{{Short description|Annual equestrian event in Adelaide, South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2011}} [[File:2025 Adelaide Equestrian Festival - Show Jumping Day 43.jpg|thumb|2025 Adelaide Equestrian Festival]] The '''Adelaide Equestrian Festival''' ('''AEF''') is an annual [[eventing|three-day event]] held in the eastern [[Adelaide Park Lands]], which border [[Adelaide city centre]]. It was known as the '''Australian International Three Day Event''' until 2022. A [[CCI5*]] event, the top rating by the [[Fédération Équestre Internationale]], it comprises [[dressage]], [[cross-country equestrianism|cross-country]], and [[show-jumping]] and is usually staged in late April.
==History== [[File:Australian International Horse Trials Logo.png|right|frame|Logo 2007 - 2022]] The Adelaide International Horse Trials was created in 1997 to replace the Gawler Horse Trials that had been staged in [[Gawler, South Australia|Gawler]], north of Adelaide, since 1954. In its period as the Gawler Trials, it was a successful competition that hosted significant events.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.equestrian.org.au/historical-events |title=Historical Equestrian Events in Australia |publisher=Equestrian Australia |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
The new 1997 event in the East Parklands began with a CCI3* (3-star) rating, but was subsequently upgraded to CCI4* in 2002, becoming the only such event in the [[Southern Hemisphere]].<ref name=el/>
In 2004, it was known as the Mitsubishi Adelaide International Horse Trials, being sponsored by [[Mitsubishi]].<ref name=2004event/>
In 2007, to celebrate its 10th anniversary and better reflect its international focus,<ref name=el/> the event was renamed the Australian International Three Day Event, and was held at the end of November each year. From 2011 the Australian International became part of the FEI ([[Fédération Équestre Internationale]]) Classics series of events, for three years sponsored by [[HSBC]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Australia's First HSBC FEI Classics Competition | website=Horse Sport | date=16 November 2011 | url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/australias-first-hsbc-fei-classics%e2%84%a2-competition/ | access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="FEI 2012 v799">{{cite web | title=HSBC FEI Classics™ | website=FEI | date=8 August 2012 | url=https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/eventing/past-fei-classics-2012-2013 | access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
In 2019, the event was upgraded to [[CCI5*]] status.<ref name=el/>
In 2022 the event was renamed the Adelaide Equestrian Festival and held in April each year.<ref name=el>{{cite web | title=Adelaide Equestrian Festival to showcase eventing superstars | website=Equestrian Life | url=https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/Adelaide-Equestrian-Festival-to-showcase-eventing-superstars | access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
==Governance== The AEF is owned and run by Adelaide Horse Trials Management Inc., and is supported by the [[South Australian Government]] through the [[South Australian Tourism Commission]].<ref name=el/>
==Event== The event is held throughout the East Parklands in separate stages over three days. It is classified as a [[CCI5*]] by the international governing body FEI, meaning it is the highest level of eventing competition under the FEI banner. {{As of|2024}} it is one of seven such events globally, with others located in the UK, France, Germany, and the US.<ref>{{cite web | title=FEI CCI5* Eventing | website=An Eventful Life | date=14 April 2024 | url=https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/fei-cci-5-star | access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
The event is unique in being held in a city-centre, taking place in the [[Adelaide Park Lands]].<ref name=2004event>{{cite web |accessdate=1 August 2006 |url=http://www.eques.com.au/sport/horse_trials_2004/page1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041206042236/http://www.eques.com.au/sport/horse_trials_2004/page1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 December 2004 |title=Mitsubishi Adelaide International Horse Trials |publisher=Eques Magazine }}</ref>
The dressage phase is held on Friday on the arena in front of the heritage-listed [[Victoria Park, Adelaide|Victoria Park Grandstand]]. The cross-country phase is held on Saturday across the park lands and attracts the most spectators. The course starts in the arena in front of the grandstand, crosses [[Wakefield Road, Adelaide|Wakefield Road]] to [[Ityamai-itpina|Ityamai-itpina / King Rodney Park]] (Park 15) and then crosses Bartels Road into [[Rymill Park, Adelaide|Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka]] (Park 14) and then returns to the arena again.
