Yasmin Ingham has been putting horse Banzai through its paces at the Olympics’ impressive equestrian facilities at the picturesque and historic surroundings of the Chateau de Versailles.

The 27-year-old Manxwoman arrived in France earlier this week ahead of the Paris Games’ opening ceremony on Friday.

Ingham and her horse Banzai du Loir were confirmed as the reserves or ‘alternate combination’ for Great Britain eventing squad earlier this month, despite being reigning world champions.

Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen have all been confirmed to ride in the competition which gets under way on Saturday with the dressage phase.

The cross-country follows on Sunday with the showjumping rounding off things on Monday.

Under the current Olympic rules, Ingham can be swapped in before any of the three tests should the team need a substitute. 

But replacing a rider after the competition has started will incur significant penalties and is only done if another horse is injured and/or the team is in danger of not completing. 

Great Britain go into the Games as reigning champions having won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 (delayed a year because of Covid). 

On Tuesday, dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin, Britain's joint-most decorated female Olympian, pulled out of the games after a video emerged of her ‘engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare’. Becky Moody and her horse Jagerbomb are Team GB's alternate combination in this discipline. - Local race walking judge Steve Taylor will be officiating at his third Olympics. Both the men’s and women’s 20km races take place next week on August 1.