Australia's First HSBC FEI Classics™ Competition

The Australians and New Zealanders are grasping their chance to capitalise on the HSBC FEI Classics™, which offers the single biggest prize in Eventing, at the second leg of the 2012 season taking place this weekend at the Adelaide International 3 Day Event in South Australia (November 18-20).

This is the first time Adelaide has been part of the HSBC FEI Classics™, which incorporates the world’s six CCI4*s. The 2011/2012 season will then travel to Kentucky (USA) next spring and climax at Burghley (GBR) in September.

“The Australian International 3 Day Event is the country’s ultimate equestrian competition,” explained Event Director and dual Olympic gold medalist Gillian Rolton (AUS).

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“Adelaide has hosted this hallmark event for the last thirteen years and this year we’re ecstatic to be hosting the prestigious HSBC FEI Classics™ for the very first time.

“We have an impressive 35 entries, with Heelan Tompkins, Blair Richardson and Bryce Newman amongst the 6 New Zealanders, Italian Olympian Fabio Magni aiming for a place on the London 2012 team and Australian Olympic medalists Megan Jones, Shane Rose Stuart Tinney and Sonja Johnson.”

Adelaide was started in 1997 and is the only CCI4* in the Southern Hemisphere.

It broke the mould in Eventing as the first CCI to run through a city centre, and attracts huge crowds on Cross Country day when the roads around the Victoria Park are closed.

The course is designed by Wayne Copping (AUS) and the Ground Jury will be Anne-Mette Binder (DEN), Vanda Robinson (IRL) and Barry Roycroft (AUS). The Technical Delegate is Alec Lochore (GBR).

HSBC Training Bursary
As part of HSBC’s support of the HSBC FEI Classics™, HSBC offers a Training Bursary to the highest placed rider at each leg of the series who has never before completed a 4-star level event prior to 1st January 2011.

Several riders at Adelaide will by vying for the Training Bursary.

The winning rider will receive a voucher to the value of $1,000 to be spent on sessions with a trainer of the athlete’s choice and approved by the FEI and Equestrian Australia.