many wealthy countries will apply for them.
What is surprising is not that the Olympics could come to an end due to unwieldy-ness, massive costs and massive losses, but that the Olympics has continued as long as it has. I’m sort of surprised every time an Olympics actually takes place, after a run up of years of host country turmoil and angst.
My theory is that as long as the business people who drive the Olympic bus can keep convincing under-economized nations to accept them, so that those business people can reap the kickbacks and corruption from farming out huge building contracts, there will always be another Olympics.
Occasionally they do hit first line economies as they did in London, and now Tokyo.
And the industry of athletes and advertising that funds a good part of the Olympics seems to be majorly dependent on it for keeping their sports vigorous and profitable. Being a highlight sport in the Olympics does seem to draw many new participants. Whether or not NBC ‘needs’ the Olympics, their advertisers and the sports they cover seem to need them a great deal.
Controversy sells, and attracts eyeballs. I will find it tedious and unpleasant to have to hear about the gymnastics scandal over and over for the duration of the Olympics. But that’s what will happen. Maybe it can be turned into a learning opportunity.
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I’m glad they made all the changes so the sport is easier to follow :lol:
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And Paris (2024) and LA (2028)
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Maybe NBC could get out of their hole with the olympics if they actually showed more of the equestrian events. Bet they’d see an uptick Their reasoning, I’ve asked, is that no one really tunes into the equestrian events when they broadcast them throughout the year. My reply was well no kidding most people watch the event live through other channels. Maybe give it a try? Instead of a watered down replay a month later?
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haven’t they given the Breeder’s Cup away totally by now? If that is so, why not break it up and give different sports to different networks.
China and Rio must not have come home winners for whoever makes these decisions. (Not the countries themselves, who I understand both came out well below what was hoped.) Both were a huge reach, requiring some cultural modifications in addition to building the Olympics. But they did have a lot of big construction contracts to hand around. :yes:
Yes, I’m sure the weather was a cause for concern in Rio and China. I remember being in Beijing a couple years before the Olympics and seeing all the construction. The pollution was so insane in that city that that was all I could think about. And I guess everyone survived so they will survive Tokyo.
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Weren’t the equestrian events held in Hong Kong during the Beijing games? I think once a horse enters mainland China they can’t leave?
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Yes to the Hong Kong (many of the same issues, no existing facilities of the type needed, lots of construction).
Horses can leave China. The Western countries said they could not re-enter those countries after having been to the Olympic location in China.
Yes, If you had taken your Olympic horse to mainland China you would not be bringing it back home with you. That was the point.
Why?
Apparently they’ve been working on it; https://thehorse.com/137130/hong-kon…ase-free-zone/
but they had contagious equine diseases that have been eradicated elsewhere. A google should get you more detail. I can try later if you can’t, to find more specific info. No time now.
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Yikes that really sucks. Any Chinese that would want to compete in eventing internationally would have to move and buy a horse out of the country then I’m assuming?
Yes, they buy horses from Western countries.
