New details on the cross-country course, grooms’ accommodation and stabling have been revealed as the organising team gears up for the Paris Olympics 2024, followed by the Paralympic Games.
The Paris 2024 organising team gave an update on detailed logistics for next summer’s equestrian events at Versailles at the FEI sports forum in Lausanne (24–25 April). Delivering the events has been outsourced to GL Events, which has experience of running major horse shows including last month’s Fontainebleau CDI5* and CSI4*.
The historic site of Versailles, plus Paris 2024’s pledge to reduce the Games’ carbon footprint by half compared to previous editions, sets extra logistical challenges for the organisers.
Further news on testing plans, both on- and off-site, were revealed at the sports forum, along with specifics about how horses will be stabled and where support crews will be sleeping.
Horses will be stabled by discipline, rather than by nation, and there will be tight-turnaround arrival and departure windows. Organisers are also looking at using nearby venue Jardy as a base for those who have travelled a long way and wish to arrive earlier, or stay a little longer.
The eventers will be first to arrive on 24 July, followed by dressage horses on 26 July. The event horses will leave on 29 July, vacating their stables in time for these to be disinfected ahead of the showjumpers’ arrival the following day.
This means the dressage horses will be in a “nice calm area and not bothered by the eventers when they leave”.
FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibañez highlighted this point in her end-of-day summary.
“In these 11 days of competition, the principle in mind has always been the welfare of the horse,” said Ms Ibanez. “That is why they have the stabling by discipline and not by national federation, it’s bearing in mind the mental state of our horses as well.”
There will be three warm-up areas, each divided into two to make six arenas, and a one-way system will be in operation for competitors walking to the 10-minute box and leaving the competition arena, so there will be no horses crossing over in those final crucial minutes.
Grooms will be staying in a newly built Huttopia eco-hostel, a 700m walk or cycle from the stables, and vets in a hotel 2.5km from the stables. Organisers confirmed that grooms can stay in their lorries, should they wish, but there will be no electricity or catering in the lorry park. The main athletes’ village is around a 55-minute journey from Versailles.
Grooms’ accommodation is made up of double and triple rooms and chalets, and will be allocated by gender, nation, and discipline.
The restrictions that come with running at Versailles means most of the testing will be done at Fontainebleau instead, from 22 to 28 April 2024.
“There’s two things to bear in mind. The first one is that the International Olympic Committee is really trying to reduce the carbon impact and obviously make these Games wonderful but as cost-effective as possible too,” said GL Events equestrian sport president Sylvie Robert
“As a result of that and also because the equestrian events will be taking place in Versailles, which is of course the most fabulous site in France, but also a site that is very historic with a lot of heritage. We have to protect our heritage for future generations, which means you can’t do whatever you want whenever you want in Versailles.”
The cross-country test will run at Versailles on 22 and 23 August 2023, when national federations will be able to see the topography and the footing. H&H has previously reported on details of Pierre Le Goupil’s cross-country course for Paris 2024, which will be 5,300m, with an optimum time of 9min 18sec, featuring two pontoon crossings and 25 obstacles including three water jumps.
“You’ll also be able to see all the pontoons that will be installed. It will not be one of the ones actually used next year, but it’s to give you an idea of what one of the pontoons will be like and horses will be going across it,” said sport manager Jean Morel.
FEI Games operations director Tim Hadaway said “a lot of detailed planning has gone into preparations for next year”.
“I can vouch for the fact, having also just got back from Fontainebleau, that it is an incredibly useful resource facility for the team to be able to use to prepare,” said Mr Hadaway.
“Next year will be a much bigger test in that respect and a particularly vital opportunity to bring teams together, whether that be the volunteers, officials and GL’s core team, and forge those relationships and those ways of working that ultimately are one of the most critical factors in the success of delivering these events.”
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