The Paris 2024 Olympics start Friday July 26 with the athletes’ parade floating down the Siene River on barges.
It’s unlikely that equestrians will be on those barges because their competition gets underway the next day. Eventing’s first horse inspection is that Friday, and the dressage phase begins Saturday July 27.
Eventing competition runs that Saturday through Monday, July 29; dressage starts Tuesday July 30 and concludes Monday, Aug. 4; and show jumping starts Thursday, Aug. 1 and concludes Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The Paralympic Games, which include Para-Dressage, start two weeks after the Olympic Games end. They run from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.
Watching live will be a test of our dedication because Paris is 9 hours ahead of us on Central European Time.
Here’s a preview of the teams known as we went to press, and notes about any connections they have to Galway Downs and California in general.
Plus, the schedule for each discipline and helpful links for how to watch the action.
Go Team USA!
The Teams & Their Connections
EVENTING
Boyd Martin – Fedarman B
Will Coleman – Off The Record
Caroline Pamucku – HSH Blake
Liz Halliday – Cooley Nutcracker, traveling reserve
Boyd Martin was our CCI-L winner at the Fall International in 2020. The East Coast-based Olympian had not been here in a long time and had oodles of praise for Galway Downs as a venue and competition host. Boyd’s Olympic partner, Fedarman B, is part-owned by Ava and Jordan Chase, long-time Galway Downs competitors and volunteers.
Traveling reserve Liz Halliday is a San Diego native. She returned in force last year to top the USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship here. Her partner then and as Olympic traveling reserve is Cooley Nutcracker.
We were all heartbroken when hometown hero Tamie Smith, 2023 Land Rover Kentucky 5* Champion, announced that she and Mai Baum had withdrawn themselves from Olympic consideration. Mai Baum had sustained a minor tweak before going to Kentucky in April for a 4*-S warm-up. It put them off their plan to be in peak form for a team mandatory outing before the final selections were announced June 3.
“We felt Mai Baum would have contributed positively to the Team had he been selected,” Tamie told her social media followers of the difficult decision. Her grace in the announcement and putting her horse first were applauded.
DRESSAGE
Steffen Peters – Suppenkasper
Marcus Orlob – Jane
Adrienne Lyle – Helix
Endel Ots – Bohemian, traveling reserve
San Diego resident and frequent Galway Downs champion Steffen Peters earned a spot at his sixth Olympic Games. As in Tokyo, he’ll be riding Suppenkasper, aka the world-renowned “Rave Horse,” thanks to a viral video of their Tokyo freestyle en route to an historic US team silver.
Suppenkasper, aka “Mopsie,” is owned by generous equestrian sport supporters Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm. Akiko’s daughter Miki dominated the CDI Y FEI Young Riders division at our Pacific Coast CDI last year.
The US team’s chef d’equipe Christine Traurig is another San Diego resident. She has frequented Galway Downs in her earlier and current roles as scout of developing horses and riders. Young San Diego professional Anna Buffini toured Europe as one of the USET’s short listed riders, but this was not her year to make the team when the squad was announced on Friday June 21.
SHOW JUMPING
The USET announced their 10-pair short list in April and was expected to announce the final team by July 7. The list included two native Californians, Karl Cook, who is based in Rancho Santa Fe, and Natalie Dean, from the Bay Area.
Several riders are in contention with multiple horse possibilities, and the list includes all of the Tokyo silver medalists: Laura Kraut, Jessica Springsteen, McLain Ward and Kent Farrington.
The additional short-listed riders are Katie Dinan, Lillie Keenan, Callie Shott and Aaron Vale.
The Schedule – Plan Your Wee-Hours Watch Party!
Paris is nine hours ahead of us on Central European Time. So, it’s going to be wee-hours viewing to watch the action live.
NBC Universal has broadcasting rights to the Paris 2024 Olympics in the U.S. The coverage is likely to be carried across Peacock TV and its related TV channels, including NBC, USA Network. If you don’t have cable, this article in Horse And Hound explains service options and their costs for US residents.
Here’s the link to NBC’s Equestrian Live Streaming Schedule.
Schedules
Eventing
Day Event Time in Paris/California
| Saturday, July 27 | Team & Individual Dressage | 9:30 am/12:30 am |
| Sunday, July 28 | Team Cross-Country | 10:30 am/1:30 am |
| Individual Cross-Country | 13:00 am/3 am | |
| Monday, July 29 | Individual Jumping Qualifier | 11 am/2 am |
| Team Jumping Final + medal ceremony | 12:15 pm/3:15 am | |
| Individual Jumping Final + medal ceremony | 15 pm/6 am |
Dressage Schedule
| Day | Event | Time in Paris/California |
| Tuesday, July 30 | Team Grand Prix Day 1 | 11 am/2 am |
| Individual Grand Prix Day 1 | 13:45/4:45 am | |
| Wednesday, July 31 | Team Grand Prix Day 2 | 10/1 am |
| Individual Grand Prix Day 2 | 12:45/3 am | |
| Saturday, August 3 | Team Grand Prix Special + Team Medal Ceremony | 10/1 am |
| Sunday, August 4 | Individual Grand Prix Freestyle + Individual Medal Ceremony | 10 /1 am |
Show Jumping Schedule
| Day | Event | Time in Paris |
| Thursday, Aug. 1 | Team qualifier | 11 am/2 am |
| Friday, Aug 2 | Team Final + Team Medal Ceremony | 14 pm/ 7 am |
| Monday, Aug. 5 | Individual Qualifier | 14 pm/7 am |
| Tuesday, Aug. 6 | Individual Final + Individual Medal Ceremony | 10 am/1 am |
The Paralympic Para-Dressage schedule can be found here.