3 wishes for Tokyo

from H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald

A celebration of the new format:

1 one of the greatest fears ahead of this Olympics is whether the new format with all three scores counting (no fourth rider or drop score) still produces the “right” winner. Horses can have off days, mistakes are made in the heat of the moment and wouldn’t it be a disaster if a rider jumps the gold medal-winning round for a team, only to be eliminated for the blood rule? But as events such as the Global Champions League, where all scores count, have proved, it can make for exciting viewing. Perhaps it will be the rejuvenation the sport needs as a TV spectacle.

A proper test: there is some talk about how stern a test the Olympics will be, if they do go ahead in 2021. With countries coming out of lockdown at various rates and under different regulations, some may struggle to be up to speed in time. The tracks for the final rounds of the Games are, quite rightly, some of the most difficult riders will tackle. Let’s hope they’re not dumbed down too much – we want the Olympic champion to be fully deserving of that accolade.

A hat-trick of golds: with team gold in 2012 and individual gold in 2016, Great Britain’s showjumpers have had plenty to cheer about at the past two Games. We have one of our greatest hopes in Ben Maher and Explosion: it would be amazing if he – or any of his teammates – could make it three out of three at the top of the podium.