An Olympic sport since Paris 1900,
equestrian is about horse and rider.
Equestrian consists of three disciplines: Dressage, Jumping and the
three-day event (Eventing).
Eventing
The Olympic three-day event is the complete equestrian test (including
as it does the disciplines of dressage, cross-country and show jumping); an overall show
of horsemanship, where men and women compete together and the star of the show is often
the horse.
There are two chances to win a gold medal here, in mixed individual
and team events.
Dressage
Women won the right to compete in Olympic dressage for the first
time in Helsinki 1952.
Dressage is a sort of dance on horseback; where the rider steers the
horse to perform a series of intricate stepping manoeuvres.
Judges score the rider on how well the horse performs the moves, but
the horse doesn't get the medal.
Mixed individual and team events.
Jumping
The idea of jumping is to get the horse to run around a ring and clear
all the obstacles, without knocking anything over, in the fastest time possible.
There are also mixed individual and team events in jumping.
Reiner Klimke
appeared in six Olympic Games: Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mexico City
1968, Montreal 1976, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul
1988 - winning 6 gold and 2 silver medals in the dressage; an Olympic record for the
equestrian events.
Mark Todd
put New Zealand horse riding on the Olympic map; winning back to back individual eventing
gold medals in Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988. He also earned a silver (Barcelona 1992) and two bronze medals (Seoul 1988 and Sydney 2000)
in eventing disciplines.
Liselott
Linsenhoff became the first woman to win a gold medal in an equestrian event, at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games, by finishing first as a
member of the German dressage team. At the Munich 1972
Olympics, Linsenhoff, also won the individual event, and added a silver medal in the team
event. She also won a silver and bronze in Melbourne 1956.
            
       
     
FEI:
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) expects all those involved in international
equestrian sport to adhere to the FEI’s Code of Conduct and to acknowledge and accept
that at all times the welfare of the horse must be paramount and must never be
subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
British Equestrian Federation:
The BEF was set up in 1972 as the senior co-ordinating body for the British Horse Society
and the British Show Jumping Association. Affiliated to the Federation Equestre
Internationale, the British Equestrian Federation represents the sports of show jumping,
eventing, dressage, horse driving trials, endurance riding, vaulting and reining.
Česká Jezdecká Federace:
Czech Equestrian Federation.
Equestrian Federation of
Australia:
The Equestrian Federation of Australia was established in 1951. Branches were gradually
established in each state and the Northern Territory, with a national office set up, to
maintain liaison with the FEI and other national federations, and to manage Australian
representation at international competitions, both at home and overseas.
Equestrian Federation of
Ireland:
The EFI is the national governing body for all equestrian sport in Ireland, with the
exception of horse racing. It also sanctions all Irish riders and horses competing abroad
at international events, and implements the rules and regulations laid down by the FEI.
Equine Canada:
The Canadian Equestrian Federation is the one national organisation that represents all
equine and equestrian interests in Canada.
Fédération Française d'Equitation:
French Equestrian Federation.
Federazione Italiana Sport Equestri:
Italian Equestrian Federation.
NZEF:
The New Zealand Equestrian Federation's official website.
Pferd Aktuell:
German Equestrian Federation.
US Equestrian:
On January 20, 1917, representatives of 50 horse shows under the leadership of Reginald C.
Vanderbilt met in New York City to draw together the horsemen and horsewomen of the North,
South, East, and West in a unity of intention to maintain clean competition and fair play
in the show ring.
Horse Links
Association of Irish Riding Clubs:
Established in 1973, the Association of Irish Riding Clubs aims to encourage riding as a
sport and recreation, to promote good fellowship among riders and to improve and maintain
the standard of riding and horsemastership in Ireland.
British Eventing:
Eventing (or sometimes referred to as Horse Trials) originally evolved from the training
of cavalry horses. The sport is rather like the pentathlon in that it combines different
disciplines in one competition and is run on a cumulative penalty basis. The competitor
with least penalties at the end is the winner.
Equisearch:
Online centre for the horse community, featuring sport and industry news, horse care
information, riding and training tips, products and services for horse owners and
enthusiasts and there's a forum for dialogue among active horse people.
Horse and Hound:
Daily equestrian news updates, competition reports and expert horsecare advice.
Horse
Travel:
Can't stand to leave horses behind when you go on vacation? Find out about equestrian
travel destinations from those that have been and get tips for making your riding vacation
the best it can be.
Equestrian
- Horse and Rider.
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