There are two sets of medals available for showjumping (or jumping as it is referred to at an Olympic Games and the World Equestrian Games) - individual and team. The main characteristics of jumping are speed, agility and accuracy of both the rider and the horse.

At a World Equestrian Games

Team competition:

Teams are made up of a maximum of four combinations per nation; the three best scores from the first competition and each round of the second competition count towards the team result. All four rounds count towards qualification for the ‘final four’ individual competition.

Speed round:

All competitors compete one round against the clock over a course of obstacles.

individual and Team qualifying: 

All athletes compete an Individual and Team qualifying round before the top ten best teams and the top 50 placed athletes go forward to compete the second Individual qualifier and the Team final. The team result is calculated by adding together the three best placed athlete scores after the first and second qualifying competitions (and both rounds from the second competition).

individual qualifying round:

The top thirty athletes (after the first and second competitions) go forward to compete in the third individual qualifying phase. The Final Four are decided after this round. 

final four:

The individual final – the ‘final four’ – sees all athletes complete four rounds; completing one round with their own horse, and the remaining three rounds with the other three qualified riders horses.  Riders do not compete against the clock (but there is a time allowed); the rider with the lowest penalties after the four rounds have been jumped is declared the winner. If there is equality in points after the four rounds, the individual medal will be decided using the final standing of competitors after the final individual qualifier. 

>> Visit the British Showjumping website for more information about the sport