Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture, winners of the CCI4*-S in 2023 are hot contenders for Olympic selection in 2024
An Eventful Life is filming all riders on cross country at Adelaide Equestrian Festival 2024
Entries are open for the 2024 Adelaide Equestrian Festival, the first CCI5* of the year.
The unique event that runs through the heart of the city parklands in Adelaide, South Australia features the only CCI5* eventing competition in the Southern Hemisphere plus the Horseland CCI4*-S and the Racing SA CCI3*-L incorporating the Bates National Young Rider Championship.
The event, that runs from 18th – 21st April 2024, attracts the ‘best of the best’ in FEI eventing competition and this year has the added excitement of being an important event in the lead up to Paris 2024.
Ground Jury and Course Designers
Seppo Laine from Finland will head the Ground Jury for all eventing classes, along with Nicoli Fife (NZL) and Bev Shandley (AUS) and Germany’s Mathias Otto-Erley is the Technical Delegate, ably assisted by Australia’s Matt Bates.
Mike Etherington-Smith is designing not only the CCI5* course this year but also the CCI4*-S, which is expected to draw several of the Australian-based Olympic hopefuls for Paris 2024, in much the same way that the Luhmuhlen CCI4* usually attracts the top German combinations vying for Championship selection.
Mike E-S will be assisted by two riders who know all about winning Olympic medals in Clayton Fredericks and Stuart Tinney for the 5* and Sylvia Williams-Roberts for the 5* and 4* while Mick Pineo is course designer for the CCI3*-L as well as course builder for all tracks.
David Shepherd will design the show jumping course.
Timetable
The first horse inspection for the CCI3*-L kicks it all off on Wednesday afternoon at 3pm, while the CCI5* trot up is on Thursday at 3:30pm.
Dressage is on Thursday for the CCI3*-L and Friday for the CCI4*-S and CCI5*.
Saturday is cross country day for all classes followed by the second horse inspection and showjumping on Sunday in the Gillian Rolton Main Arena.
The total prize money is $173,000 with the CCI5* class enjoying the lion’s share of $150,000.
Entries are now open on Nominate and tickets are available from the Adelaide Equestrian Festival ticket office.
