The World Show Jumping Championships, or the show jumping competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games, was started in 1953, with individual competition. In 1978 Team competitions began, and men and women began competing against one another. From 1990, show jumping was brought together along with the other equestrian disciplines into the World Equestrian Games (WEG). They are held every four years. The 2022 edition will be held in Herning, Denmark.
| Individual medalists | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
| 1965 |  Hickstead | Marion Coakes on Stroller |  Kathy Kusner on Untouchable | Alison Westwood on The Maverick | |
| 1970 |  Copenhagen |  Janou Lefèbvre on Rocket | Marion Mould-Coakes on Stroller | Annelie Drummond-Hay on Merely A Monarch | |
| 1974 | La Baule | Janou Tissot-Lefèbvre on Rocket | Michele McEvoy on Mr Muskie |  Barbara Simpson-Kerr on Magnor | |
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Germany | 10 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
| 2 | France | 7 | 9 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | Great Britain | 3 | 4 | 10 | 17 |
| 4 |  Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | United States | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| 6 |  Italy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 |  Sweden | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 |  Belgium | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 9 |  Spain | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 |  Ireland | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 |  Brazil | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 |  Switzerland | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 |  Argentina | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Saudi Arabia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 16 |  Austria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (16 entries) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 105 | |
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports is the international governing body of equestrian sports.
The FEI World Equestrian Games are the major international championships for equestrianism, and are administered by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The games have been held every four years, halfway between sets of consecutive Summer Olympic Games, since 1990. Prior to that year, all ten of the FEI's individual disciplines held separate championships, usually in separate countries. The modern WEG runs over two weeks and, like the Olympics, the location rotates to different parts of the world. Riders and horses competing at WEG go through a rigorous selection process, and each participating country sends teams that have distinguished themselves through competition as the nation's best in each respective discipline. At the 2010 Games, 57 countries were represented by 800 people and their horses.
The individual show jumping event, part of the equestrian program at the 2004 Summer Olympics, was held from 22 to 27 August 2004 in the Olympic Equestrian Centre on the outskirts of Markopoulo in the Attica region of Greece. Like all other equestrian events, the jumping competition was mixed gender, with both male and female athletes competing in the same division. There were 77 competitors from 27 nations. Each nation could send up to 4 riders. Cian O'Connor of Ireland initially received the gold medal, but that medal was stripped from him due to doping. After his disqualification, the event was won by Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, the nation's first medal in individual jumping. Silver went to Chris Kappler of the United States, with bronze to Marco Kutscher of 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 World Eventing Championships, or the eventing competition in the World Equestrian Games (WEG), began in 1966. It includes both a team and individual competition for the best horses and riders in the sport of eventing. The World Championship is held every four years, and is held at the CCI**** level, the highest level of eventing competition.
The World Dressage Championships is held every four years. The best horse and rider competitions in the world compete for individual and team titles. The Dressage World Championship is since 1990, held at the World Equestrian Games in conjunction with other equestrian world championships.
Equestrian sports were first included in the Olympic Games in the Summer Olympics of 1900 in Paris. They were again included in 1912, and have been included in every subsequent edition of the Games. The Olympic equestrian disciplines are dressage, eventing, and show-jumping. In each discipline, both individual and team medals are awarded. Women and men compete on equal terms.
The individual show jumping was an equestrian event held as part of the Equestrian at the 1964 Summer Olympics programme. The event was held on 24 October. There were 46 competitors from 17 nations. Each nation could have up to three riders. The event was won by Pierre Jonquères d'Oriola of France, the first rider to win two gold medals in individual jumping; he did so 12 years apart, with his first in 1952. It was France's third gold medal in the event overall, moving out of a tie with Italy at two for most all-time. Hermann Schridde, representing the United Team of Germany, took silver. Great Britain earned its second consecutive bronze in the event, this time with Peter Robeson taking the honors.
Ludger Beerbaum is an internationally successful German equestrian who competes in show jumping and has been ranked the No. 1 Show Jumper in the world by the FEI on multiple occasions. He is also a four-time Olympic Gold medalist team and individual.
