Individual, Open

As in 1964 there was a preliminary round with riders advancing to a final round, although seven riders advanced in 1968 as opposed to six in 1964. The final score of the top seven consisted of their total score in both rounds. The program consisted of 33 movements. West German Josef Neckermann had a seemingly insurmountable lead after the preliminary round, 40 points ahead of Soviet Ivan Kizimov, but when Neckermann opened the final round, there was some noise in the audience and his mount, Mariano, became nervous and rode poorly. They would place last in the final and drop back to second, with Kizimov having by far the best final round to win the gold medal. Neckermann’s teammate Reiner Klimke won the bronze medal. Klimke would repeat as bronze medalist in 1976 and win gold in this event in 1984. In his Olympic dressage career from 1960-88, he won eight medals, with six golds, five in the team event. Neckermann competed at the Olympics from 1960-72, winning six medals, two of each color. He is considered to have been one of the wealthiest private citizen Olympians ever.