Uma perspectiva sobre o hipismo olímpico brasileiro

Equestrianism was introduced to the Olympic Games in 1900, at the edition held in Paris, France. Brazil had a representative in equestrian competition only in 1948. Until this significant date for equestrianism on the national Olympic scene, there were indications revealing the military roots and elite connections in the formation of the sport. Given this information, the article aims to understand the role of the army in the development of equestrianism in Brazil, from the 1920s when the French Military Mission was hired, until the late 1940s, with the first Brazilian representation, composed of military personnel, in equestrian events at the Olympic Games. To do so, we used documentary sources from the archive of the Escola de Equitação do Exército (EsEqEx) and Brazilian press from the period. We point out that, in the period before Olympic participation, the precursor institution of this practice on a national level was the Escola de Equitação do Exército (EsEqEx), a legacy of the Missão Militar Francesa (MMF).