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\ Equestrian Overview 
Equestrian events were included in the Olympic Games
for the first time in 1900 and then in 1912, in a format very similar
to that which will be used at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
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In the past,
the three-day event (Eventing) was restricted to military
officers, while the jumping and dressage competitions were
open to civilians, but only a handful of civilian riders competed
up to 1948. Up to that time, the growth of modern sport had
been rapid, but relatively few competitors were involved in
international competitions. They all knew each other and the
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judges
and were accepting of local variations to the fairly
simple rules which existed. With the inclusion of the
sport in the Olympic Games, it became obvious that some
internationally recognised rules for the three Olympic
disciplines were essential. In May 1921, delegates from
10 national equestrian organisations met in Lausanne
to discuss the formation of an international federation.
Equestrian consists of three disciplines: Jumping, Dressage
and Eventing (Three-Day Event). |
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| OLYMPIC
HISTORY
Equestrian events have been on the Olympic programme since
1900, when jumping events were held during the Olympics in
Paris. However, equestrian events were not held again until
1912 in Stockholm. Since that year, the sport has always been
on the Olympic programme. The programme has been remarkably
constant. In 1900, a high jump and a long jump for horses
were held for the only time, while in 1920, vaulting made
a single appearance on the Olympic programme. Otherwise, the
programme has rarely varied.
Prior to 1952, equestrian sports events during
the Olympics were contested by men only. In fact, the riders
had to be military athletes. More specifically, they had to
be commissioned officers. In 1952 these restrictions were
lifted, and since then men and women have competed against
each other in the equestrian events.
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