| Event: | Equestrian |
| Games: | 1980 Summer |
| Dates: | 25 July – 3 August 1980 |
| Competitors: | 68 |
| Nations: | 11 |
| Num Events: | 6 |
| Prev: | 1976 |
| Next: | 1984 |
Equestrian at the 1980 Summer Olympics was represented by six events. All of them, with the exception of the Individual Jumping Grand Prix, were held in the Trade Unions' Equestrian Complex, which is situated in the Bitsa Forest Park (southern part of Moscow). Individual Jumping Grand Prix was held in the Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium at Luzhniki (south-western part of Moscow).
Due to the US-led boycott, only eleven nations competed in the equestrian events: Austria, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Finland, Hungary, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Romania, and the USSR. Therefore, none of the top riders in the world competed, including the Italian eventing team and the current European champion in dressage, Austrian Sissy Theurer. India also sent an eventing team, but all four of its riders were eliminated. Team dressage event featured only four countries, guaranteeing three of them a medal (the Russians won gold). Overall, there were 68 entries from 11 nations in the equestrian competition at the 1980 Olympics.[1]
26 riders from seven nations competed over Viatcheslav Kartavski's course, including six teams, none of whom were dominating powers in international show jumping. The course was kept easy, with ideal distances between fences. Only sixteen riders competed in the individual show jumping competition, including one each from Finland and Guatemala. The Guatemalan, Oswaldo Mendaz, finished in fourth place after losing the jump-off for bronze to Mexico's Joaquin Perez de la Heras. This remained the highest placing of a Guatemalan athlete at the Olympics until Erick Barrondo won an athletics silver medal in 2012. Silver went to Nikolaj Korolkov, finishing with 9.5 penalties, and gold went to Poland's Jan Kowalczyk, who had a rail in each round.
Of the 14 riders (seven nations) competing in dressage, there was only one top international competitor: 26-year-old Elisabeth Theurer on her Hanoverian Mon Cheri. She finished the Grand Prix an astonishing 35 points ahead of the second place finisher Yuri Kovshov, and 82 points ahead of the third place winner Viktor Ugriumov. She spread this margin even further in the Grand Prix Special, to 90 points ahead of silver and 136 points ahead of bronze. However, her win was not marred by controversy, and the Austrian National Equestrian Federation's President resigned after her decision to compete.
Following the boycott from Western nations, the Soviet Union had to stimulate Soviet Block countries of Bulgaria, Poland and Romania to take part in a team competition on a short notice. As a consequence, most of the participants were very inexperienced and have scored some of the lowest marks in the Olympic history. Without any significant competition, the Soviet dressage team won by a record 803 points ahead of the silver medal winning Bulgarian team. This was managed even without one of their top riders, Elena Petushkova, after her horse died from an illness.
Only six nations competed, but with the addition of the 1964 Olympics gold medal winners (Italy) to the team fielded by the USSR (three-time European Champion), there was some competition. Endurance day was held in Bitsa forest park, over very deep footing, and included a 5500 meter Phase A, 3795 meter Steeplechase, 12100 meter Phase C, and a final 7685 meter cross-country course. Although the course was inviting, 11 of the 28 starters were eliminated.
| Individual dressage | ||||
| Team dressage | Yuri Kovshov and Igrok Viktor Ugryumov and Shkfval Vera Misevich and Plot | Petar Mandajiev and Stchibor Svetoslav lvanov and Aleko Gheorghi Gadjev and Vnimatelen | Anghelache Donescu and Dor Dumitru Veliku and Decebal Petre Rosca and Derbist | |
| Individual eventing | ||||
| Team eventing | Aleksandr Blinov and Galzun Yuri Salnikov and Pintset Valery Volkov and Tskheti Sergei Rogozhin and Gelespont | Federico Roman and Rossinan Anna Casagrande and Daleye Mauro Roman and Dourakine 4 Marina Sciocchetti and Rohan de Lechereo | Manuel Mendívil and Remember David Bárcena and Bombon José Luis Pérez Soto and Quelite Fabián Vázquez and Cocaleco | |
| Individual jumping | ||||
| Team jumping | Vyacheslav Chukanov and Gepatit Viktor Poganovsky and Topky Viktor Asmaev and Reis Nikolai Korolkov and Espadron | Marian Kozicki and Bremen Jan Kowalczyk and Artemor Wiesław Hartman and Norton Janusz Bobik and Szampan | Joaquín Pérez and Alymony Jesús Gómez and Massacre Gerardo Tazzer and Caribe Alberto Valdes Jr. and Lady Mirka |
The Soviet Union dominated team competitions, winning gold medals in all of them. However, they did not win any individual gold as Italy, Poland and Austria won the individual jumping, eventing and dressage competitions, respectively.
