Gillian Rolton receives Adelaide's Key to the City
Australian Equestrian legend and dual Olympic gold medallist Gillian Rolton has received Adelaide's highest honour, a Key to the City.
She won her first gold medal in the Equestrian team event at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and became a household name during the Atlanta games in 1996, when she suffered a broken collarbone and broken ribs when her beloved horse, Peppermint Grove, fell on the course.
The horse fell again but Gillian remounted both times to complete the course and secure gold.
"Gillian, in so many ways, is a trailblazer," Lord Mayor Martin Haese said.
“The Key to the City is the highest a city council can bestow upon an individual or an organisation, and we absolutely thrilled to be able to bestow this great honour on Gillian.”
Recently Gillian publicly revealed she has been battling endometrial cancer for the past two years.
She is an Equestrian Australia Board Member and has been the director of the Australian International Three-Day Event for the past decade.
"Gillian is incredibly passionate about the event and has done an extraordinary job in terms of building that event into an international event," Mr Haese said.
She has also served as a sports administrator and judge, including at the London Olympics.
An Order of Australia medal recipient, she is a member of the SA Sport Hall of Fame, was last year elevated to Legend status and is also a member of the Equestrian Australia Hall Of Fame.
The Chair of Equestrian Australia Judy Fasher commended Gill on her latest honour;
“Gill is never daunted by a challenge. Her passion and unwearied commitment established the Australian International Three-Day Event as a prominent feature in the City of Adelaide’s sporting calendar.”
“Our riders love the event. It is a truly international cross-country course in a cosmopolitan setting. The magnificent parklands in Adelaide City provide the perfect setting for spectators to appreciate the spectacle of horse and rider at the top of their game.”
“Equestrian Australia salutes Gill Rolton. She is a magnificent leader in our sport. Her courage and determination inspire all who are involved in the sport of Equestrian,” said Fasher.
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