This type of competition includes several disciplines, united by the fact that horses participate in all. In equestrian sports, one cannot say which means more - the qualities of the rider or the horse itself. This is a sport where men and women compete together, there is no division into male and female disciplines, since the gender of the athlete does not matter. For the first time, it was decided to include equestrian sports in the 1912 Summer Olympic Games. That Olympics was held in Stockholm, and the representatives of the Swedish team won almost all the medals.

Equestrian competition participants

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will win six sets of medals in equestrian sports, based on the number of disciplines included in the program.

• personal dressage;
• team dressage;
• personal triathlon;
• team eventing;
• personal show jumping;
• team show jumping.

Dressage is top class training. It is considered one of the most elegant sports. To perform well in equestrian sports, the rider must demonstrate all the horse's ability to perform beautiful and productive movements in a variety of conditions.

Of great importance is how well the horse maintains its position correctly, how obediently follows the rider's movements. The appearance of the animal is also evaluated, how harmoniously folded it is and how beautiful it is to perform movements.

Equestrian Eventing is a difficult sport that requires great endurance from both the horse and the rider. In the past, it was a military discipline: this is how horses were trained for use in the troops. Equestrian triathlon includes such disciplines as riding in the arena, field trials or cross, overcoming obstacles (show jumping). It is imperative that competitors ride the same horses in all competitions. The obedience of the animal, its endurance, as well as the ability to jump are evaluated.

Show jumping is a sport in which a rider on a horse overcomes obstacles. Planks of different heights are set and the horse must jump over them. This sport requires lengthy training of the horse, as well as the rider's ability to plan and command the animal decisively how to behave.

The qualification of the competition and the selection of teams from different countries for participation are carried out based on the qualifying tournament, one of the following:

• World Equestrian Games 2014;
• Equestrian sports at the Pan American Games;
• European Dressage Championships 2015;
• Olympic qualification.

Equestrian competition calendar

Equestrian competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held from 6 to 12, 13 to 17 and 19 August at the National Equestrian Center.

Summer Olympics Schedule:

• August 6. Dressage Day 1: Individual Eventing, Team Eventing.
• August 7. Dressage Day 2: Individual Eventing, Team Eventing.
• 8 August. Cross: individual eventing championship, team eventing championship.
• August 9. Individual Eventing Championship: Show Jumping Qualification, Final. Eventing team championship: show jumping, final.
• August 10. 1st day of individual and team dressage championships.
• 11th August. 2nd day of individual and team dressage championships.
• 12th of August. Special program for individual and team dressage championships. Final of the team championship.
• August 14th. Individual show jumping championship, qualification;
• August 15. Individual dressage championship: free program and final;
• August 16. Show jumping individual championship, second qualification. Show jumping team championship, 1st round;
• August 17th. Individual show jumping, third qualification. Show jumping team championship, 2nd round and final;

03/03/2016, 11:13

What is included in Olympic equestrian sports? These are dressage, show jumping and triathlon (both group and individual competitions are held for each type).

Since time immemorial, the Olympic Games have included chariot races and horse racing. Equestrian competition first became part of the Olympic Games in 1900, and initially only professional cavalry officers were allowed to participate in the equestrian variety in the Olympics. Since 1952, the rules of the game have allowed the participation of civilians and women.

All Olympic equestrian sports are governed by the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Dressage

Competitions, where riders demonstrate the ability to easily and beautifully control a horse at different gaits and at different speeds within these gaits. During dressage, horses must move in a straight line, in a circle and diagonally.

The Olympic Dressage Competition is for top-class equestrians. They are often compared to "riding ballet". For the first time, dressage competitions entered the Olympic Games in 1912, although the sport itself had existed for many centuries by that time. The judges are 5 members of the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), who sit around the arena and see it from different angles. Participants receive from 0 to 10 points depending on the accuracy and beauty of the movements during the tests. Horses and riders at the Olympic Games also compete for the highest FEI award, the Grand Prix.

