How to qualify in Para equestrian
How para equestrian riders qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics
Para equestrian (para dressage) at LA28 has 11 medal events and 78 places, all open to men and women riding together:
- Individual test, Grades I to V (five events);
- Individual freestyle to music, Grades I to V (five events);
- Team (one event).
Places go to the country (except invitations), and a country can win at most four. Most places are won as teams of four:
| Route | Teams | Riders |
|---|---|---|
| The host (United States) | 1 | 4 |
| 2026 FEI World Championships (Aachen, August 2026): best seven teams | 7 | 28 |
| 2027 European Championships: best team not yet qualified | 1 | 4 |
| Team ranking, best team from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania | 4 | 16 |
| Team ranking, next two | 2 | 8 |
| Individual ranking: three per region, countries without a team | - | 15 |
| Invitations | - | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 78 |
The World Championships route has already been decided: it was held in Aachen, Germany, from 10 to 23 August 2026. The United States won team gold; the seven places went to the next seven teams: Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, France and Sweden (Sweden finished eighth). With the host, 8 of the 15 teams are known.
Every horse and rider pair must have two scores of 64% or more in a Grand Prix Test A or B at two different FEI 3-star or higher para events, between 1 January 2026 and 9 July 2028.
Team places
- Host: the United States qualifies four riders. If it cannot field a team by 28 February 2028, it may have up to two individual places; the rest go to the next country on the individual ranking.
- 2026 World Championships: the best seven teams, apart from the host.
- 2027 European Championships (Randboel, Denmark, 17 to 22 August 2027): the best team not already qualified.
- Regional team ranking: the best team, not already qualified, from each of Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania on the FEI Paralympic Team Ranking at 31 December 2027. If a region has no team on the list, its place goes to the next team, from any region.
- Team ranking: the next two teams not already qualified.
The team ranking covers 1 January to 31 December 2027 and adds each team's best two team results at qualifying events.
Individual places
Only countries without a team place can win these. The three best-ranked riders from each of five regions (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania) on the FEI Paralympic Individual Ranking at 31 December 2027 win a place for their country, whatever their grade, at most two per country. The individual ranking adds each rider's best six results in 2027.
For India, which has no team at this level, this is the main route, against the other countries of Asia.
Invitations
Three places go by invitation; applications through the FEI by 13 March 2028. Any not given go to the next country on the individual ranking.
Teams and entries
- A country can enter up to four riders in the individual events and one team.
- A team is three riders, who must also ride the individual events; at least one must be Grade I, II or III; at most two riders per grade.
- A country with three or more riders who meet the FEI team criteria must enter the team event. If they do not meet the criteria, all its places can be used for individual events only.
- An athlete can win only one place for their country.
Unused places
A country can accept three or four team places. If it uses fewer than three, it can ride with at most two riders in individual events only. Unused team and individual places go to the next country on the individual ranking without a team place, at most two per country. After 20 March 2028 they go back to the IPC.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Minimum eligibility scores can be set from now |
| 10 to 23 August 2026 | FEI Para Dressage World Championships, Aachen (decided) |
| 15 December 2026 | FEI publishes the 2027 qualifying events |
| 1 January to 31 December 2027 | Team and individual ranking period |
| 17 to 22 August 2027 | European Championships, Randboel |
| 14 February 2028 | Invitation applications open |
| 28 February 2028 | FEI tells countries their places; host must confirm its team |
| 13 March 2028 | Countries confirm their places; invitation applications close |
| 20 March 2028 | Reallocation and invitations announced; countries declare use |
| 5 May 2028 | Accreditation Long List due |
| 9 July 2028 | Last day to set the 64% scores |
| 10 July 2028 | National federations send the Certificate of Capability to the FEI |
| 24 July 2028 | Sport entries close |