The History of the Olympic Games
Welcome to the new Olympic Games section of the FEI Website - we will be continually updating and renewing the information provided in this section, so please don't hesitate to check for more news and information as time goes on.
The ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece, every four years from at least 776 B.C. until they were banned by Emperor Theodosius in 393 A.D. Originally there was only one race, a sprint, and the prize for the winner was an olive wreath. As time went on other races were added, as were other sports, including boxing and wrestling. Among the more unusual events were the race in armour and the apene race, in which a chariot was pulled not by horses, but by two mules. Prizes became more elaborate, and there were even cases of bribery, corruption and boycotts.
Inspired by the original, uncorrupted Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France conceived the modern Olympic Games. He proposed the idea publicly for the first time in 1892 and then spent the next three and a half years drumming up support. Interest was strongest in Greece, so it was decided to hold the first Olympic Games in Athens. The term “Olympiad” designates the period of four consecutive years which follow the Games. The first Olympiad of the modern era began with the Games in Athens in 1896. The Olympiads and the Olympic Games are counted from that year, even where the Games were not held in a particular Olympiad. The term “Olympiad” is not applied to the Olympic Winter Games.
- Equestrian Sports and the Olympic Games
The first serious attempt to include riding as an Olympic discipline was made by a group of Swedish officers led by Count Clarence Von Rosen. He appealed to Baron de Coubertin at the IOC meeting in 1906 and, as a result, he was asked by the Baron to draft an Olympic equestrian program. This was then subsequently presented to the Olympic Congress at the Hague in 1907 and was accepted for the 1908 Games to be held in London. However when the Organising Committee received the entries from 88 riders from 8 nations, it took fright and backed down. Fortunately, the next Games of 1912 were awarded to Stockholm and the equestrian Olympic program proposed by Count Van Rosen was readily accepted. In the autumn of 1911, the invittaions were sent out to the military departments and to the National Olympic Committees. The Three-day Event (Eventing) was limited to officer entries but the juming and dressage competitions were open to civilians. The first Equestrian participation at the Olympics saw 62 competitiors from 10 nations with 70 horses invoved in the competitions, but they were all officers...
With the advent of the Olympic Games, it soon became clear that internationally recognised rules for the three Olympic disciplines were becoming essential. Eventually in May 1921 delegates from ten national equestrian organisations met in Lausanne to discuss the formation of an international federation...
In many ways, the Olympics were a tremendous impetus and pre-cursor to the creation of the FEI and the world wide development of horsesport . The rest is history...
The Olympic Jumping Winners since 1912
The Olympic Dressage Winners since 1912
The Olympic Eventing Winners since 1912