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 (18-20 November).

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).

“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.

Free images for editorial purposes are available from the FEI Photo Catalogue.

HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 press kit
Download the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 press kit here: http://www.feipresskits.org/
 
FEI TV
Watch the action live on FEI TV: HSBC FEI Classics™ in Adelaide will be live for Cross Country on Saturday, 19 November 03:10 CET, with a replay at 10:00 CET, and Jumping on Sunday at 05:00 CET, with a replay at 10:00 CET.

Live results
Follow the results on www.australian3de.com.au.

Editors notes

HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 Leaderboard (after Pau)
1 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 15
2 Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 12
3 Mary King (GBR) 8
4 Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) 6
5 Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) 4
6 Christopher Burton (AUS) 3
7 Frank Ostholt (GER) 1

Full leaderboard can be viewed here.

HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 calendar
Les Etoiles de Pau CCI 4* (FRA) - 12-16 October 2011
Australian International 3 Day Event (AUS) - 18-20 November 2011
Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) -  26-29 April 2012
Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) - 4-7 May 2012
Luhmühlen CCI 4* (GER) - 14-17 June 2012
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) - 30 August-2 September 2012

Prize money
At the end of the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected among the HSBC FEI Classics™ events will be awarded their share of a total prize fund of US$333,000 split as follows:

1st - US$150,000 (Series Champion)
2nd - US$75,000
3rd - US$50,000
4th - US$33,000
5th - US$25,000

HSBC Rankings
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) currently leads the HSBC Rankings by 13 points ahead of Mary King, who was the first rider to wear the HSBC armband when it was launched at the beginning of July this year. The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2011 Eventing season will receive a 50,000 USD bonus.

To view the HSBC Rankings please click here.

Photo caption: Mary King jumping in Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA): winner of the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011. (c) Kit Houghton/FEI