Tokyo Olympic Games: showjumping

Welcome to Horse & Hound’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics showjumping. Our team of journalists, both on location in Japan and working from here in the UK, have been keeping you up to date with all the latest Olympic showjumping news as it happened throughout the Games.

Who won the Tokyo Olympic showjumping medals?

Great Britain’s Ben Maher with Explosion W became the new Olympic champion and won the gold medal. He takes over the title from his compatriot Nick Skelton (Big Star). Sweden’s Peder Fredricson with All In won the silver medal with bronze going to Maikel van der Vleuten with Beauville Z of the Netherlands.

In the team competition, the Swedish team took gold in a jump-off against the USA with Belgium in bronze. The Swedish riders had been in top form throughout the Games and they were deserved winners.

When and where did the Olympic showjumping take place?

The Olympic showjumping competitions took place on 3-4 and 6-7 August 2021 at the equestrian park, which is located in Tokyo’s Heritage Zone. In a change from previous Olympics, the individual competition was held before the team competition. The individual medals were awarded on 4 August with the team medals presented on 7 August.

Can I replay the Olympic showjumping competitions?

Check out our helpful guide explaining how to replay the Olympic showjumping action

Learn more about showjumping at the Olympics

Olympic showjumping news

Olympic showjumping: what you need to know

Who is on the Olympic showjumping teams?

Countries have selected their Olympic showjumping teams so we now know who will be riding in Tokyo, including who has been selected for the British Olympic showjumping team.

Who is likely to win a medal?

The new Olympic team showjumping format of just three riders will make the competition more difficult to predict, but Belgium, Germany and the USA are among the favourites for the podium in the team competition while you can also expect France, Netherlands, Switzerland and Great Britain to be in the race for a medal.

Does Britain have a good chance of winning a medal?

Yes, Great Britain will be heading to Tokyo with ambitions of bringing home both team and individual medals in the Olympic showjumping competition. Britain’s team includes Ben Maher and Explosion W, who is widely considered to be one of the best horses in the world at the current time and hopes will be high that they can improve on their individual silver at the 2019 Europeans. Find out more by reading our Olympic showjumping medal predictions.

What’s the Olympic showjumping competition format?

There will be both team and individual medals up for grabs in Tokyo, with the individual medals being decided first. All riders will compete in a one round competition on 3 August, then the top 30 go forward to the next round on 4 August. All riders will start this round on a zero score. There will be a jump off if there is a tie for medals.

After a rest day on 5 August, three riders from up to 20 countries will compete on 6 August in the team qualifier. The top 10 teams will then go forward to the team final on 7 August, all starting on a zero score. There will be a possible jump-off (involving all three team members) if there’s a tie for medals.

How many riders in an Olympic showjumping team?

There will be three horse and rider combinations in each team with all scores to count, plus one reserve who can be substituted in under certain circumstances.

Essential reading

• H&H’s beginners’ guide: what is showjumping at the Olympics
• H&H’s expert’s guide to the Olympic showjumping format

When did showjumping become an Olympic sport?

Equestrian jumping events were initially seen at the Olympics in the 1900 Games in Paris, before returning at the 1912 Games in Stockholm since when they have been a regular feature.