The European Dressage Championships are the European championships for the equestrian discipline of dressage. They are held every two years in odd-numbered years. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in both individual and team competitions. There are also championships held for juniors, young riders, and ponies. Since 2015, the competition has shared a site and branding with vaulting, reining, jumping, and driving events. For sponsorship reasons, eventing is not included, as it is part of the FEI European Championships, echoing the combined World Equestrian Games concept. The first official combined event took place in Aachen in 2015.
Hans Günter Winkler was a German show jumper. He is the only show jumper to have won five Olympic gold medals and a total of seven Olympic medals, and to compete and win medals in six different Olympic Games. In the 1950s and 1960s Winkler was one of Germany's most popular athletes.
The individual show jumping at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place between 15 and 21 August, at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Like all other equestrian events, the jumping competition was mixed gender, with both male and female athletes competing in the same division. There were 77 competitors from 29 nations. The event was won by Eric Lamaze of Canada, the nation's first victory in individual jumping and first medal of any color in the event since 1976. Silver went to Rolf-Göran Bengtsson of Sweden, that nation's first medal in individual jumping since 1932. American Beezie Madden, who had led through the three qualifying rounds in 2004 before a bad first final round put her in 30th overall in Athens, took the bronze medal in Beijing.
Ulla Salzgeber is a German equestrian and Olympic champion who competes in the sport of dressage. Competing in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, she won two team gold medals, one individual silver and one individual bronze. She also won numerous medals at the World Equestrian Games, Dressage World Cup and European Dressage Championships. After the retirement of her Olympic horse, Rusty, after the 2004 Games, and unexpected death of her second international-level mount in 2005, Salzgeber struggled to find a new Grand Prix-level horse.
The equestrian events at the 2012 Olympic Games in London were held between 28 July and 9 August at Greenwich Park. Medals were awarded in three disciplines for both individual and team competitions.
Scott Brash MBE is a Scottish showjumper. He began riding the horse Hello Sanctos in early 2012. They competed as part of the British Team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London winning a gold medal in the team jumping event. In 2015 he became the first rider to win show jumping's Rolex Grand Slam, all three of the sport's most prestigious events in a single year, earning the sport's biggest individual prize of 1m Euros (£735,000).
Nicola Wilson is a British equestrian rider specialising in three-day eventing. Riding Opposition Buzz, she won a team gold at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and team silver at the 2012 Olympic Games. She is also a seven-time medallist at the European Championships, including team golds in 2009, 2017 and 2021 and individual gold and bronze in 2021 and 2017, respectively.
The individual show jumping in equestrian at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics was held from 14–19 August. Like all other equestrian events, the jumping competition was mixed gender, with both male and female athletes competing in the same division. There were 74 competitors from 27 nations. The event was won by Nick Skelton of Great Britain, the nation's first victory in individual jumping and first medal of any color since making the podium four consecutive Games from 1960 to 1972. Silver went to Peder Fredricson of Sweden. Eric Lamaze of Canada took bronze, becoming the first person since 1968 and sixth overall to win multiple medals.
The team eventing event at the 2020 Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from 30 July to 2 August 2021 at the Baji Koen and Sea Forest Cross-Country Course. Like all other equestrian events, the eventing competition is open-gender, with both male and female athletes competing in the same division. 45 riders from 15 nations are expected to compete.
The individual show jumping at the 1960 Summer Olympics took place on 7 September, at the Stadio Olimpico. The event was open to men and women. It was the 11th appearance of the event. There were 60 competitors from 23 nations. Each nation could have up to three riders. The event was won by Raimondo D'Inzeo of Italy, with his elder brother Piero D'Inzeo taking silver. The brothers were the second and third riders to win multiple medals in individual jumping; all three were Italian. It was the nation's first gold medal in the event since Lequio di Assaba's in 1920; Italy's two golds tied France for most all-time. David Broome earned Great Britain's first medal in the event with his bronze.
