Main image: Stella Barton and Lord Larmarque, by One Eyed Frog Photography.
The FEI has officially informed Equestrian Australia and Paralympics Australia that Australia has qualified for four quota places in Equestrian at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
This is the maximum number of places that any nation can qualify and will enable Australia to enter four combinations in the Individual event and three in the Team event. Only 14 other nations have qualified for the maximum four quota places.
The Australian Equestrian Team selection process to determine the four combinations who will represent Australia is well underway and will conclude on 19 June.
Already, 24 Australian athletes (36 combinations) have achieved the International Paralympic Committee’s Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) for the Paris Paralympic Games.
The 2024 Paralympic Games run from 28 August – 8 September with Equestrian events scheduled for 3-7 September in the stunning grounds of the Château de Versailles.
Final Qualifying Events
Australian-based athletes will have two remaining opportunities to achieve their qualification scores for the Paralympics at the Carlton Performance Horses CPEDI (12-14 April) and
Hawkesbury Dressage Festival CPEDI (15-17 June).
Australia’s Nomination Criteria
To qualify for Paris, a combination must compete in two CPEDI 3* events between 1 January and 19 of June, and they must receive an overall percentage score of 67% or above in a Grand Prix Test A or B in at least two CPEDI 3* events between 1 October 2023 and 19 June 2024.
The complete criteria can be found HERE.
The events in Australia that scores will be considered from include:
- Australian Dressage Championships CPEDI (October 2023)
- Willinga Park CPEDI (16-18 February)
- Carlton Performance Horses CPEDI (12-14 April)
- Hawkesbury Dressage Festival CPEDI (15-17 June)