Equestrian at the 1936 Summer Olympics

The Equestrian Events at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics

1936 Summer Olympics

The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...

included Dressage

Dressage

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

, Eventing

Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...

, and Show Jumping

Show jumping

Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...

. 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 August 12, 1936 to August 16, 1936.

Medal summary

Individual dressage Dressage Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
Team dressage Dressage Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...	Heinz Pollay Heinz Pollay Heinz Pollay was a German horse rider who competed in dressage from the late 1930s to the early 1950s...  and Kronos Friedrich Gerhard Friedrich Gerhard Friedrich Gerhard was a German equestrian and Olympic champion. He won two Olympic medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.-References:...  and Absinth Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski Hermann Leopold August von Oppeln-Bronikowski was a German Army officer and panzer ace. Oppeln-Bronikowski fought during World War I and World War II. At the 1936 Summer Olympics he won the Gold Medal in the team Dressage. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak...  and Gimpel	André Jousseaume André Jousseaume André Jousseaume was a French equestrian and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal in team dressage at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and another gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London....  and Favorite Gérard de Ballorre and Debaucheur Daniel Gillois and Nicolas	Gregor Adlercreutz Gregor Adlercreutz Gregor Adlercreutz was a Swedish horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he and his horse Teresina were part of the Swedish dressage team which won the bronze medal in the team dressage, after finishing fourth in the individual dressage-External links:*...  and Teresina Sven Colliander Sven Colliander Sven Colliander was a Swedish horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1928 he cpmpeted with his horse King in the individual eventing and finished 13th...  and Kål XX Folke Sandström Folke Sandström Folke Sandström was a Swedish horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he and his horse Pergola were part of the Swedish dressage team which won the bronze medal in the team dressage, after finishing 15th in the individual dressage-External links:*...  and Pergola
Individual eventing Eventing Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
Team eventing Eventing Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...	Ludwig Stubbendorf Ludwig Stubbendorf Ludwig Stubbendorf was a German horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he and his horse Nurmi won the gold medal in the individual eventing competition as well as in the team eventing.-External links:*...  and Nurmi Rudolf Lippert Rudolf Lippert Rudolf "Rolf" Lippert was a German horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Fasan Konrad Freiherr von Wangenheim Konrad Freiherr von Wangenheim Konrad Freiherr von Wangenheim was a German horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Kurfürst	Henryk Roycewicz Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz was a Polish horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Arlekin III Zdzisław Kawecki and Bambino Seweryn Kulesza Seweryn Kulesza Seweryn Roman Kulesza was a Polish horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Tóska	Alec Scott Alec Scott (equestrian) Alexander "Alec" Brassey Jonathan Scott was a British horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Bob Clive Edward Howard-Vyse Edward Howard-Vyse Lieutenant General Sir Edward Dacre Howard-Vyse KBE CB MC was a British Army General as well as a British horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.-Career:...  and Blue Steel Richard Fanshawe Richard Fanshawe (equestrian) Richard Gennys Fanshawe was a British horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born in Kildare and died in Cheltenham....  and Bowie Knife
Individual jumping Show jumping Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
Team jumping Show jumping Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...	Kurt Hasse Kurt Hasse Kurt Hasse is a German show jumping champion, Olympic champion from 1936.-Olympic Record:...  and Tora Marten von Barnekow Marten von Barnekow Marten von Barnekow was a German equestrian and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal in show jumping with the German team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.-References:...  and Nordland Heinz Brandt Heinz Brandt Generalmajor Heinz Brandt was a German Wehrmacht staff officer who served during World War II as an aide to Generalleutnant Adolf Heusinger, who was the head of the operations unit of the General Staff...  and Alchimist	Johan Greter Johan Greter Johan Jacob Greter was a Dutch horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Ernica Jan de Bruine and Trixie Henri van Schaik Henri van Schaik Henri Louis Marie van Schaik was a Dutch horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Santa Bell	José Beltrão José Beltrão José Gil de Gouveia Beltrão was a Portuguese horse rider. He competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.-Career:In 1936, Beltrão and his horse Biscuit won the bronze medal as part of the Portuguese show jumping team, after finishing sixth in the individual jumping competition.-References:* in...  and Biscuit Domingos de Sousa Domingos de Sousa Domingos António de Sousa Coutinho, Marquês do Funchal was a Portuguese horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics....  and Merle Blanc Luís Mena e Silva Luís Mena e Silva Luís Mena e Silva was a Portuguese horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics and in the 1948 Summer Olympics.... and Fossette

Medal table

1		6	1	0	7
2		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
7		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1

Controversy

The 1936 Olympics produced controversial results, with the Germans winning all 6 gold medals, the only time in Olympic history where one team has made a clean sweep. One incident occurred on the cross-country course in the eventing competition, where the 4th fence, a 3 ft post-and-rail dropping into a pond, produced a great number of falls. The landing was much deeper than anticipated and the footing underneath did not hold up well. However, all of the German team members made it through without a problem, suggesting that the host team might have known the true condition of the obstacle.