Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Mail coach
| Equestrian mail coach at the Games of the II Olympiad | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Baron Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt at the equestrian mail coach competition | ||||||||||
| Venue | 7th arrondissement of Paris | |||||||||
| Date | 2 June | |||||||||
| Competitors | 28 from 6 nations | |||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Jumping | |
| Hacks and hunter combined | |
| Long jump | |
| Four-in-hand mail coach | |
| High jump | |
The four-in-hand "mail coach" driving was an equestrian event at the 1900 Summer Olympics. There were 31 entrants listed for the event; all 28 of them are known by name (three entered twice each).[1] The event was won by Georges Nagelmackers (one of the competitors who entered twice) of Belgium. Silver went to Léon Thome and bronze to Jean de Neuflize, both of France.[2][3]
Sources prior to 1996 often did not list this event as Olympic. The IOC website currently has affirmed a total of 95 medal events, after accepting, as it appears, the recommendation of Olympic historian Bill Mallon regarding events that should be considered "Olympic". These additional events include the mail coach event.[4][5] (Mallon and de Wael had included this event in their Olympic lists.)
Background
No equestrian events were held at the first modern Olympics in 1896. Five events, including this one, were featured in 1900. Only the show jumping competition would ever be held again after that; this was the only appearance of the mail coach event.[6]
Competition format
The contestants drove mail coaches drawn by four horses each, with the winners determined by a jury. Many of the coaches were driven by their owners. The event took place at the small Place de Breteuil, which was unable to accommodate all 31 coaches simultaneously.[2]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Round |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 2 June 1900 | 14:00 | Final |
Results
Very little is known about the results of the event.
| Rank | Driver | Nation |
|---|---|---|
 | Georges Nagelmackers | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium |
 | Léon Thome |  France |
 | Jean de Neuflize | France |
| 4 | Philippe Vernes | France |
| 5–31 | Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt[lower-alpha 1] | Belgium |
| Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt[lower-alpha 1] | Belgium | |
| Georges Nagelmackers | Belgium | |
| Vladimir Nikolayevich Orlov |  Russian Empire | |
| Charles Eugène Amable de Veauce | France | |
| Luis Antonio de Guadalmina | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Spain | |
| Élie de Polyakov | Russian Empire | |
| Octave Gallice | France | |
| Jacques la Caze | France | |
| Jacques la Caze | France | |
| James Hennessy | France | |
| Gaston Saint-Paul de Sinçay | Belgium | |
| Adrien de Noailles | France | |
| Jacques de Waru | France | |
| Bertrand Chanu | France | |
| Geoffroy d'Andigné | France | |
| Jacques d'Arlincourt | France | |
| Georges Chaudoir | Belgium | |
| Louis du Douet de Graville | France | |
| Max Guilleaume | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Germany | |
| Paul Lambert | Belgium | |
| Ferdinand de Lariboisière | France | |
| Hermann Mandl |  Austria | |
| Orban | Belgium | |
| Georges Pauwels | Belgium | |
| Paul de Saint-Léger | France | |
| Georges de Zogheb | Austria |
Notes
- One of Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt's coaches was driven by Count de La Mazelière.[3]
References
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Equestrianism at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Mixed Four-In-Hand Competition". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- "Exposition universelle internationale de 1900" (in French). Ministére du commerce, de 'industrie, des postes et des télégraphes. 1900. pp. 291–292. Retrieved 4 February 2022 – via LA84 Digital Library.
- "Big display of coaches". The New York Herald. Paris. 3 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 16 February 2022 – via Gallica.
- "Paris 1900". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- Mallon, Bill (1998). The 1900 Olympic Games, Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4064-1.
- "Four-In-Hand Competition, Open". Olympedia. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
Sources
- International Olympic Committee medal winners database
- De Wael, Herman. Herman's Full Olympians: "Equestrian 1900". Accessed 19 January 2006. Available electronically at .
- Mallon, Bill (1998). The 1900 Olympic Games, Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-7864-0378-0.