As I write, the Tokyo Olympics remains on a knife edge and may or may not happen.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese Organising Committee (JOC) are determined to go ahead. But Japan is still in a state of COVID-19 emergency and 80% of its population wants them cancelled.

One sponsoring CEO cruelly described the already-postponed XXXII Games as a “suicide mission”. But my guess is that when this edition of Irish Country Living goes to print, a restricted form of Tokyo 2020/21 will be going ahead and Ireland’s three Irish equestrian teams will be preparing for travel.

Troubled history

Tokyo and Japan’s first attempt at hosting an Olympic Games in 1940 had to be scrapped because of brutal war. They rose from the ashes to bid for them again just 10 years after hostilities ended and were awarded the 1964 Olympiad.

They went ahead and produced a successful “bringing of the world together” event. This time last year, their ambitious plan to do that again had to be put on a COVID-19-induced hold.

And now their best hope is that – minus international spectators and with a huge financial loss – they can still satisfy the competition yearnings of thousands from around the world.

Historic bid

Ireland has sent full eventing or show jumping teams to at least a third of the games run so far. Our only medal reward has been Cian O’Connor’s individual bronze at London 2012.

But, as a sign of our growing equestrian strength, we are now fielding sides in all three disciplines for the first time. According to Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) acting CEO Joe Reynolds: “We have been preparing on the assumption that the Games will be going ahead. Our dressage and eventing riders have been training at Greenogue and show jumping team manager Michael Blake has been viewing his prospects on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Travel plans

Final team declarations will have to be made just one month from now. Two weeks after that, our horses will go into a week’s quarantine at Aachen in Germany.

The dressage mounts will be the first to fly out from Liege on 14 July.

In the meantime, our riders must first have their vaccinations and be tested for COVID-19 before they depart. Upon entry to Tokyo, they will be tested again and will have a negative test every day they remain at the games.

It is my gut feeling that if this XXXII Olympiad does happen, one of our three squads will come home with Ireland’s first ever team medal.

But then again, we many have to wait for Paris 2024.