Equestrian Jumping at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Dates 16 – 17 July 1912
Medal Events 2

Equestrian events had previously only been contested at the 1900 Paris Olympics. In 1909 at the 10th IOC Session (Berlin), the Swedish committee made a proposal concerning equestrian events at Stockholm, which was adopted in principle by the IOC. A Swedish committee was formed, under the patronage of HRH Prince Carl, for what was termed the “Horse Riding Competitions.”

At the 12th IOC Session (1911 in Budapest) a committee of IOC members was organized to assist with the preparations for equestrian sports at the 1912 Olympic Games. This committee consisted of the following IOC members, all nobility: Prince Otto zu Windisch-Grätz (AUT), Karl, Baron von Venningen-Ullner von Diepburg (GER), Géza, Count Andrassy (HUN), Eugenio, Count Brunetta d’Usseaux (HUN), and Clarence von Rosen (SWE).

Only “gentlemen” riders, as determined by the equestrian federations in their respective nations, were allowed to compete in the 1912 Olympic equestrian events. Thus, women and non-commissioned officers were excluded. There were two show jumping events in Stockholm, individual and team, and they were held separately.

Cash prizes were normally given at equestrian events in that era, but at Stockholm there were no cash prizes, only Olympic medals to be won. The Organizing Committee feared that the absence of cash prizes would severely limit the number of entrants. In order to counter that, several Challenge Prizes were awarded for the winners of the equestrian events in Stockholm, with the team show jumping champions receiving The King of Italy’s Prize, a silver-gilt “Victory” on a marble base, which went to Sweden; and the individual show jumping winner, Jean Cariou (FRA), receiving the Count Géza Andrassy (HUN) Prize, a gild statuette of a Greek goddess.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Individual, Men Olympic 16 July 1912 31 8
Team, Men Olympic 17 July 1912 22 6
40 (40/0) 9 (9/0)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Individual, Men Jacques CariouFRA Rabod Wilhelm von KröcherGER Emmanuel de Blommaert de SoyeBEL
Team, Men SwedenSWE FranceFRA GermanyGER

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
France FRA 1 1 0 2
Sweden SWE 1 0 0 1
Germany GER 0 1 1 2
Belgium BEL 0 0 1 1