Adelaide Equestrian Festival 2025 cross country videos
One of just seven FEI CCI5* eventing competitions in the world, the Adelaide Equestrian Festival attracted the right sort of attention both locally and internationally in 2025 according to independent post-event analysis.
The analysis reveals that the 2025 Festival, the 25th running of the event, generated a gross economic impact of $12.6 million for South Australia — a significant increase of 38% on 2024 figures — with over 32,500 attendees over four days and more than 25,000 bed nights recorded across the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Notably, 53% of pre-purchased tickets came from interstate or overseas visitors, and attendees spent an average of $500 during the event, excluding ticket purchases — a strong indicator of the Festival’s value to local businesses and the broader visitor economy, positioning Adelaide as a must-visit destination for equestrian fans worldwide.
“The Board is thrilled with the exceptional economic impact delivered by the 2025 Festival” says Greg Rolton, Chair of the Adelaide Equestrian Festival “The unwavering support of the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Major Events Attraction Committee, and the City of Adelaide/AEDA has been pivotal to our continued growth and success. These results affirm our strategic direction and highlight the Festival’s evolving role in preparing athletes, officials, and volunteers for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics”
A world class eventing environment in Adelaide
The Festival’s CCI5* class continued to draw elite riders and emerging talent from across Australia and New Zealand, with a 31% increase in entries for the prestigious CCI5* class compared to the previous year.
In 2026 the event is expected to attract even more entries from overseas with the Adelaide Equestrian Festival hosting the Oceania Championships at Senior and Young Rider level in 2026.
“Our goal is to create a world-class environment where riders can perform at their peak and pursue the highest levels of achievement — including Australian team selection and success on the world stage at the Olympic and World Games,” says Kirsty Withers, AEF Event Director “To achieve that, we’re continuing to invest across all disciplines, with a strong focus on the pivotal cross-country phase — led by our esteemed course designer, Mike Etherington-Smith — while also elevating the overall Festival experience for riders, spectators, and sponsors alike.”
Unprecedented Media Reach and Public Engagement
The 2025 Festival achieved record media engagement, with the television highlights program reaching more than 365,000 viewers nationally, supported by sweeping visuals of the Adelaide East Parklands set against the city’s skyline — a signature feature of the event.
Social media engagement also soared, with over 2 million views across digital platforms, marking a new record for the Festival and reinforcing its growing national and international appeal.
“With the largest attendance of any equestrian sports event in the Southern Hemisphere, the Adelaide Equestrian Festival is now firmly on the global equestrian calendar,” adds Kirsty “We’ve created an event that resonates with core equestrian fans and first-time visitors alike. The ongoing support from our government and commercial partners has been instrumental in helping us reach new heights.”
The Minister for Tourism, Hon Zoe Bettison MP, has also added her praise for the Festival, saying that “We’re proud to support world-class sporting events like the Adelaide Equestrian Festival. As the world’s only urban-based horse trials, it showcases Adelaide’s beautiful parklands in an extraordinary way. Events like this not only support the visitor economy but also promote innovation and excellence in sport and event delivery.”
Next year the Adelaide Equestrian Festival will take place at Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi in Adelaide from 16th –19th April 2026
