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.

Penalties are awarded for a knock-down or refusal (4), per second over time (1), with two refusals or a fall resulting in elimination. 

AT A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

The team competition is decided by the combined scores of the three best placed riders (from a team of four) in each of the team rounds. 

SPEED ROUND

This class helps to determine the starting order for Round One of the Team competition. The competitor with the lowest number of points will be given zero penalties, with the remaining riders awarded penalties representing the difference in points between them and the leading rider. 

ROUND ONE: TEAM & INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION

A two round competition (A&B), not against the clock, both individuals and teams start in reverse order of classification from the Speed competition. This round decides the fifty individual athletes and the top ten teams who will progress through to the second round. 

ROUND 2: TEAM FINAL & INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION

A two round competition, not against the clock, open to the top fifty individual athletes and the ten best placed teams from Round One. All participants carry their penalties forward from Round One and start in reverse order of final placing in the first round; the winning team is the one with the lowest combined penalty score from the three best scores from Rounds One and Two. If there is an equality of scores a jump-off is used to determine final team placings. 

INDIVIDUAL FINAL

A two round competition (A&B) contested by the top twenty-five riders (the combined score from Rounds One and Two) and is not against the clock.

Round A sees competitors compete in reverse order (based on penalties incurred in Rounds One and Two); Round B sees competitors start in reverse order of penalties awarded in Round A, as well as in Rounds One and Two. 

Individual placings are determined by adding together the penalties incurred in Round One, Round Two and Rounds A & B of the individual competition. The competitor with the lowest penalties wins; if there is an equality of scores a jump-off is used to determine final team placings.

AT A OLYMPIC GAMES

The team competition is decided by the combined score of the three best placed riders (from a team of four), with the lowest combined score the winning team. 

FIRST QUALIFYING COMPETITION

All riders complete one round; those competitors with the same number of faults are placed equal. The competition counts for qualification to the individual final and decides the jumping order for the team competition. 

TEAM COMPETITION

This takes place over two rounds, with only the top ten teams going through to the second round. A team's score is decided by taking the best three scores out of four. 

INDIVIDUAL FINAL

This also takes place over two rounds; it is not against the clock but does have a maximum time allowance, with jump-off for equally placed riders. Riders carry their previous scores forward with the best placed thirty-five competitors contesting the first round. The top twenty competitors go through to the final (with only three combinations per nation able to contest the Individual Final). 

At a World Equestrian Games

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