High Jump, Open

The high jump used to be a common competition but was rarely held later in the 20th century. There were 18 entrants in this event with 14 starters, although we have not been able to identify all starters. The competition started at 1.20 m and initially advanced by 10 cm increments. All competitors cleared through 1.50 metres. The horses and riders were allowed three attempts at each successive height, as with human high jumping. The 1900 Olympic title was shared at 1.85 metres by Italian Giangiorgio, Count Trissino, aboard Oreste and Frenchman Dominique Gardères, who rode Canéla (owned by Count Oscar Heeren). Riding a different horse, Mélepo, Trissino also finished fourth in this event. There was a jump-off to decide the third and fourth places between Count Trissino and Georges Van Der Poele, aboard Ludlow.

The best on record in this era was 2.40 metres set by Heatherbloom, ridden by Dick Donnelly at Richmond, Virginia in 1902, although Heatherbloom and Donnelly had unofficial marks in 1902 of 2.49 and 2.515 metres. However, the first recognized FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) high jump record was 2.35 metres by Conspirateur, ridden by Captain Crousse (FRA) at the Grand Palais in Paris on 12 April 1906. The final FEI recognized high jump record in the 20th century was 2.47 metres by Huaso, ridden by Alberto Larraguibel Morales at an international show in Santiago, Chile on 5 February 1949.

A more modern variant of this event is now contested, termed the puissance. It is also a high jump event but with some differences in the details of the fences and the competition. The current indoor record for puissance is held by German rider Franke Sloothaak, who in June 1991 jumped 2.40 metres in Chaudfontaine, Belgium, riding Optiebeurs Golo.