Individual, Open

At the 1964 Olympics, Britain’s Richard Meade led the individual eventing after the endurance phase, but 36 faults in the jumping dropped him back to eighth place. He then placed fourth in the eventing at the 1968 Olympics, although he helped Britain to team gold. In München Meade took the lead after the endurance phase and this time rode a clean round in jumping to finally win his individual gold medal. He also helped Great Britain defend their gold medal in the team event. There was no change in the top standings after the endurance phase, as Argentine Alessandro Argenton was second, Sweden’s Jan Jönsson was third, and British rider Mary Gordon-Watson was fourth. As did Meade, all three had clean rides in jumping, and maintained their positions.

Meade would return in 1976 and again placed fourth individually, and also competed for Britain at the 1980 Alternative Equestrian Event at Fontainebleau, Paris. Outside of the Olympics, Meade was a member of the winning team at the 1967 European Championships and the 1970 World Championships and placed second individually in the 1967 and 1970 World Championships. He also won at Badminton in 1969, 1970, and 1982, and won the Burghley Horse Trials in 1964.