Show jumping
Show jumping demonstrates the ability of a horse and rider to overcome a series of different obstacles (usually 10 to 16) set up in the arena. Obstacles can be up to 2 m in height or in width. These can be beams, ditches with water, combinations of barriers at close range, etc. It is necessary to complete the distance in a certain time; for knocked down barriers, falls, the horse's refusal to jump and other errors are penalized. The rider with the lowest number of such points wins. Before the start of the race, participants inspect the arena to plan a strategy for the most effective overcoming of obstacles.

Triathlon

The most challenging of the Olympic equestrian sports, testing the skill, courage, flexibility and endurance of the horse and rider. The eventing competition lasts three days and includes three events: riding in the arena, field trials on rough terrain and show jumping. During field trials, the horse and rider must overcome both artificial and natural obstacles. Penalty points are awarded for the horse's refusal to jump within the specified time, as well as for rider errors.

Preparing for departure.
The horse, as a competitor, is also subjected to a doping test - a medicine that temporarily invigorates the body. We all remember the doping scandal with the participation of the Russian national athletics team, however, there was no reason in the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) not to admit Russian athletes to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, as stated by the President of the FEI Ingmar De Vos.
After receiving permission and passing all the necessary checks, athletes and their four-legged friends could set off on a long journey.
Long way to Brazil.
Getting to Brazil was not easy. The horses were transported by Emirates Boeing 777-F. The stallions were in the front of the plane, so as not to be distracted by the mares. They put hay, sawdust and water in a special box 112 centimeters wide (they drink up to 40 liters per flight). During the flight, the beautiful animals were entertained with feature films about horses. In case the horse was very worried, it had to be temporarily euthanized.
They advised to take water with you, as in Brazil it smells like oranges, which can be frightening. It was difficult to drive tanks with a ton of water, but some athletes took oats.
The flight lasted 14 hours, the organizers paid the cost of transporting the horses - about 20 thousand per horse.
Before the start of the competition, the horses underwent veterinary checks and chipping to supplement the animal's passport.

Games are reading!
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In total, athletes from 43 countries took part in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in equestrian sports. Owners of horses, like riders, must be from the same country (however, Germans who changed their citizenship went for Ukraine in the men's competition, but they also faced problems).
In Rio, the equestrian stage took place after fencing and swimming. It was attended by 200 athletes in three disciplines:
1. Dressage (60 participants)
2. Eventing (65 participants)
3. Show jumping (75 participants)
Six sets of awards were played.
Equestrian stage.
Dressage.
Our country was represented by Inessa Merkulova (Poturayeva) on her famous 12-year-old stallion Mister X and her sister Marina Aframeeva on the 11-year-old Wax. Both riders are in the world ranking: Inessa Merkulova is in 7th place (and is the head coach of the Russian national team in Rio), Marina Aframaeva is in 47th place.
However, in personal dressage Poturayeva took 23rd place (without moving - 14), Aframeeva - 31st.
Triathlon.

For the first time in history, the Russian team is represented in the team eventing, having received a license for this (like Italy).
The composition of the triathlon:
Evgenia Ovchinnikova on Orion;
Andrey Mitin on Gyurza;
Alexander Markov at the Kurfyurstin.
Men and women in equestrian sports compete together. The team trained before the Games in a suburb of Hamburg, Germany. The head coach was Ferdinand Kibizov from North Ossetia.
Athletes participated in only two types of triathlon: dressage and show jumping. Personal Dressage credit:
Evgeniya Ovchinnikova - 65th place
Andrey Mitin - 62nd place
Alexander Markov - 39th place.
The dressage team finished in 13th place.
But, unfortunately, Evgenia Ovchinnikova withdrew from the competition after dressage, because her favorite Orion's bone was inflamed. True, the bone was already on arrival in Rio de Janeiro - emergency forging was required. Only thanks to her, Orion was able to pass the veterinary inspection and compete in the first stage of the triathlon.
Cross.
The route, according to the participants of the competition, turned out to be quite difficult: they had to overcome 33 hurdles, make 45 jumps and at the same time keep within 10 and a quarter minutes.
But even on the cross-country, the Russian team faced problems! The triathlete Andrei Mitin got into trouble - at one of the turns, Gyurza knocked down a flag that slipped between her front legs. The rider himself did not notice this and reached the finish line. By the decision of the judges, the Russian athlete was disqualified.
Alexander Markov on the Kurfyurstin made 2 throws at the 16th hurdle and one more on the 25th - this was the end of the Olympiad for the rider.
But in spite of everything, the Russian triathletes showed high professionalism and readiness to represent the Russian Federation in difficult tournaments. Undoubtedly, the experience gained at the Games will be useful to them in the World Championships.

Medal credit.
Our athletes, unfortunately, failed in Brazil, but received a lot of impressions (both good and bad), as well as additional experience. Leading countries in terms of the number of awards received medals:
Germany won 2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze. The total number is 6 medals.
France - 2 gold and 1 silver. The total number is 3 medals.
Great Britain - 2 gold and 1 silver. The total number is 3 medals.

A little about modern pentathlon.
Interestingly, in the pentathlon, the riders rode local horses. So one of the possible horses of the world pentathlon champion Alexander Lesun threw a Czech rider, after which it underwent a veterinary check. Once sick, the horse was changed to another. However, this did not stop him from winning another gold for Russia and gaining 1479 points, thereby setting a new Olympic record.

Despite the loss and the problems the riders faced in Rio, we are expecting awards from our athletes and their four-legged friends in the next championships, competitions, and tournaments. We believe in their victory!

Why is it hard for the Russian equestrian team to fight world leaders

Vladimir IVANOV

Our equestrians will be represented in Rio with a record lineup. Inessa Merkulova and Marina Aframeeva were selected in dressage, and Alexander Markov, Andrei Mitin and Elnira Nabieva qualified in triathlon (though the horse was the last one to be injured, and Evgenia Ovchinnikova will perform in her place). Thus, for the first time in Russian history, triathletes will start at the Olympic Games in the team championship. And this is a huge step forward.

The SE correspondent visited Salzhausen, not far from Hamburg, to see with his own eyes how the final stage of training of our triathletes is going. However, even there, communicating with the riders was problematic. In the morning they have a run. 10 km. Then breakfast and exercise. Then lunch - and the next one. All the time that could be free is spent on caring for the horses. Those, by the way, are very demanding. They smell falseness a mile away. It is impossible with them on the "machine". Only with a soul.

HORSES DO NOT GIVE MILK

While the riders took their horses to the shower after training, I spoke to the head trainer. Ferdinand Kibizov, a famous athlete in the past. In 1980, he became the second in the triathlon at the USSR championship and was supposed to participate in the team competition at the 1980 Olympic Games. However, on the day of the start, he was dumbfounded: "Today you will be the reserve." The Soviet riders won gold that day. But without Kibizov. But, despite all the grievances, he was never able to quit equestrianism. Moved to coaching.

It was not easy in the 1990s, - the coach recalls. - Friends in Vladikavkaz pulled into the alcohol business. Now they are oligarchs. And I stayed in my favorite business. But I don’t regret it. After all, if I had gone then, and we would not have had a school. Not to mention the new complex with a riding hall and a hotel, which is currently under construction. And those friends - they help me.

- In most other regions, everything was abandoned with the collapse of the USSR?

Exactly. There used to be so many strong teams in the south. Three Olympic champions came out of Rostov alone! But now - nothing.

And do you know what sometimes happens when you come to the regions with a proposal to develop equestrian sports? - the personal trainer of Ovchinnikova, director of the Oryol equestrian school, joins the conversation Sergey Popov... - Some of the leaders say that horses are not cows, they do not give milk. What is the point of investing in this business?

There was a state program in the USSR, - adds Kibizov... - For the fifth place at the European Championship-82 we got such a dressing down! We performed on horses bred in our country. Nowadays there is practically no horse breeding in Russia. All on private horses, not the best. It's too expensive.

There were many difficult moments in Russian history, and this could not but affect the horses, continues Popov... - Until 1918, our horses "thundered" everywhere. But I had to rebuild. Elite horses were harnessed and sent to work in the fields.

Why are there horses, - exhales Kibizov... - People were dragging a plow!

GOOD HORSE - 150 THOUSAND EUROS

- Now the Germans are setting the tone. What's the secret?

First: attitude. Equestrian sports are promoted here, and they love it. At the recent national championship in Aachen there were under 100 thousand people! Tickets from 15 euros. Second: horses. They grow them in the following directions: dressage, show jumping, triathlon. We don't even dream of this. Our athletes are no worse than Western athletes in skill and intelligence, but their horses are of a different level.

To make it clearer for you, - explains Popov... - They have Mercedes, Audi and BMW, and we have Zhiguli. Whichever pilot you land, there is no chance.

- How much does one good horse cost?

Somewhere 150 thousand euros. We, unfortunately, do not have such funds. We ask the federation to purchase horses that would not be ashamed to ride abroad. But for now - silence. Nobody wants to invest. Triathlon is too traumatic.

- I understand correctly that you and everyone else who invests in equestrian sports in Russia are in a big minus?

In the deep! But all my ancestors were engaged in horses, I cannot give up this business. It would be much easier to sell them, though. There are plenty of offers! However, this is not an option. After all, this is precisely why there are no horses in Russia now. There were difficult times - and almost everyone was sold. And we dream of seeing the victories of our horsemen.

- Do you want to say that the Olympic medal is real in the foreseeable future?

If we resolve the issue of purchasing Western horses, at least for leaders, our athletes will soon be competing for medals, '' he assured Kibizov... - I'm talking about triathlon.

STAINS ARE ADEQUATE, AND WITH MALES IT'S HARD

Equestrian sport is the only Olympic sport in which women compete in the same category as men. And they are no worse. It was with this topic that we began our conversation with Evgenia Ovchinnikova.

In England there are separate women's and men's offsets, - the athlete recalled. - But in general - there is no difference. It all depends on the skill of the rider.

- Do girls find common language with horses faster?

And all horses are different. Take Gyurza, which Andrei Mitin has - she is all so feminine, tender. It would seem - just for a girl. But Andrei managed to pick up the keys to her. To be honest, stallions are more adequate (laughs)... It's difficult with mares. Critical days, bad mood, some kind of resentment, hysteria - women ... Sometimes patience is not enough. Just now everything was fine - and then she refuses to work. This happens even at the start.

- Is it true that you are the first girl in Russian history, including the USSR, to perform at the Olympic Games in triathlon?

Yes. Although it was not me who selected, but another athlete. But her horse was injured ... I had to go. We will fight. The Olympics have always been a dream for me. And I hope to perform at many more. Canadian Ian Milnar, for example, participated in 10 Olympic Games!

- I see you have already received the official outfit. Was there something for the horses?

But how! High quality ammunition. I myself would never buy this. Saddles for 250 thousand rubles, bridles for 45, boots (protective pads on the horse's legs. - Approx. "SE") - more than 20. Enough until the next Games!

I WALKED TO THIS 36 YEARS

- Were you very worried about the possible non-admission of the team to Rio? - question Andrey Mitin.

Sure. I am 46 now, I have been studying since I was 10 years old. It turns out that it took 36 years to get there. And here it is ...

- Is doping popular in equestrian sports?

Even the top riders no, no, they find something. But doping is not necessarily stimulants and anabolic steroids. They can be disqualified for the usual medicine that was injected into horses during illness. We can't even use ointments for sores!

