The selection of the site for the Centennial Olympic Games of 1996 was a battle between nostalgic and commercial interests: Athens (GRE), who had, in 1896, held the first modern Olympic Games and Atlanta (USA), home of Coca-Cola, one of the major sponsors of the Olympic movement. In the IOC vote on 18.09.1990 Athens was in the lead in the first two rounds. The third time round they tied, then Atlanta got nearly all the votes from the cities which had dropped out: Melbourne (AUS) and Toronto (CAN).
For the equestrian events a new site in the small town of Conyers, 50 km east of Atlanta was built. The new Georgia International Horse Park cost nearly 50 million USD. 30 million were paid by ACOG, the Olympic Organising Committee. The Conyer’s share was 11 million. All competitions were held there, none under cover, with varied weather conditions: from hot and humid to torrential rainfall.
Eight nations shared the 18 equestrian medals. Germany won four of the six gold medals: both in Jumping and Dressage, but none in Eventing. The United States also won four medals, in all three disciplines. New Zealand was dominant in Eventing, winning gold-silver-bronze each.
Max E. Ammann had been engaged as Chief Press Officer Equestrian and Ralph Ammann as Information Manager Equestrian by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG). They had a crew of two experienced press assistants from Europe: Edith de Reys (BEL) and Beatrice Brönnimann (SUI) and approx. 20 US volunteers.
Jumping - individual competition (29.07.+01.+04.08.1996)
1. Ulrich Kirchhoff (GER) – Jus de Pommes
2. Willi Melliger (SUI) – Calvaro
3. Alexandra Ledermann (FRA) – Rochet M
Jumping - team competition (01.08.1996)
1. Germany
Lars Nieberg (GER) – For Pleasure
Franke Sloothaak (GER) – Joly
Ulrich Kirchhoff (GER) – Jus de Pommes
Ludger Beerbaum (GER) – Ratina Z
2. United States of America
Anne Kursinski (USA) – Eros
Leslie Burr-Howard (USA) – Extreme
Peter Leone (USA) – Legato
Michael Matz (USA) – Rhum
3. Brazil
Alvaro Miranda Neto (BRA) – Aspen
André Johannpeter (BRA) – Calei
Luiz Felipe Azevedo (BRA) – Cassiana
Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) – Tomboy
Dressage – individual competition (27.+28.+31.07.+03.08.1996)
1. Isabel Werth (GER) – Gigolo
2. Anky van Grunsven (NED) – Bonfire
3. Sven Rothenberger (NED) – Weyden
Dressage – team competition (27.-28.07.1996)
1. Germany
Isabell Werth (GER) – Gigolo
Klaus Balkenhol (GER) – Goldstern
Monica Theodorescu (GER) – Grunox
Martin Schaudt (GER) – Durgo
2. Netherlands
Tineke Bartels (NED) – Barbria
Sven Rothenberger (NED) – Weyden
Anky van Grunsven (NED) – Bonfire
Gonnelien Rothenberger (NED) – Dondolo
3. United States of America
Robert Dover (USA) – Metallic
Michelle Gibson (USA) – Peron
Steffen Peters (USA) – Udon
Guenter Seidel (USA) – Graf George
Eventing – individual competition (23.07.-26.07.1996)
1. Blyth Tait (NZL) – Ready Teddy
2. Sally Clark (NZL) – Squirrel Hill
3. Kerry Milikin (USA) – Out and About
Eventing – team competition (21.07.-24.07.1996)
1. Australia
Wendy Schaeffer (AUS) – Sunburst
Philip Dutton (AUS) – True Blue Girdwood
Andrew Hoy (AUS) – Darien Powers
Gillian Rolton (AUS) – Peppermint Grove
2. United States of America
David O’Connor (USA) – Giltedge
Bruce Davidson (USA) – Heyday
Karen O’Connor (USA) – Biko
Jill Henneberg (USA) – Nirvana
3. New Zealand
Blyth Tait (NZL) – Chesterfield
Vaughn Jefferis (NZL) – Bounce
Andrew Nicholson (NZL) – Jagermeister
Vicky Latta (NZL) – Broadcast News