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Time | Score |
| 1 | Mon Cherie | 7:44 | 1370 | ||
| 2 | Igrok | 7:35 | 1300 | ||
| 3 | Shkval | 8:03 | 1234 | ||
| 4 | Plot | 7:53 | 1231 | ||
| 5 | Piccolo | 8:02 | 1121 | ||
| 6 | Dor | 7:20 | 960 | ||
| 7 | Vnimatelen | 881 | |||
| 8 | Aleko | 850 | |||
| 9 | Schibor | 846 | |||
| 10 | Helios | 804 | |||
| 11 | Derbist | 741 | |||
| 12 | Decebal | 720 | |||
| 13 | Sum | ||||
| 14 | Damask | ||||
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Score | |
| 1 | lgrok Shkval Plot | 4383 | |||
| 2 | Petar Mandajiev Svetoslav lvanov Gheorghi Gadjev | Stchibor Aleko Vnimatelen | 3580 | ||
| 3 | Anghelache Donescu Dumitru Veliku Petre Rosca | Dor Decebal Derbist | 3346 | ||
| 4 | Jozef Zagor Elżbieta Morciniec Wanda Wąsowska | Helios Sum Damask | 2945 |
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Score | |
| 1 | Rossinan | -108.60 | |||
| 2 | Galzun | -120.80 | |||
| 3 | Pintset | -151.60 | |||
| 4 | Tskheti | -184.60 | |||
| 5 | Medisson | -185.80 | |||
| 6 | Erywań | -241.80 | |||
| 7 | Daleye | -266.20 | |||
| 8 | Dourakine 4 | -281.40 | |||
| 9 | Rohan de Lechereo | -308.40 | |||
| 10 | Remember | -319.75 | |||
| 11 | Gelespont | -338.80 | |||
| 12 | Bombona | -362.50 | |||
| 13 | Bastion | -411.80 | |||
| 14 | Fapipa | -436.20 | |||
| 15 | Quelite | -490.60 | |||
| 16 | Biboros | -498.60 | |||
| 17 | Lamour | -668.60 | |||
| - | Bogez | DNF | |||
| - | Hangar | DNF | |||
| - | Normativ | DNF | |||
| - | Cocaleco | DNF | |||
| - | Ados | DNF | |||
| - | Mentor-2 | DNF | |||
| - | Len | DNF | |||
| - | I-Am-It | DNF | |||
| - | Bobby | DNF | |||
| - | Shiwalik | DNF | |||
| - | Rajdoot | DNF |
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Score | |
| 1 | Galzun Pintset Tskheti Gelespont | 457.00 | |||
| 2 | Rossinan Daleye Dourakin 4 Rohan de Lechereo | 656.20 | |||
| 3 | 1172.85 | ||||
| 4 | László Cseresnyés lstván Grózner Zoltán Horváth Mihály Oláh | Fapipa Biboros Lamour Ados | 1603.40 | ||
| - | Mirosław Szłapka Jacek Wierzchowiecki Stanisław Jasiński Jacek Daniluk | Erywan Bastion Hangar Len | DNF | ||
| - | Tsvetan Dontchev Dimo Khristov Dzhenko Sabev Trifon Datsinski | Medisson Bogez Normativ Mentor-2 | DNF | ||
| - | Muhammad Khan Darya Singh Jitendarjit Singh Ahluwalia Hussain Khan | I-Am-It Bobby Shewalik Rajdoot | DNF |
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Score | |
| 1 | Artemor | 8.00 | |||
| 2 | Espadron | 9.50 | |||
| 3 | Alymony | 12.00 | |||
| 4 | Pampa | 12.00 | |||
| 5 | Topky | 15.50 | |||
| 6 | Norton | 16.00 | |||
| 7 | Bohem | 24.00 | |||
| 8 | Bremen | 24.50 | |||
| 9 | Gepatit | 24.75 | |||
| 10 | Montblanc | 26.50 | |||
| 11 | Lady Mirka | 28.00 | |||
| 12 | Monday Morning | 30.25 | |||
| 13 | Vals | 36.25 | |||
| 14 | Vadrozsa | 40.25 | |||
| - | Makbet | DNF | |||
| - | Massacre | DSQ |
Remark:for 3rd and 4th ranked contestants the standings are after jump-off.
| Final Rank | Name | Horse | Country | Score | |
| 1 | Gepatit Topky Reis Espadron | 20.25 | |||
| 2 | Bremen Artemor Norton Szampan | 56.00 | |||
| 3 | Alymony Massacre Caribe Lady Mirka | 59.75 | |||
| 4 | Barnabás Hevesi Ferenc Krucsó András Balogi József Varró | Bohem Vadrózsa Artemis Gambrinusz | 124.00 | ||
| 5 | Alexandru Bozan Dania Popescu Ion Popa Dumitru Velea | Prejmer Sonor Licurici Fudul | 150.50 | ||
| 6 | Dimitar Ghenov Khristo Katchov Nikola Dimitrov Boris Pavlov | Makbet Povod Vals Monblan | 159.50 |
Appointment of officials was as follows:[2]
Tilo Koeppel (Ground Jury Member)
Gustaf Nyblæus (Ground Jury Member)
Eryk Brabec (Ground Jury President)
Antoine Dumont de Chassart (Ground Jury Member)
Giovanni Marcone (Technical Delegate) Fabio Mangilli (Ground Jury President)