the northern summer in Stockholm, several months before the rest of the Games. The attaché to Venezuela in Stockholm was S. H. Hultman. At the Games, the Medal of Merit of the Equestrian Games of the XVIth Olympiad in Stockholm 1956 was awarded to various non-competing persons, including the Venezuelan Major Clemente Sánchez Valderrama. Six equestrian events were held between 11 and 17 June at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium. In the jumping event, riders and horses were to complete a course with 14 obstacles. There were two rounds on the same course, and positions were decided by the total score. Faults were incurred by refusing to jump, running out, falls of the riders from the horse or both, rail down with the hooves, land any foot in the water in the water jump, and time penalties. Scores for the individual and team events were awarded for the same performance. Venezuela sent three riders and horses to two jumping events. None of the men finished in either the individual or team event; no riders at all completed the jumping course in the first round, and only some were fit to ride again. The official report by the Games' Organizing Committee noted that the fifth gate was particularly difficult. Shooting The shooting events were held between 29 November and 5 December on the Army rifle range at Williamstown, Australia. Nine shooters represented Venezuela in six events. One of the shooting officials, the President of the Range Jury for Classing Committees, was the Venezuelan H. Schlaepfer. For the shooting events, a two-week practice period was held before the games. However, the facilities constructed at the Army range were not complete in time for this due to adverse weather affecting construction. This weather continued during the practice period, with strong winds and heavy rain; the shooting committees expressed concern. Men's free pistol In the free pistol event on 30 November, Venezuela was represented by Hector de Lima Polanco, who had competed in 1952, and José Bernal. Each athlete fired 60 rounds, in six sets of ten; they could take practice shots before and between sets, up to 18 practice shots. In his sets, de Lima Polanco shot 91, 83, 87, 84, 82, 84, placing 24th. Bernal came 25th, shooting 85, 82, 86, 86, 80, 89. Men's silhouette (rapid fire pistol, 25 m) The silhouette, a rapid-fire shooting event over 25 m. There were two