List Of Olympic Medalists In Equestrian Events
Modern-day Olympic equestrian events are rooted in cavalry skills and classical horsemanship, and through 1948, competition was restricted to active-duty officers on military horses. Only after 1952, as mechanization of warfare reduced the number of military riders, were civilian riders allowed to compete. Equestrian is the only Olympic sport in which animals compete with humans, and is one of four sports in which the genders compete against each other, the others being some sailing divisions, mixed doubles division in tennis and the mixed doubles division of badminton. The rules for Olympic equestrian competition are set by the Fédération Équestre Internationale, the international governing body for equestrian sports.
In two instances, the equestrian portion of the Olympics has been held in a different location from the rest of the games. The first was during the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia when, due to Australian quarantine laws, the equestrian portion was held in Stockholm, Sweden. At the next IOC meeting, it was decided to hold a special Equestrian Olympic Games several months before the actual Olympics, complete with its own opening and closing ceremonies. This meant that Switzerland, which had officially boycotted the 1956 Games because of the Soviet Union's recent invasion of Hungary, still brought home a medal because of its participation in the equestrian portion several months earlier. The second instance was during the 2008 Summer Olympics, when the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong rather than Beijing. This decision was made when, in 2005, international veterinary groups refused to certify the main Olympic city as free of equine diseases. This would have resulted in horses leaving Beijing after the games and having to go through lengthy quarantine processes before being allowed to re-enter their home countries. Hong Kong also had the benefit of having better facilities, including a top equine hospital and one of only a few equine drug-testing labs in the world.
The Summer Olympics have included 2,129 equestrian participants, including 1,751 men and 378 women, from 69 countries., of which 564 won a medal. As of the 2008 Olympics, 395 medals have been awarded to 31 NOCs. The oldest rider was 72-year-old Arthur von Pongracz of Austria at the 1936 Summer Olympics, while the youngest was 16-year-old Luiza Almeida of Brazil at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The leading medalist is Isabell Werth of Germany (10, 6 gold), followed by Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands (9, 3 gold) and Reiner Klimke of Germany (8, 6 gold). Germany leads the country medalist rankings with 25 gold medals (52 overall), followed by Sweden with 17 (43 overall) and France with 14 (37 overall). Canadian rider Ian Millar holds the record for the most Olympic equestrian appearances and matches the record for athletes in any sport, having competed in ten Olympics as of 2012.
Dressage
Dressage, individual
Dressage, team
Discontinued events
Mixed hacks and hunters combined
This event was contested only at the 1900 Summer Games. The IOC website currently has affirmed a total of 95 medal events, after accepting, as it appears, the recommendation of Olympic historian Bill Mallon regarding events that should be considered "Olympic".
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1900 Paris |
Napoléon Murat![]() |
Victor Archenoul![]() |
Robert de Montesquiou-Fézensac![]() |
Medal table
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 14 | 8 | 5 | 27 |
2 | ![]() | 7 | 5 | 7 | 19 |
3 | ![]() | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
4 | ![]() | 4 | 6 | 3 | 13 |
5 | ![]() | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
6 | ![]() | 3 | 6 | 4 | 13 |
7 | ![]() | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
8 | ![]() | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
9 | ![]() | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
10 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
11 | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
12 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
13 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
14 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
15 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (17 entries) | 47 | 47 | 47 | 141 |
Eventing
Eventing, individual
Eventing, team
Medal table
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 8 | 5 | 4 | 17 |
2 | ![]() | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
3 | ![]() | 6 | 11 | 8 | 25 |
4 | ![]() | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
5 | ![]() | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
6 | ![]() | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
7 | ![]() | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
8 | ![]() | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
9 | ![]() | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
10 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
11 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
12 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
13 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
16 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
18 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
19 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (20 entries) | 50 | 50 | 49 | 149 |
Jumping
Jumping, individual
Jumping, team
Discontinued events
High jump
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1900 Paris |
Dominique Gardères![]() |
none awarded | Georges Van Der Poele![]() |
Gian Giorgio Trissino![]() |
Long jump
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1900 Paris |
Constant van Langhendonck![]() |
Gian Giorgio Trissino![]() |
Jacques de Prunelé![]() |
Medal table
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 7 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
2 | ![]() | 6 | 1 | 5 | 12 |
3 | ![]() | 5 | 10 | 4 | 19 |
4 | ![]() | 4 | 6 | 5 | 15 |
5 | ![]() | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
6 | ![]() | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
7 | ![]() | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
8 | ![]() | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
9 | ![]() | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
10 | ![]() | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
11 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
12 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
13 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
14 | ![]() | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
15 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
17 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
18 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
20 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
21 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
23 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (26 entries) | 53 | 51 | 52 | 156 |
Discontinued disciplines
Driving
![Four dark horses, harnessed to a black cart driven by three people. The horses are moving quickly through water, and in the background a bank covered with grass and rocks is visible.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/HRH_Lowther_2005_horse_driving.jpg/220px-HRH_Lowther_2005_horse_driving.jpg)
Mail coach
This event was also known as the "Mixed four-in-hand", and appears that way in some references. The event was contested only at the 1900 Summer Games. The IOC website currently has affirmed a total of 95 medal events, after accepting, as it appears, the recommendation of Olympic historian Bill Mallon regarding events that should be considered "Olympic".
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1900 Paris |
Georges Nagelmackers![]() |
Léon Thome![]() |
Jean de Neuflize![]() |
Vaulting
![A dark horse, moving in a grassy area. The horse is ridden by two women, one on the others shoulders, and both women are wearing white dresses. In the background is a large seated crowd.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-57428-0008%2C_Berlin%2C_Reitturnier%2C_Voltigieren.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-57428-0008%2C_Berlin%2C_Reitturnier%2C_Voltigieren.jpg)
Individual
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1920 Antwerp |
Daniel Bouckaert![]() |
Field![]() |
Louis Finet![]() |
Team
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1920 Antwerp |
![]() Daniel Bouckaert Louis Finet Maurice Van Ranst |
![]() Field Salins Cauchy |
![]() Carl Green Anders Mårtensson Oskar Nilsson |
Medal table for discontinued disciplines
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
2 | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
3 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals (3 entries) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Statistics
Athlete medal leaders
Athletes who have won at least five medals are listed below.
Athlete | Nation | Gender | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isabell Werth | ![]() |
Female | 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2016, 2020 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
Reiner Klimke | ![]() |
Male | 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1984, 1988 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
Hans Günter Winkler | ![]() |
Male | 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Charles Pahud de Mortanges | ![]() |
Male | 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Anky van Grunsven | ![]() |
Female | 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 |
Andrew Hoy | ![]() |
Male | 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012, 2020 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
Charlotte Dujardin | ![]() |
Female | 2012, 2016, 2020 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Michael Plumb | ![]() |
Male | 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1992 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
Earl Foster Thomson | ![]() |
Male | 1932, 1936, 1948 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
Josef Neckermann | ![]() |
Male | 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
André Jousseaume | ![]() |
Male | 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Liselott Linsenhoff | ![]() |
Female | 1956, 1968, 1972 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Mark Todd | ![]() |
Male | 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008, 2012 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Christine Stückelberger | ![]() |
Female | 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Raimondo D'Inzeo | ![]() |
Male | 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Henri Chammartin | ![]() |
Male | 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Gustav Fischer | ![]() |
Male | 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Piero D'Inzeo | ![]() |
Male | 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |