Individual, Open

The format was new in 1992. Riders rode two qualifying rounds that also counted towards the team competition. Only the top 56 riders (of the 87 starters) then rode a third qualifying round that advanced 44 riders (or 50% of starters and ties) to the final round. The first round was interrupted by torrential rain that ruined the chances of many early starters. The final round consisted of two rounds of jumping with both rounds to count towards the total score. Two riders went clear in both rounds of the final, German Ludger Beerbaum and the Netherlands’ Piet Raymakers. However, on his second ride, Raymakers was 0.66 seconds over the time limit, giving him 0.25 faults and dropping him to the silver medal, as Beerbaum won gold. American Norman Dello Joio, the 1983 World Cup champion who was competing in his first Olympics, took the bronze aboard Irish, recording 4.75 faults in the second round after a clean ride in round one. He was the son of well-known composer and namesake, Norman Dello Joio. Britain’s John Whitaker also went clear in round one, but his 19.25 faults in the second round dropped him to 14th place overall.