The cross-country course has been designed by Michael Etherington-Smith, who has designed courses for the Olympics in 2000 and 2008 and other CCI5* events, and more recently, by Australian Wayne Copping. The water jumps in Rymill Park are challenging in international competition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Course Design in International Eventing |publisher=Equestrian Magazine |date=2023 |url=https://example.com/course-design}}</ref>
{{as of|2024}}, the event is used to select the Australian team for the [[2024 Summer Olympics]] in [[Paris]].<ref name=Karakulak2024>{{cite web | title=Rymill Park Lake reopens today | website=[[InDaily]]| first=Helen |last=Karakulak | date=16 April 2024 | url=https://www.indaily.com.au/news/adelaide/2024/04/16/rymill-park-lake-reopens-today | access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
==Winners== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !Year !Rider !Horse !class="unsortable"|Notes |- |1997 | Nick Larkin (NZL) |Red |Run as a CCI*** |- |1998 | Peter Haynes (AUS) |Alcheringa |Run as a CCI*** |- |1999 | Natalie Blundell (AUS) |Billy Bathgate | |- |2000 | David Middleton (AUS) |Willowbank Jack | |- |2001 | [[Matthew Grayling]] (NZL) |Revo | |- |2002 | [[Wendy Schaeffer]] (AUS) |Koyuna Sun Gio | |- |2003 | [[Boyd Martin]] (AUS) |True Blue Toozac |Martin now rides for the United States |- |2004 | [[Shane Rose]] (AUS) |Beauford Miss Dior | |- |2005 | [[Megan Jones (equestrian)|Megan Jones]] (AUS) |Kirby Park Irish Jester | |- |2006 | [[Heath Ryan]] (AUS) |Flame | |- |2007 |No Event Held | |Outbreaks of Equine Influenza interrupted all equestrian activities in Australia in 2007 |- |2008 | [[Chris Burton (equestrian)|Chris Burton]] (AUS) |Newsprint | |- |2009 | [[Stuart Tinney]] (AUS) |Vettori | |- |2010 | [[Wendy Schaeffer]] (AUS) |Koyuna Sun Dancer | |- |2011 | [[Stuart Tinney]] (AUS) |Panamera | |- |2012 | Craig Barrett (AUS) |Sandhills Brillaire | |- |2013 | [[Chris Burton (equestrian)|Chris Burton]] (AUS) |TS Jamaimo | |- |2014 | Jessica Manson (AUS) |Legal Star | |- |2015 | [[Shane Rose]] (AUS) |CP Qualified | |- |2016 | Hazel Shannon (AUS) |Willingapark Clifford | |- |2017 | [[Clarke Johnstone]] (NZL) |Balmoral Sensation | |- |2018 | Hazel Shannon (AUS) |Willingapark Clifford | |- |2019 | Hazel Shannon (AUS) |Willingapark Clifford |First combination to win three times |- |2020 |No event held | |[[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]] |- |2021 |No event held | |COVID-19 Pandemic |- |2022 |No event held | |Event moved to April 2023 |- |2023 | [[Shane Rose]] (AUS) |Virgil | |- |2024 | David Middleton (AUS) |WEC In The Money | |}
==See also== Other five-star events include:
*[[Badminton Horse Trials]] *[[Burghley Horse Trials]] *[[Kentucky Three-Day Event]] *[[Luhmühlen Horse Trials]] *[[Étoiles de Pau|Stars of Pau]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official|https://www.adelaideequestrianfestival.com }}
[[Category:Eventing]] [[Category:Sport in Adelaide|Horse Trials, Adelaide International]] [[Category:Equestrian sports competitions in Australia]]