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The eventers are in town! Check out the British team and others during arena familiarisation in Tokyo


  • This evening the Olympic event horses in Tokyo had a familiarisation session in the main arena, plus showjumping training under lights.

    Each national team was allocated times so their riders had 10 minutes to ride in the final warm-up area, 10 minutes in the main arena (below) outside the dressage boards and then 10 minutes inside the dressage boards. The riders and horses then had 15 minutes when they could use the cooling tents before 10 minutes in an outer arena with showjumps set up.

    Arena familiarisation for Olympic event horses in Tokyo

    If a nation does not have a full team of Olympic event horses in Tokyo, they were grouped with another nation or nations in the same situation.

    The sessions started at 6.20pm and all the arenas were floodlit, with the sun setting during the early part of the evening.

    All the teams took advantage of the opportunity to work in the main arena, but not all teams – or every horse from certain teams – jumped. None of the British Olympic event horses in Tokyo were jumped this evening.

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: the British team

    Laura Collett and London 52

    Laura Collett and London 52 during arena familiarisation in Tokyo

    Showing off their walk in the main arena

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Laura Collett and London 52 in the cooling tent after arena familiarisation

    In the cooling tent after the session

    Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class

    Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class during arena familiarisation in Tokyo

    In the final warm-up area

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class during arena familiarisation

    Best foot forward in right canter

    Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class during arena familiarisation in Tokyo

    A pat during work in the final warm-up area

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class leaving the arena after arena familiarisation

    Oliver with Ballaghmor Class’s co-owner and his right-hand woman, Karyn Shuter, plus groom Jess McKie

    Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser

    Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser during arena familiarisation in Tokyo

    Trotting in the main arena, with performance manager Dickie Waywood in the background

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Tom McEwen and Toledo De Kerser coming out of the main ring after arena familiarisation

    Leaving the arena

    Alternate Ros Canter and Allstar B

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Ros Canter and Allstar B leaving the arena after arena familiarisation

    Leaving the main arena

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Ros Canter and Allstar B in the cooling tent after arena familiarisation

    In the cooling tent

    Other nations

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Kazuma Tomoto with Vinci De La Vigne, alongside groom Jackie Potts

    Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto with Vinci De La Vigne, alongside groom Jackie Potts

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH

    Germany’s reigning Olympic champion Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Sam Watson and Flamenco

    Ireland’s Sam Watson and Flamenco

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue

    Irish alternate Austin O’Connor on Colorado Blue, with Oliver Townend, Karyn Shuter and Jess McKie

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue

    Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue

    Olympic event horses in Tokyo: Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua

    Ireland’s Cathal Daniels keeps Rioghan Rua relaxed in a longer frame

    Vittoria Panizzon and Super Cillious

    Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon and Super Cillious

    Jesse Campbell on Diachello and Jonelle Price on Grovine De Reve

    New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell on Diachello and Jonelle Price on Grovine De Reve

    Pictures by Peter Nixon

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