Jose Antonio Garcia Mena and Sorento in the Grand Prix; Sorento has since been replaced by the travelling reserve horse, Divina Royal.
© HippoFoto – Dirk Caremans
Spain’s dressage team invokes substitution rule at Tokyo
By Equestrian Life
Spain has become the first nation to make use of the new substitution rule in the dressage event, swapping Jose Antonio Garcia Mena’s Grand Prix test ride Sorento for the travelling reserve horse Divina Royal.
At Tokyo, the substitution rule was included due to the fact there are teams of three (rather than four, with a drop score).
According to the rules, a substitution may only be made provided it is completed during the period between the end of the Grand Prix and up to two hours before the start of the Grand Prix Special. Substitutions are only allowed in the event of an accident or illness of a horse or rider (i.e. for medical/veterinary reasons), and the team doctor or veterinarian must provide a medical or veterinary certificate.

The Spanish team, which qualified in eighth place following the Grand Prix, now includes:
1. Severo Jurado Lopez
Fendi T
2. Jose Antonio Garcia Mena
Divina Royal
3. Beatriz Ferrer-Salat
Elegance
Spain will join Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, USA, Denmark, Great Britain and Germany in the Grand Prix Special medal decider, which begins tonight at 6pm AEST.
Want to know more? Tune in to EQ Life’s Live TV or Facebook page at 5.30pm AEST for our half hour chat show with Roger Fitzhardinge and Lyndal Oatley, brought to you courtesy of Barastoc.
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