Equestrian event keen on major status

Adelaide's showcase equestrian event is keen to gain major event status from the South Australian Government.
The international three-day event will return to the parklands in November but remains under financial pressure.
Last year's three-day event was cancelled because of the equine infuenza outbreak in the eastern states.
Staying financially viable has always been a problem throughout the event's parklands tenure, which began in 1997.
The event will be back this year with added importance, courtesy of the Australian Equestrian Federation.
Olympic gold medallist and now event director Gillian Rolton hopes the future is bright.
"At the last board meeting last weekend we were given the rights to run the Australian championship in eventing for as long as we have a four-star event here in Adelaide," she said.

Beijing preparations

Rolton is also a national selector and knows that cancellation of the 2007 event disrupted Beijing preparations for the Australian team.
"The key to Olympic selection and our Olympic riders and the development of Olympic riders is really a four-star event here in Adelaide."
Rolton describes the Adelaide three-day event as the best in the southern hemisphere.
She also plans to follow the lead of cycling's Tour Down Under and the Adelaide 500 car race in trying to get major event status from the South Australian Government.