Equestrian Dressage at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Dressage in 1948 was held over two days, with a team and individual event, although the team event consisted of only the rounds held on day one of the competition. Dressage was held in and around Central Stadium at the Aldershot Military Complex, which was the home ground of the British Army’s football and rugby teams, and was about 60 km from London. Because of the lack of training time after World War II, the dressage tests in 1948 were considerably less difficult than at other Olympics.

In the team dressage, Sweden appeared to have won an easy gold medal until it was later discovered that Gehnäll Persson was not an officer, but had only received a titular promotion before the Olympics to allow him to compete in London. Sweden was then disqualified, which allowed France to advance to the gold medal. In 1949 the IOC changed this rule and in 1952 the Olympic equestrian events were all open to civilians and the events were also gradually opened to women, although not in all events in 1952.