The financial disaster of Montreal (CAN) 1976 had reduced the field of candidates for 1984 to only one. Thus the IOC, at its session of 1978, had to hand the 23rd Games to Los Angeles (USA) – at their conditions. The Los Angeles Organising Committee succeeded to put on their Games without public financing from tax payers –but with income from the private sector: tv-sales, sponsorship, franchising and ticket sales. With the exception of the swimming arena, a velodrome and a shooting range, existing installations were updated.
For the equestrian disciplines the celebrated Santa Anita race track was chosen. This meant an existing management could be used, which proved beneficial. For the cross-country of Eventing all dislocated to the County Club facility at Fairbanks Ranch, some 160 km south of Los Angeles. For the first time no Jumping competition was held in the main Olympic Stadium. The Disney people, responsible for the Closing Ceremony there, needed the stadium already before noon, necessitating the first Jumping horse in the arena at 5 am, which was not acceptable.
Again seven countries shared the 18 medals. The USA with five and Germany with four were the most successful. Great Britain and Switzerland won three medals each. The US Americans won both gold medals in Jumping, earned gold and silver in Eventing but were out of the medals in Dressage.
Max E. Ammann, by that time Director of the World Cup Jumping, was hired by the US tv-network ABC as co-commentator and researcher. He sat in the ABC commentator’s box next to the famous ABC sport announcer Chris Schenkel (USA) and former Olympic champion Bill Steinkraus (USA)
Jumping - individual competition (12.08.1984)
1. Joe Fargis (USA) – Touch of Class
2. Conrad Homfeld (USA) – Abdullah
3. Heidi Robbiani (SUI) – Jessica
Jumping - team competition (07.08.1984)
1. United States
Joe Fargis (USA) – Touch of Class
Leslie Burr (USA) – Albany
Conrad Homfeld (USA) – Abdullah
Melanie Smith (USA) – Calypso
2. Great Britain
Michael Whitaker (GBR) – Overton Amanda
Steven Smith (GBR) – Shining Example
Tim Grubb (GBR) – Linky
John Whitaker (GBR) – Ryans Son
3. Germany
Fritz Ligges (FRG) – Ramzes
Franke Sloothaak (FRG) – Farmer
Peter Luther (FRG) – Livius
Paul Schockemöhle (FRG) – Deister
Dressage – individual competition (08.-10.08.1984)
1. Reiner Klimke (FRG) – Ahlerich
2. Anne-Grethe Jensen (DEN) – Marzog
3. Otto Hofer (SUI) - Limandus
Dressage – team competition (08.-09.08.1984)
1. Germany
Herbert Krug (FRG) – Muscadeur
Uwe Sauer (FRG) – Montevideo
Reiner Klimke (FRG) – Ahlerich
2. Switzerland
Otto Hofer (SUI) – Limandus
Christine Stückelberger (SUI) – Tansanit
Amy-Cathérine de Bary (SUI) – Aintree
3. Sweden
Louise Nathhorst (SWE) – Inferno
Ingamay Bylund (SWE) – Aleks
Ulla Hakanson (SWE) – Flamingo
Eventing – individual competition (29.07.1984-03.08.1984)
1. Mark Todd (NZL) – Charisma
2. Karen Stives (USA) – Ben Arthur
3. Virginia Holgate (GBR) – Priceless
Eventing – team competition (29.07.1984-03.08.1984)
1. United States of America
J. Michael Plumb (USA) – Blue Stone
Karen Stives (USA) – Ben Arthur
Torrance Fleischman (USA) – Finvarra
Bruce Davidson (USA) – J.J.Babu
2. Great Britain
Virginia Holgate (GBR) – Priceless
Ian Stark (GBR) – Oxford Blue
Diana Clapham (GBR) – Windjammer
Lucinda Green (GBR) – Regal Realm
3. Germany
Dietmar Hogrefe (FRG) – Foliant
Bettina Overesch (FRG) – Peacetime
Burkhard Tesdorpf (FRG) – Freedom
Claus Erhorn (FRG) – Fair Lady