Mike Etherington-Smith, CCI5* Course Designer at the Adelaide Equestrian Festival. Image by Adelaide Equestrian Festival.
Now having designed his tenth Adelaide International CCI5* course, Mike Etherington-Smith has certainly had an influence on the sport of eventing here in Australia. From changing formats to growing crowd numbers, the British course designer has watched Adelaide Equestrian Festival evolve over the years and believes the unique event is continuing to raise its standard.
Mike Etherington-Smith has been involved in designing cross country courses for more than 50 years. At just 17, he began helping with Pony Club courses, and after a career as a professional rider, that early passion evolved into his next professional calling.
In 1986, Etherington-Smith designed his first international-level course at Bramham in England, and his career grew rapidly from there. He went on to design the courses for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, followed by the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Along the way, he has also designed five FEI European Championship courses.
Matt Ryan and Kibah Tic Toc on cross country at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games – a course designed by Mike Etherington-Smith. Image by Split Seconds/Alamy Stock Photo.
Etherington-Smith also started the prestigious Blenheim CCI4*L and Chatsworth CCI4*S, where for many years he was both Event Director and Course Designer.
When it comes to CCI5* events in the northern hemisphere, Etherington-Smith has a wealth of experience. For 18 years, he was the Course Designer for the Kentucky Three-Day Event in the USA, and since 2017 he has designed for Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Germany.
Beyond course design, Etherington-Smith has contributed widely across the eventing world. He was the Technical Adviser for the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen and the Technical Delegate for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He served as CEO of British Eventing from 2008 to 2014, after initially joining as Sport Director in 2007.
Etherington-Smith was also the Equine Safety Advisor to British Racing’s Horse Welfare Board from 2022 until 2025.
AN INFLUENCE ON AUSTRALIAN EVENTING
Although much of Etherington-Smith’s work has been in the northern hemisphere, his influence Down Under has also been profound.
In 2015, he became High Performance Adviser for Equestrian Australia ahead of the Rio Olympic Games and remained in a high-performance advisory role throughout the Tokyo Olympic cycle.
His influence on the Adelaide International CCI5* – the only event of its kind in the southern hemisphere – has of course also been significant after stepping in initially as Technical Delegate in 2001, followed by a stint in the mid-2000s as Course Designer. Returning to the role in 2015, he’s continued as Course Designer for the CCI5* every year since (with the exception of 2020 and 2021, where the event was cancelled due to the pandemic).
2026 marked Mike Etherington-Smith’s tenth year designing the Adelaide CCI5* course. Image by Adelaide Equestrian Festival.
“Course design has
evolved and changed…”
This year marked Etherington-Smith’s tenth CCI5* course at the Adelaide Equestrian Festival, and he says he has seen the event evolve significantly over that time.
“The format change is the most obvious difference,” he says, comparing the old format, where Phases A, B and C – comprising roads and tracks and the steeplechase – ran in addition to the cross country.
“Course design has evolved and changed as a result of this format change, plus we have seen the introduction of frangible devices,” adds Etherington-Smith, who has also been involved in several eventing safety and risk management roles over the years – including at FEI level.
Adelaide poses some unusual challenges for a Course Designer, largely due to its location in city parkland – rather than a purpose-built equestrian venue.
“There are unique challenges with a city-centre venue such as Adelaide, due to the roads and the many events in the parklands sharing the available space. The amount of space available for the cross country has reduced over the years, which can make it more challenging to design.”
The logistics of building a course from scratch within a tight timeframe each year are not lost on Etherington-Smith. “A special mention to Mick Pineo and the team he puts together to get all the fences out, prepare them, and present them plus the overall course preparation. To do all that in two weeks is seriously impressive.”
Another aspect Etherington-Smith takes into account when designing for Adelaide is the field size – while 2026 saw strong numbers, entries remain relatively small compared to northern hemisphere CCI5* competitions where a larger pool of top-level combinations can see an event such as Badminton feature up to 85 entries.
Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar, who were clear with just 4.8 time penalties around Mike Etherington-Smith’s Adelaide CCI5*L course this year. The combination went on to win the event. Image by Manning Photography.
THE 2026 COURSE
Reflecting on this year’s Adelaide International CCI5*L, Etherington-Smith says there were no real surprises from his perspective and that the course rode as intended.
“I saw most riders did a great job. Course Designers always want horses and riders to benefit from going round any course and we can often see them grow in confidence as they progress.
“We also need to be mindful of the mental effect our course has on horses. There may never be better ground than this year with all the rain that came the week prior, and when you get good ground horses respond and jump with more confidence.”
This year, of the 12 horses to start the CCI5*L course, only one retired. The remainder completed the course with a wide range of time penalties, and only two – Sam Woods with SS Eight Count and Sam Jeffree with Santoro – went under time.
TALENT PATHWAY
Etherington-Smith was positive about the talent on display in Adelaide and says it is crucial to have a strong pathway in place for rising stars to ensure that talent is fostered.
“I saw some great riding and the opportunity to have a team competition with New Zealand adds another dimension to the competition. The key to the future is a talent pathway and development programme for the up-and-coming riders and horses – we saw some this weekend – supported by great coaches and trainers so they get the best opportunities possible.
“It is always a thrill to see talent coming through and having the chance to compete at events such as Adelaide, where they get exposure and also get to experience a big arena with atmosphere. Well done to those who did well.”
The Adelaide International CCI5*L was won by 22-year-old Oliver Barrett and homebred Sandhills Briar on debut, with a score of 35.4. EQ
Related articles
With equestrian syndication still emerging here in Australia, we delve into how shared ownership models work in practice, what attracts new investors, and the critical legal and structural considerations those involved must understand from the outset.
As the Adelaide Equestrian Festival returns, rising Australian eventer Samuel Jeffree prepares for a defining week, balancing five-star ambitions, team representation and long-term goals built on precision, planning and an unwavering drive to improve.