Substitutions were to make up for abandoning the ‘drop score’ but high-profile withdrawals show that no rider wants to be the ‘fourth man’.

Hours before the June 21 deadline, riders from smaller dressage nations vied for Olympic spots as long-qualified Ireland decided not to go.

The sporting world has no choice but to press on with its preparations, but the odds still seem stacked against the Olympics going ahead.

The decision to axe a premier podium event because of the Tokyo clash has left riders with a three-year hiatus from championship opportunities.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Equestrian Federation is trying to ride a rolling timeline as selection procedures are recalculated.