Kristy Oatley and Du Soleil on their way to 74.605% in the GP Special.

© Michelle Terlato

By Equestrian Life

Australia has qualified a dressage team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a great performance at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon.

According to the qualification criteria, “The six (6) best ranked teams from the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) excluding the Host Country team” qualify — this was Germany, USA, Great Britain, Sweden, Netherlands and Spain.

Australia finished in eighth place, however, the criteria also states under team qualification avenues: “The (1) best ranked team from Group G from the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games or if this quota is not filled at the FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 the quota will be allocated at a 2019 Group G FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event, excluding the teams qualified above.”

Group G consists of the following countries from South East Asia and Oceania: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China People’s Republic, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Of these countries, only Japan posted a team score at WEG and finished in 14th place behind Australia. New Zealand did not field a dressage team at WEG this year.

This means that being the highest placed Group G nation at WEG, it appears Australia has qualified a team for Tokyo 2020. Go Aussies!

All Tokyo 2020 qualification information can be found here.

2018 WEG dressage team rankings can be found here.


 

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