- In addition to horses, riders are also checked. What is the point?

The rider should be cool-headed and as attentive as possible. Theoretically, you can use some kind of drugs that enhance these qualities.

- Many riders are worried about the flight of horses to Rio. How would this happen?

All I know is that all European horses will be sent on the same flight from Belgium. My Gyurza has never flown yet. I heard there will be a special team on board, veterinarians. It was rumored that if the horse began to panic and thrash violently, it could be put to sleep on board. For the safety of the entire flight.

- Will they be injected with a sedative before the flight?

I really hope for it. Still, more than 30 goals. The best horses of the Old World! Each is worth a lot of money.

- Is it true that not so long ago one of the horses was bought for 15 million euros?

So they say about Totilas. But how everything was there, only the seller and the buyer know. Sheikhs buy horses for racing and for a lot of money. But in our triathlon, the amounts are more modest.

- What is the main thing in triathlon?

Courage. It is impossible to count on anything without it. Take William Fox-Pitt. He has tremendous sports experience. But he unexpectedly admitted that he was losing courage and was thinking about retirement. I want to ride while it is jumping. But if I feel the same as Fox-Pitt, I will immediately switch to coaching.

Salzhausen - Moscow

Equestrian competition at the Summer Olympics first appeared at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and has since been featured in every subsequent Games except the 1904 Games in St. Louis and 908 Games in London. Initially, a show jumping competition was held and the long and high jump were soon canceled. Eventing and dressage were introduced at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. Vaulting competitions were held at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp and were then canceled.

The USSR national team played for the first time at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. It was not possible to win medals in equestrian sports. In individual event in dressage Vladimir Raspopov finished 19th, the team took seventh place. In show jumping in the individual competition, Mikhail Vlasov showed the best result (4th place), and the team took 14th place. Valerian Kuibyshev performed more successfully than the rest of the Soviet horsemen. In triathlon in the individual standings, he became 10th,

There were many phenomenal results at the Mexican Olympics, and one of them is in equestrian sports. This is the first place of Ivan Kizimov on Ichor in the individual dressage championship.

But everything could have ended very badly ... On the plane of the "Sabena" airline, which was carrying the horses of the Soviet team to Mexico City, a real tragedy broke out. There was already a very small part of the way, when the horses suddenly began to get nervous. The grooms could do nothing with the animals, which suddenly began to rage. Ichor was especially worried. He beat with his hooves so that he shook the entire plane. And if the other horses somehow managed to calm down, then Ihor did not give in to any persuasion. And then one of the pilots took out a pistol: according to the instructions in such cases, the restless animal should be shot. The grooms began to beg the pilot to spare Ihor, while the horse calmed down.

When the plane landed in Mexico City, Ichor's legs were like a bloody mess. Everyone thought that Ichor would not only be unable to compete at these Olympic Games, but also doubted that he would ever recover. Ivan Mikhailovich Kizimov spent several sleepless weeks next to his partner in trouble. And a couple of days before the start of the competition, Ichor ran like a young stallion, as if nothing had happened. It was a miracle. This time, as if in gratitude to the people who helped him, he performed like never before. He brought individual gold for its owner Ivan Kizimov and his country.

We add that in Mexico City, our riders won another medal - silver in the team dressage competition Ivan Kizimov on Ichor, Ivan Kalita on Absinthe and Elena Petushkova on Ash competed for the USSR national team.

Triathlon: the sport of the courageous and courageous

The Olympic triathlon tournament was held at the Bitsa equestrian center, built specifically for the Olympic Games.

All its participants unanimously noted the excellent preparation of the field test track. The steeple chase with level and fairly flat soil, small paths and roads laid along the Bitsevsky forest park and the cross-country track without large differences in elevation were impeccable. Only the weather was a bit unlucky. It was raining on the eve of the field trials and the FEI Technical Commission decided to postpone the start of the competition three hours later. On the track, 20 television cameras were working, providing the broadcast of the cross from start to finish.

