Individual, Men

Equestrian show jumping ended the 1948 Olympic Games, with the competition held at the Empire Stadium in Wembley, shortly before the Closing Ceremony. In 1948 there was only one set of exercises, which determined placements in both the individual and team competition. There were 16 obstacles, with 19 jumps, over a course 870 metres long with fences up to 1.60 metres high. The course was quite slippery because of heavy rain during the week, and was considered to be extremely difficult. No rider had a clear round in the main competition. The last rider was Mexican Humberto Mariles, aboard Arete. He had also competed in three-day in London, winning a team bronze, and with Mexican jumpers already placing well, his ride was critical for the team competition. Mariles went clear for the first 14 obstacles and finished with 6.25 faults, which won him the gold medal individually and brought Mexico the team gold as well.

There was a three-way tie for second with 8.00 faults among Mariles’ teammate, Rubén Uriza, France’s Jean, Marquis d’Orgeix, and American Franklin Wing, which required a jump-off. Uriza won the silver medal in the jump-off with the only clean round of the event, while Wing and Marquis d’Orgeix both had 4.00 faults. The bronze medal went to Marquis d’Orgeix as he had the faster time in the jump-off, 38.9 to 40.1 seconds.