Para-dressage has been confirmed for inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics and will be held, like the Olympic horse sports, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, the LA28 Organizing Committee and Fédération Equestre International announced Tuesday.

“We are very happy with the announcements made by the IPC and LA28,” FEI Secretary General and Association of Paralympic Sports Organizations President Sabrina Ibáñez said in a press release.

“The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Château de Versailles, were unforgettable and brought tremendous excitement to equestrian sport. Athletes and horses from 30 nations competed in para-equestrian dressage in Paris, the largest turnout since para-equestrian became part of the Paralympic program in 1996. Both the Olympic and para-equestrian dressage events were historic successes attracting massive live crowds and captivating broadcast and streaming audiences around the world.

“We are pleased to confirm that our Paralympic quota places remain unchanged for LA28. We look forward to showcasing the sport at its highest level, with thrilling performances and world-class competition.”

The 2028 Paralympic dressage program will consist of 11 medal events: individual championships and individual freestyle championships for Grades I, II, III, IV and V, as well as a team championship. The sport will retain the 78 quota places it had in Paris, in a decision made Tuesday by the governing board of the International Paralympic Committee following an extensive review process, the FEI statement said.

The qualification systems for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games were discussed at the recent FEI Sports Forum. The proposals will be put forward for approval by the 2025 FEI General Assembly in November and will afterwards be provided to the International Olympic Committee and the IPC for final review and sign off.

The summary of discussions and the presentation made during the FEI Sports Forum session dedicated to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic qualification systems are available here. The FEI hopes to publish the para-equestrian dressage qualification criteria for the LA28 Paralympic Games in the first half of 2026. 

The 2028 LA Paralympic Games will be held Aug. 15-27.

“The first-ever Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will showcase the world’s top talent and provide an opportunity for L.A. to improve inclusive accessibility citywide,” City of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement released Tuesday by the LA28 committee. “The legacy of these Games will be imprinted on our city forever—proliferating beyond the boundaries of these venues to better all of Los Angeles.” 

Overall, the 2028 Paralympic Games will feature 4,400 Paralympians across 22 sports on the initial sports program in addition to 80 more athletes competing in Para Climbing which was proposed by LA28 and added to the Paralympic sport program by the IPC in June 2024.  

With every competition venue for the 560 events to be offered within a 35-mile radius, the venue plan maximizes the use of premier venues within the Los Angeles area, reduces the overall number of standalone sites and minimizes travel times for athletes staying in the Paralympic Village, the LA28 committee said. As a result, for the first time since Rio 2016, Paralympians across every sport will have the opportunity to be housed together at the Olympic and Paralympic Village, which will be based on the University of California, Los Angeles, campus.