Japan Hosts 33 Eventers at Baji Koen for 2026 Asian Games
Olympic medalists return to Tokyo's historic Baji Koen as 33 combinations from ten nations contest the 2026 Asian Games eventing title.
Key points
- 33 horse and rider combinations from ten nations compete at the 2026 Asian Games eventing in Tokyo.
- Japan fields three athletes who won Olympic bronze in Paris 2024, seeking to regain their team title.
- China’s Alex Hua Tian defends his individual gold medal alongside rivals from Thailand and India.
The dust of the cross-country track at Baji Koen is no longer dry. This week, the historic grounds that hosted the 1964 and 2020 Olympic Games will echo with the hoofbeats of 33 horse and rider combinations. Ten nations have sent their finest to this 250-kilometre trek from the Aichi-Nagoya main venue, converging on a site that reopened its gates in 2023 after a period of renovation.
The stakes are high for the hosts. Japan arrives with a squad forged in the fire of recent Olympic success, looking to reclaim a team title that has slipped away since their 2018 victory. Across the start line, China prepares to defend the gold, led by a rider who has already etched his name into the history books of Asian eventing.
Olympic veterans return to Tokyo
Three of Japan’s four selected athletes carried the weight of national expectation at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they secured the country’s first-ever Olympic bronze in the discipline. Yoshiaki Oiwa, Toshiyuki Tanaka, and Kazuma Tomoto now bring that championship pedigree back to familiar ground. For Oiwa, the venue is a place of personal triumph, having claimed individual gold here in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition.
The continuity of the field is striking. All three riders who stood on the podium in 2018—Oiwa, India’s Fouaad Mirza, and China’s Alex Hua Tian—are present again. Tomoto adds further depth to the Japanese lineup, riding the eight-year-old Fer de Lance, a horse who recently claimed victory at the CCI3*-S in Miki in May 2026.
Champions defend historic titles
China’s Alex Hua Tian enters the competition as the defending individual champion. His 2023 win in Hangzhou completed a rare collection of Asian Games medals, following silver in 2014 and bronze in 2018. He returns with Manjushri, a horse fresh from a win at the CCI3*-S in Alnwick in July 2026.
Hua Tian’s form remains sharp, having placed 12th at the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen. He currently sits 17th in the global athlete rankings. His presence signals China’s intent to maintain their grip on the individual title, a position they have strengthened significantly since becoming a dominant force in the region.
Rivals sharpen their blades
The challenge extends beyond the two powerhouses. Thailand’s Korntawat Samran, riding B.Grimm Billy Elmy, brought home silver in Hangzhou and followed it with bronze at the 2025 FEI Asian Championships. India arrives with Ashish Limaye, the reigning individual Asian Champion, who won gold in Pattaya in 2025.
As reported by Eventing Nation, the field is packed with recent top performers. The 2026 format compresses the drama into three days, with dressage and jumping at CCI3* level and cross-country at CCI2*-L. Every stride at Baji Koen will count toward the final standings.
