In Memoriam: Eizo Osaka

Eizo Osaka (JPN), retired FEI International Dressage Judge and Jumping course designer, died in July after a long illness. He had celebrated his 80th birthday on May 1st.

Born in 1933 in Akita Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan’s largest island Honshu, he majored in Law at the prestigious Chuo University where he also found time to indulge his love of horses and competed on the equestrian team.

After graduating, he became a journalist, but later came back to the equestrian community and worked tirelessly for many years as an FEI Dressage Judge in Japan and around the world.

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In 1984, he was credited with bringing the first CSI to Asia, working alongside Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), FEI Honorary Vice President and International Olympic Committee member.

In 1992, he became Japan’s first international Dressage Judge to work at an Olympic Games, and his experiences in Barcelona spurred him on further to educate generations of Japanese judges.

Eizo Osaka, pictured here in October 2012, at a national equestrian competition in Japan (Image: United Photo Press)

“Eizo Osaka’s devotion to judging and coaching was legendary”, said Trond Asmyr, FEI Director of Dressage and Para-Dressage. “Thanks to his dedication over many years, he has left an important legacy of several generations of highly motivated national and international judges, helping to secure the future development of equestrian sport in Japan and globally”.

The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Eizo Osaka’s wife Chikako and his two sons, his wider family and friends, and to the Japan Equestrian Federation.

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