Ukraine changes shortlist after Onischenko-affair

Ukraine changes shortlist after Onischenko-affair
Ukraine changed their shortlist after Alexander Onischenko sold 40 of his horses to Paul Schockemöhle. Because of this sale, Ukraine had to shorten their shortlist drastically.

Last week, it was Schockemöhle himself who confirmed he bought more than 40 horses from Onischenko. The Ukrainian horse owner owned almost every horse on the shortlist for the Olympics. It was speculated that because of the relocation of the horses, Ukraine wouldn't be able to send a national team to the Olympics in August. The Ukraine chose 13 possible combinations to represent their country at the Olympics, but all the horses were owned or co-owned by Onoschenko. On top off that, two of those 13 horses were listed with Onischenko as rider (Calcourt Falklund and Carlina).

Today the ownership of Calcourt Falklund was changed in the FEI database, the ownership of Carlina remains in Onoschenkos hands. Due to the so called 'Horse-Nationality Rule', which states that the (co-)owner of a horse competing in the Olympics has to have the same nationality as the country the horse is competing for, Calcourt now can't jump the Olympics anymore. Air Chin Z, Dinero de Laubry, Gabbiano 11, Quickdiamond and Forlap, all on the Olympic shortlist, had already changed ownership, ruling them out of the Olympics as well.

Because of that, Ukraine had to shorten their shortlist drastically, but it seems like they will be able to send a team to Rio, even without Onischenko. Cassio Rivetti, Rene Tebbel, Ulrich Kirchoff and Ferenc Szentirmai would still be able to make a team of four. The remaining Olympic horses will not be in Onischenkos ownership anymore, but they stay registered under the Ukrainian flag with their riders as co-owners next to Paul Schockemöhle.