Reiner Klimke was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — a record for equestrian events that has since been surpassed. He appeared in six Olympics from 1960 to 1988, excluding the 1980 Games that were boycotted by West Germany.
The equestrian events at the 1928 Summer Olympics included dressage, eventing, and show jumping. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions. The competitions were held from 8 to 12 August 1928. Teams were now fielded by three riders, rather than four, the purpose being to reduce pressure on national federations to find that many riders in order to compete for team medals. Riders had to be considered amateurs, which was defined as either an actively serving professional officer, or as a gentleman rider as defined by the rules of that rider's national governing body. A total of 113 entries were present from 20 nations: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA. This was the first appearance for Hungary, Japan and Argentina in equestrian events at an Olympics. Additionally, after being shut out from two Olympic competitions, Germany also returned to the Games to win a few medals in the equestrian events.
The equestrian events at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics included dressage, eventing, and show jumping. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions. The host country, Germany, had a stellar year, winning both individual and team gold in every equestrian event, as well as individual silver in dressage. The competitions were held from 12 to 16 August 1936. Moderately priced tickets meant huge crowds at all equestrian events, with 15,000–20,000 spectators at any time during the dressage competition, 60,000 on the endurance day of eventing, and 120,000 for the Nations Cup in jumping.
The equestrian events at the 1948 London Summer Olympics included dressage, eventing, and show jumping. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions. The competitions were held from 9 to 14 August 1948, with the first five days held in the military complex at Aldershot, the endurance day on the army grounds of Aldershot at Tweseldown, and the jumping at the Empire Stadium in Wembley. World War II resulted in a greatly reduced number of competitors, including the absence of Germany, although Brazil made its first appearance in the equestrian events. 103 entries from 17 nations competed. The youngest participant was Aëcio Coelho from Brazil at 23 years old, while the oldest rider was the Italian Alessandro, Count Bettoni Cazzago, at 55 years old.
Sweden first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games, and has sent athletes to compete in every Games since then with one exception, the sparsely attended 1904 Summer Olympics. Sweden has earned medals at all Olympic games except for two, the 1896 Games and the 1904 Games. Sweden is the country with the longest Olympic Games medalling streak in history, having earned medals at every Olympic game since 1908.
Norway competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 52 competitors, all men, took part in 42 events in 9 sports.
Austria competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 73 competitors took part in 39 events in 13 sports.
Germany was the host nation and top medal recipient at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. 433 competitors, 389 men and 44 women, took part in 143 events in 22 sports.
Gerard Willem le Heux was a Dutch horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Pierre Marie Robert Versteegh was a Dutch horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Arthur Qvist was a Norwegian military officer, Nazi collaborator and Olympic horse rider. He commanded the Waffen-SS's Norwegian Legion during World War II.
Wilhelm Eugen Johansen was a Norwegian horse rider who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics, in the 1928 Summer Olympics, and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Langen was a German horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Hermann Linkenbach was a German military riding instructor and career army officer. He is best known for competing in the 1928 Summer Olympics and for having surrendered the city of Trieste to the Allies in World War II.
Eugen Freiherr von Lotzbeck was a German horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Henri Julius Reverony Saint Cyr was a Swedish officer and equestrian. Competing in five consecutive Olympics, he won two gold medals in dressage in 1952, and two gold medals in 1956.
Hiroshi Hoketsu is a Japanese equestrian rider. His 44 years in between Olympics appearances is the longest ever
Heinz Pollay was a German horse rider who competed in dressage from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Competing in two Summer Olympics, he won two golds and one bronze.
Austria competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Olympic Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the nation's twenty-eighth appearance at the Summer Olympics.
