Equestrian
at the Games of the XXI Olympiad
Venue
Dates23 July – 1 August 1976
No. of events6
Competitors135 from 23 nations

The equestrian events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal included show jumping, dressage and eventing. All three disciplines, except for the Nations Cup, were held at the equestrian stadium in Bromont, which had a capacity of 15,000 spectators, and the cross-country and steeplechase were also nearby. Building this stadium provided some headache for the Organizing Committee after the original estimate of 1 million Canadian dollars increased to CAD 4,425.[1]

Poland and Chile were not allowed to ship horses into the host country due to the concern of piroplasmosis, and France and Italy also had to keep some horses home due to veterinary regulations. Overall 23 nations competed: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Denmark, France, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Great Britain, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, the Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and the US, with the Montreal Games being the first for Guatemala and Puerto Rico in equestrian events.

The 1976 Olympics was also the first Games with a disqualification due to a positive equine drug test, after San Carlos, ridden by Ronald McMahon of Ireland, received treatment following an injury during transport. Although the treatment was needed, the rules did not allow for him to compete.

Disciplines

Show jumping

Tom Gayford, assisted by Robert Jolicoeur, built the massive courses ridden by 61 riders from 20 countries. All courses were to be ridden at 400 m/min, and had 15 obstacles with 18 jumping efforts, including a 5m water. Round A, 950 meters in length, had verticals up to 1.60 meters and a 2.20 meter wide oxer with a 1.55 meter front rail and a back rail at 1.60 meters. Round B (660 meters) had a narrow 1.70 meter vertical, and the oxers were also raised in height. The final jump off was 470 meters long. Only 39-year-old Alwin Schockemöhle was able to pull off two clear rounds to win gold. The next three highest placed riders had 12 penalties apiece, and they had to jump off for silver and bronze.

The Nations Cup was held in the Olympic Stadium in front of 55,000 spectators, despite a great debate to move it to Bromont after intense rain. However, course dimensions were reduced. Alwin Schockemöhle managed to complete the 2 Nations Cup courses with 4 and 8 penalties respectively, helping Germany finish with team silver.

Dressage

The 10-minute Grand Prix dressage test was ridden by 27 riders from 11 nations. The Grand Prix awarded up to 500 points per judge—2500 points total—with Christine Stückelberger winning the test on Granat with 1869 points (74.7%). The top 12 riders from the Grand Prix competed in a second test, the Grand Prix Special. The Special, with an 8-minute 45 second time allowed, was also won by Granat with 1486 out of 1950 possible points (76.2%), earning Stückelberger the individual gold medal. They finished 51 points ahead of silver medal winner Harry Boldt and Woycek, who was 40 points ahead of the bronze medal winners, Reiner Klimke riding Mehmed.

The favorites for the team competition were Germany, Switzerland, and the Soviet Union to medal, but the US managed to clinch the bronze ahead of the USSR for their first dressage medal since the 1948 Games.

Eventing

49 riders from 13 countries competed, including Princess Anne from Great Britain, becoming the first member of the British Royal Family to have participated in the Olympic games. There were also several sets of family members: Guatemala had a mother and daughter pair competing on their team (Rita and Silvia de Luna), while Australia had a father and son (Bill and Wayne Roycroft). The cross-country course designer, Barbara Kemp, was the first woman to design an Olympic equestrian course. It wouldn't be until 1996 when show jumping would have its first woman course designer with Linda Allen. The endurance day track was 27,465 meters in length, of which 7,695 meters was a 36-obstacle cross-country course. The track was very varied, traveling over meadows (2300 meters), gravel roads (1300 meters), through the woods (900 meters) as well as a manicured golf course (3200 meters).

Medal summary

Games Gold Silver Bronze
Individual dressage
  Christine Stückelberger
on Granat (SUI)		  Harry Boldt
on Woycek (FRG)		  Reiner Klimke
on Mehmed (FRG)
Team dressage
  West Germany (FRG)
Harry Boldt
on Woycek
Reiner Klimke
on Mehmed
Gabriela Grillo
on Ultimo		  Switzerland (SUI)
Christine Stückelberger
on Granat
Ulrich Lehmann
on Widin
Doris Ramseier
on Roch		  United States (USA)
Hilda Gurney
on Keen
Dorothy Morkis
on Monaco
Edith Master
on Dahlwitz
Individual eventing
  Edmund Coffin
on Bally-Cor (USA)		  Michael Plumb
on Better & Better (USA)		  Karl Schultz
on Madrigal (FRG)
Team eventing
  United States (USA)
Edmund Coffin
on Bally-Cor
Michael Plumb
on Better & Better
Bruce Davidson
on Irish-Cap
Mary Anne Tauskey
on Marcus Aurelius		  West Germany (FRG)
Karl Schultz
on Madrigal
Herbert Blöcker
on Albrant
Helmut Rethemeier
on Pauline
Otto Ammermann
on Volturno		  Australia (AUS)
Wayne Roycroft
on Laurenson
Mervyn Bennet
on Regal Reign
Bill Roycroft
on Version
Denis Pigott
on Hillstead
Individual jumping
  Alwin Schockemöhle
on Warwick Rex (FRG)		  Michel Vaillancourt
on Branch County (CAN)		  François Mathy
on Gai Luron (BEL)
Team jumping
  France (FRA)
Hubert Parot
on Rivage
Jean-Marcel Rozier
on Bayard de Maupas
Marc Roguet
on Belle de Mars
Michel Roche
on Un Espoir		  West Germany (FRG)
Alwin Schockemöhle
on Warwick Rex
Hans Günter Winkler
on Torphy
Sönke Sönksen
on Kwepe
Paul Schockemöhle
on Agent		  Belgium (BEL)
Eric Wauters
on Gute Sitte
François Mathy
on Gai Luron
Edgar-Henri Cuepper
on Le Champion
Stanny Van Paesschen
on Porsche

Participating nations

In the 1976 Summer Olympics, 135 contestants, including 111 men and 24 women, competed from 23 countries. The youngest participant was Silvia de Luna from Guatemala at 18 years old, while the oldest rider was the Australian Bill Roycroft at 61 years old.[1]

Medal table

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 West Germany (FRG)2327
2 United States (USA)2114
3 Switzerland (SUI)1102
4 France (FRA)1001
5 Canada (CAN)0101
6 Belgium (BEL)0022
7 Australia (AUS)0011
Totals (7 entries)66618

Officials

Appointment of officials was as follows:[2]

Dressage
  • Sweden Gustaf Nyblæus (Ground Jury President)
  • United States Donald Thackeray (Ground Jury Member)
  • Denmark H. Sommer (Ground Jury Member)
  • Netherlands Jaap Pot (Ground Jury Member)
  • United Kingdom Johanna Hall (Ground Jury Member)
Jumping
  • Italy Bruno Bruni (Ground Jury President)
  • Poland Eryk Brabec (Ground Jury Member)
  • Canada Doug Catto (Ground Jury Member)
  • Canada Tom Gayford (Course Designer)
  • Italy Giovanni Marcone (Technical Delegate)
Eventing
  • West Germany Edwin Rothkirch (Ground Jury President)
  • Brazil Franco Pontes (Ground Jury Member)
  • Italy Fabio Mangilli (Ground Jury Member)
  • West Germany Ottokar Pohlmann (Course Designer)
  • France Bernard Chevalier (Technical Delegate)

References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Equestrianism at the 1976 Montreal Equestrian Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "Olympic Games 1976 | FEI.org".
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