As it is said that necessity is the mother of invention, equestrian - jumping widely known as 'showjumping' in the UK, was born out of the womb of necessity. In the wake of the enclosure act, fences were put up in the English Countryside which hunters were able to gallop across until the 18th century in pursuit of foxes. Now the riders and their horses had to find new ways and thus jumping was born. Show jumping in its initial form appeared in 1900 Olympic Games for the first time. But it remained absent for more than a decade only to re-appear in its current format in 1912 Olympics. Until 1952, it remained a 'men's-only sport' and only cavalry officers could participate in the Olympic Games. Later IOC lifted these restrictions, and both men (civilians) and women were given the chance to compete in the Olympics, under common rules of evaluation and marking.
Equestrian - Jumping Events in London 2012 Olympics
Venue: Greenwich Park
04 August 2012
10:30 - 14:15
Men / Women Individual Jumping 1st qualifier
Men / Women Team Jumping Qualifier for round 1
05 August 2012
11:00 - 14:30
Men / Women Team Jumping 1st round
06 August 2012
14:00 - 17:30
Men / Women Team Jumping 2nd round, Victory ceremony
08 August 2012
12:00 - 16:35
Men / Women Individual Jumping, final rounds, Victory ceremony
Qualifications
There are two show Equestrian Jumping events at the Games, the team and individual competitions - featuring 75 athletes in total. The qualification criteria are as follows.
All the information regarding the qualification process and the schedule of all the games of Equestrian-jumping in London 2012 Olympics have been provided in the lines below.
Schedule Of Equestrian Jumping
- The five best teams from the 2010 USA, Kentucky World Equestrian Games automatically qualify. These teams are from Canada, France, Belgium, Brazil, and Germany. Australia has already qualified for being the best team at the World Equestrian Games from an area "Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South-East Asia and Oceania", according to FE's definitions.
- The three of the top teams from both the 2011 European Jumping Championships which was held at Windsor, UK and the 2011 Pan-American Games also qualify. The best African or Middle Eastern team, according to the combined result of both the World Equestrian Games and a 2011 Qualifying Tournament also goes through.
- One place is reserved for the best team from the aforementioned area at the 2011 Qualifying Tournament. Along with this a place for Britain, as the hosts, is also reserved for the Olympics making it a 15-team tournament.
- Members of the qualified teams automatically qualify for the individual event, with 15 more places reserved for individuals who do not reach the Olympics as part of a team. Five out of these 15 places, for the athletes from Europe and Central Asia, are decided on the basis of show jumping's world rankings as of 1 March 2012.
- Five places are there for the countries which produced the best-ranked athletes at the 2011 Pan-American Games (who have not otherwise qualified), with three additional places - from Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia and Oceania - settled on the basis of performances at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
- Lastly two more individuals from Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia and Oceania qualify at a separate Olympic Qualification event. As a matter of fact the 15 additional places for individuals who couldn't qualify as part of teams are awarded not to the athletes who earn them, but to the countries they represent. Nations do have the right to award their place(s) to other competitors from the same country.
In 2012 London Olympics 26 nations will compete, with 75 riders representing: Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Jordan, Japan, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Syria, Ukraine and the USA.
Brief Info On Equestrian - Jumping
Each of the three Equestrian disciplines in the Olympics competitions features both Individual and Team events, where men and women compete on equal terms with each other. A game consists of five rounds in the Jumping competition. Two of these rounds determine the placings in the Team event, whereas all five rounds are used to determine the places in the Individual event. If at the end of the fifth round two or more rider/horse combinations are tied for medal places of the Individual event, there is jump-off to break the tie.
Scoring
In Equestrian Jumping, the rider/riders have to negotiate a series of obstacles within a set time. The fences are designed in a way that if the horse hits them while attempting to jump over, part or all of the fence will knock down and the rider will be penalized with 'faults'. If the rider fails to complete the course within a set time, it goes down as fault as well. The rider with the fewest faults is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the winner is decided by jumping a shortened course as fast as possible without knocking fences down.
Conclusion
The Jumping is a test of craft, speed and power. Held in a course of around 12-14 fences, this sport gives an exhilarating experience to the spectators and London 2012 Olympic show jumping events promises the same.
Brief Info On Equestrian - Jumping
Each of the three Equestrian disciplines in the Olympics competitions features both Individual and Team events, where men and women compete on equal terms with each other. A game consists of five rounds in the Jumping competition. Two of these rounds determine the placings in the Team event, whereas all five rounds are used to determine the places in the Individual event. If at the end of the fifth round two or more rider/horse combinations are tied for medal places of the Individual event, there is jump-off to break the tie.
Scoring
In Equestrian Jumping, the rider/riders have to negotiate a series of obstacles within a set time. The fences are designed in a way that if the horse hits them while attempting to jump over, part or all of the fence will knock down and the rider will be penalized with 'faults'. If the rider fails to complete the course within a set time, it goes down as fault as well. The rider with the fewest faults is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the winner is decided by jumping a shortened course as fast as possible without knocking fences down.
Conclusion
The Jumping is a test of craft, speed and power. Held in a course of around 12-14 fences, this sport gives an exhilarating experience to the spectators and London 2012 Olympic show jumping events promises the same.