The Path of the National Team of Israel in Show Jumping to Tokyo 2020

The Israel Equestrian Federation created Team Israel in Show Jumping only in 2018, and less than a year since its debut the Team qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. This presentation will focus on the creation of the team, the path to Tokyo, the members and the new Olympic competition format.

For many years Israel had only one jumper who was ranked among the 100 best athletes in the world (Elad Yaniv), but during those years it was a motive to influence Jewish riders to make Aliya and represent Israel. Already in 2014 there were two unsuccessful events that included three jumpers who together formed Team Israel.

In 2016 the decisive moment arrived. Two former Olympic riders made Aliya and got the approval of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to represent Israel – Daniel Bluman (represented Colombia twice in the Olympic Games) and Alberto Michan (represented Mexico twice in the Olympic Games). They joined Dani G. Waldman (formerly Danielle Goldstein) and together Team Israel was born. The team competed in the World Equestrian Games (the World Championship) in 2018. Since its debut Team Israel has been structured as a high performance team, and has been considered one of the best in the world under the Chef d`Equipe Hans Horn and the team trainer Jeroen Dubbeldam (both Dutch Olympic Gold medalists).

In June 2019 it was the team to beat in the Olympic Qualifier event in Moscow. Only the winning team clinched the Olympic spot from that FEI Group C area (Middle and Eastern Europe and middle Asia). Israel handled the pressure and made history – its first Olympic participation. Since then, the team has grown and now has 16 riders who can jump at the Grand Prix level (1.60 meter fences) and compete in Nations Cup events its members win many classes in the international circuit.