Out of 28 triathlon participants, 18 athletes completed field trials, of which only three without penalty points - Alexander Blinov on Galzun (USSR), Federico Euro Roman on Rossinane (Italy) and Tsvetan Donchev on Medisson (Bulgaria).

The Polish national team, which was in the lead after the dressage, did not cope with the field trials and dropped out of the team classification. The fate of the medals was decided on the last day of the competition on the show jumping field. Gold in the individual competition went to Federico Euro Roman, silver to Alexander Blinov, bronze to Yuri Salnikov. The winner in the team event was the Soviet team, which was made up of representatives of four cities of the USSR: Valery Volkov from Yaroslavl, Sergei Rogozhin from Nalchik, Alexander Blinov from Frunze and Yuri Salnikov from Rostov-on-Don.

Show jumping gold

The team show jumping competitions of the Olympic tournament were held at the Bolshoi Bitsa Stadium, which is well known to all equestrian sports fans, and the winners of individual medals were determined on the green field of the Bolshoi Sports Arena in Luzhniki.

With bated breath, the fans watched every performance of our masters, in whose life there were no minutes more important than these. In the team championship, the riders had to overcome 13 obstacles, making 16 jumps over obstacles up to 160 cm high.

In the first round, four of our athletes - Vyacheslav Chukanov on Hepatitis, Viktor Asmaev on a Flight, Nikolai Korolkov on Espadron, Viktor Poganovsky on Topkom, took the lead. 16 penalty points separated them from the Polish team. The coaches could breathe easy, but it was too early to relax.

Nikolay Korolkov got a little nervous, and Espadron made a mistake in the triple system. Viktor Poganovskiy completed the route accurately, but slightly overstayed the control time, as a result a penalty of 0.25 points. Viktor Asmayev finished on the Race with 7.25 penalty points, and put the winning point in the performance of our national team Vyacheslav Chukanov, passing the route without penalty points.

The team championship gold medals were awarded to Soviet show jumping players.

In their shining brilliance, the cherished dreams of their lucky owners, years of intense training, hopes and disappointments were reflected in bright highlights.

The individual championship of the Games took place in the shadow of the Olympic flame, in a huge "bowl" of the large Luzhniki stadium.

The two most difficult gits were not easy for athletes and horses. Nobody was able to pass them without penalty points. The best Soviet athlete was Nikolai Korolkov on Espadron. Just 1.5 penalty points for exceeding the time limit separated him from Olympic gold.

Nikolay was awarded a silver medal, and gold went to the Polish athlete Jan Kowalczyk on Artemor, who finished with 8 penalty points.

At the start - dressage masters

Before the start of the Olympic Games, a difficult situation arose in the Soviet dressage team. Shortly before the start of the Games, Elena Petushkova, the recognized leader of the national team, lost her horse Abakan - he fell. Another team member, Irina Karacheva, was knocked out of action a few days before the start due to Side's illness. A replacement was urgently found: Yuri Kovshov on the Player and Vera Misevich on the Raft. The third member of the team was Viktor Ugryumov on Shkval.

On the first day of the competition, the first half of the participants entered the Bitsa field. Yuri Kovshov and Viktor Ugryumov rode the Grand Prix with concentration and inspiration. A strict panel of judges highly appreciated their performances, but gave preference to the 1979 European champion, Austrian athlete Elisabeth Theurer. Now the result of our team completely depended on the performance of Vera Misevich. Her elegant bay Raft, not accustomed to audience applause, got nervous and was able to demonstrate faultless driving only in the second part of the program. Despite the insufficiently high score, our trio scored enough points to take first place in the team competition with a big lead.

By analogy with the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games are held every 4 years. The first Youth Olympic Games were held from August 14-26, 2010 in Singapore, and the second Youth Olympic Games are scheduled for August 16-28, 2014 in Nanjing, China.