Paris 2024: history, rules, athletes, program, riding at the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Equestrian sports are bringing their share of elegance and prestige to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We tell you all about these eagerly-awaited equestrian events: history, key dates, venue, rules and French hopes, the competition will hold no secrets for you!

This summer, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP) will welcome an exceptional discipline: equestrian sports. Symbols of elegance, power and symbiosis between man and animal, these disciplines will find a majestic stage in Versailles to demonstrate their excellence and rich history.

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: when and on which channel to follow para equestrian on TV?
Where and when can you watch Para equestrian at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games (JOP) on TV? Discover the calendar, schedules and broadcast channels in France and around the world for para dressage at these JOPs. [Read more]

The history of riding :

In the annals of history, equestrian sports are written in gold letters as far back asantiquity, when the Greeks, aware of the importance of equine mastery in ensuring victory on the battlefield, devoted themselves to cultivating a perfect symbiosis between rider and mount. Thus was born dressage, an elaborate art designed to prepare steeds for the effervescence of conflict. At the ancient Olympic Games, horseback riding was the equivalent of chariot racing, a spectacular event that captivated audiences of the time. After falling into oblivion, the equestrian art re-emerged during the Renaissance, at the heart of royal courts and jousting tournaments.

Equestrianism at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games:

Château de Versailles (78)
individual and team
July 27 to August 6 and September 3 to 7

Paris 2024 : histoire, pratique, athlètes, tout savoir sur l'équitation aux Jeux Olympiques

Equestrian sports in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

The beginnings of equestrian sports at the Olympic Games date back to the dawn of the 20th century, with their first introduction in 1900. However, it wasn't until the Stockholm Games in 1912 that they were given a permanent place on the Olympic program. The 1952 Helsinki Games marked a major turning point for the discipline, as women were finally allowed to take part in the dressage event, which was now open to mixed competition. Then, in 1964, women finally had access to all equestrian disciplines, and equestrian became the only truly fully mixed sport at the Olympic Games.

Para-equestrian sport was not included in the Paralympic Games until 1996, at the Atlanta Games.

Riding at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, its rules :

Equestrian sports at the Olympic Games encompass three disciplines in which men and women compete in the same mixed category, individually and as a team.
- Show jumping requires riders to clear a timed course while avoiding knocking over the bars.
- Dressage showcases the perfect symbiosis between horse and rider through a series of gracefully executed figures.
- Eventing, a veritable equestrian triathlon, combines show jumping, dressage and cross-country (a route dotted with natural or fixed obstacles), testing the endurance and polivalence of horse and rider.

Equestrian sports at the Paralympic Games boil down to a single discipline: para-dressage. It's a mixed event, with all riders competing together in four different disability categories. What's on the program? Individual grand prix, team grand prix (compulsory figures to compulsory music), and individual free grand prix (free figures to chosen music). The latter is open only to the top eight teams in each individual grand prix category.

As a reminder, para dressage highlights the perfect symbiosis between horse and rider through a series of gracefully executed figures.

Equestrianism at the Paris 2024 Olympics and JOP, French athletes :

For these Paris 2024 Olympic Games, several French riders are worth keeping a close eye on, including François-Xavier Boudant or Pénélope Leprévost in show jumping, Thomas Carlile or Camille Lejeune in eventing, and Alexandre Ayache or Pauline Basquin in dressage.

For these Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, there are several French riders to keep a close eye on, including Lisa Cez, Alexia Pittier, Vladimir Vinchon and Chiara Zenati.

Where to go horse-riding in Paris and the Ile-de-France region?

Horse-riding: where to practice equestrian sports in Paris and the Île-de-France region
Do you dream of discovering horse riding in Paris and the Ile-de-France region? Let yourself be seduced by this ancient discipline, combining sport, passion and communion with nature. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned rider, the Paris region is home to numerous equestrian clubs where you can experience memorable moments on horseback. [Read more]