Although the 1980 equestrian games were not a top competition, like the other Olympic Games, because almost all the top riders missed the competition due to the boycott, the dressage event were a class higher than the rest of the riding events at the 1980 Olympic Games, because the Soviet Union had been one of the top dressage countries since the 1960s. The Soviets were considered as favorites in both individual and team dressage, but they were upset by the 1979 European championSissy Theurer of Austria in the individual competition, so Vera Misevich had to settle for a fourth place in the individual event behind her compatriotsYury Kovshov andViktor Ugryumov, while taking a gold in team event. Besides her Olympic gold, Misevich won two team bronzes at the 1977 and 1981 European Championships. Misevych was also Soviet champion in 1981 and 1983.