The 1932 Summer Olympics, also known as Los Angeles 1932, went down in history. These international multi-sport competitions took place from July 30 to August 14, 1932. It was the time of the worldwide Great Depression (a time of global economic recession). Thus, not all countries were able to attend the competition. It is worth telling more about what equestrian competitions were like in those years and what they included. What was memorable about the events of 1932? Read more on i-los-angeles.
A brief overview of the event
Equestrian competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics took place from August 10 to 14 and included:
- dressage, i.e. the demonstration of the horse and rider performing a series of predetermined movements. Thanks to this form of riding, one can develop the horse’s natural athletic abilities and desire to perform. The participants received team and individual medals for dressage
- triathlon, i.e. three disciplines: dressage, cross-country and competition. The participants received team and individual medals for it
- jumping, i.e. triathlon, hunting and horse riding. This is a complex part of the event, for which the participants received individual medals.
31 competitors (men) from 6 countries took part in the competition. It was the lowest figure in the history of the Olympic Games. The youngest participant, Gustav Adolf Boltenstern Jr., was 28 years old (representative of Sweden). The oldest, Morishige Yamamoto, was 49 years old (representative of Japan). Representatives of the USA won the largest number of medals, namely five awards.
The equestrian competition in 1932
The dressage, as well as most of the three-day sports competition, took place on the territory of the Riviera Country Club. It is one of the most famous golf courses in the world and has hosted other important championships, such as the US Open (1948) and PGA Championship (1983; 1995).
The Riviera Country Club has been the traditional home of the Los Angeles Open since the 1940s. The official page of the Riviera Country Club has preserved historical data with relevant photos. At that time, Isaac L. Kitts and his horse American Lady managed to win a bronze medal as part of the US Olympic team.
The running part of the sports competition took place near Inglewood, California.
The competition took place on the territory of the Olympic Stadium.
Jumping was the final event.
Interesting facts
- Horse riding training courses were developed by Snowy Baker. He was an Austrian Olympian in boxing and swimming since 1908 who lived in Los Angeles. The man ran a polo club and taught horses valuable skills.
- Participants from Germany did not come in 1932 due to financial reasons. The fact that they had favorites did not change the situation.
- Despite the small number of participants and the Great Depression, the public eagerly awaited the equestrian competition. This was confirmed by the fact that tickets for the three-day event were sold out as soon as they went on sale.
- The three horses that were awarded the gold medal in the 1932 competition were bred in France.
- The 1932 Olympics put Los Angeles on the world stage.
The Olympic Games of 1932 became a famous event because they were remembered for several records and achievements. The participants were not only able to demonstrate the skill and athleticism of riders and horses, they contributed to popularizing equestrian sports around the world.