Mock up of the Baji Koen Equestrian Park Tokyo 2020
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) officially welcomed on board the Japan Racing Association (JRA) as a Tokyo 2020 Official Contributor in late December 2018
Official Contributors can refer to their involvement through the use of designations that explain their contribution within the territory of Japan and, in its capacity as an Official Contributor, the JRA will contribute in three main areas;
- renovation of the Equestrian Park and financial support for the temporary overlay work for the Equestrian Park
- lending the Equestrian Park for free before and during the Games period
- and support for operation of the Equestrian competition of the Games, such as sending veterinarians.
Masayuki Goto, President and CEO of JRA commented, “The Equestrian Park of the Japan Racing Association was privileged to host the equestrian events of the Olympic Games Tokyo 1964, and has been taking a role to disseminate and promote equestrian sports and equine culture. After a half century passed, with us once again hosting Olympic events in the Equestrian Park, we are proud to cooperate in the smooth operation of the Games through overall renovation of the facilities and financial support for the overlay facilities, and through our many years' experience and knowledge about horses. Moreover, through these efforts, we will endeavour to create an important legacy that will continue to benefit the development of equestrian sports and equine culture long after Tokyo 2020 Games.”
The main equestrian site is being built at Baji Koen, the JRA owned facility that hosted the Tokyo 1964 Olympic equestrian events; under the Organising Committee’s original plans, the main equestrian venue was at Dream Island on Tokyo Bay but the switch to Baji Koen put equestrian sport right back in the centre of the Olympic cluster.
The Eventing Cross Country phase remains at Sea Forest, also known as Umi no Mori, in Tokyo Bay where the Olympic rowing, canoe sprint and mountain biking will also be staged with the two venues approximately one hour apart (less by public transport)
The recent FEI General Assembly included an update on the preparations for the equestrian events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by Haruta Yasuhiko, Equestrian Sport Manager for Tokyo 2020 including the eventing officials, eventing schedule and Test Event dates/format
Eventing Officials
Eventing Competition Manager: Alec Lochore
Eventing Technical Delegate: Phillip Surl
Course Designer: Derek Di Grazia
Course Builder: David Evans
2020 Eventing Schedule
31st July: Dressage
1st August: Dressage
2nd August: Cross Country
3rd August: Show Jumping (Team and Individual Final)
2019 Test Event
Dates: 12th – 14th August
Format: CCI3* - Short
Haruta Yasuhiko’s presentation in the video below (starting at 30 minutes and finishing at 52 minutes) also provides information on the transportation of horses (7 days quarantine coming from Europe to Japan then just 24 hours inspection period on arrival) plus venue maps and locations showing the development so far and course areas at the Sea Forest Cross Country Course
