The Melbourne 3 Day Event is an equestrian

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

 event which comprises dressage

Dressage

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

, cross-country

Cross-country equestrianism

Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is one of the three phases of the sport of eventing; it may also be a competition in its own right, known as hunter trials or simply "cross-country" - these tend to be lower level, local competitions.The object of the endurance test is to...

 and show-jumping. It was first run in 1957, making it Australia's oldest horse trial and the second oldest in the world. The only older Event is Badminton

Badminton Horse Trials

The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale , which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in...

 in England. The Event was established shortly after the first Australian competed at the Melbourne Olympics as a proving ground for horses and riders to prepare for future Olympics.

The M3DE has also been a qualifier for the FEI World Cup Eventing

Show Jumping World Cup

The FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final, is an annual international competition among the world’s best show jumping horses and riders. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions qualify for the final. The FEI World Cup...

 since 2003. This class (the CIC-W***) offers Australian riders the opportunity to compete in the FEI World Cup, held annually in different locations around the world.

Venue

In recent years, the Event has been held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre in Werribee, a western suburb of Melbourne. The venue is adjacent to Werribee Park, which includes the Werribee Mansion and the State Rose Garden. On Cross Country Day, the horses and riders wind their way through the Mansion Grounds and State Rose Garden, making M3DE one if the most picturesque spectacles in the world.

Werribee is one of 3 venues that the Event has run at over the years.

Previous winners

Open - Advanced - CCI***

Year	Rider	Horse
1957	M. Barns	Dorian
1958	B. Jacobs	Dopey
1959	No Winner	No Winner
1960	B. McIntyre	Alpine
1961	B. Roycroft	Robin Hood
1962	B. Roycroft	Robin Hood
1963	B. Cobcroft	Robin Hood
1964	G. Barker	Nevermind
1965	E. Barker	Galway
1966	B. Roycroft	Avatar
1967	S. Harvey	Charilla
1968	R.Godfrey	King Hua
1969	E. Barker	Sammy
1970	E. Barker	Sammy
1971	R. Sands	Cypress Point
1972	E. Barker	Marksman
1973	D. Pigott	Hillstead
1974	B. Roycroft	Version
1975	D. Pigott	Hillstead
1976	P. Young	Metaluna
1977	P. Glennen	Rangefinder
1978	M. Bennett	Regal Reign
1979	M. Bennett	Regal Reign
1980	L. Prior-Palmer	Rippling Rumour
1981	Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....	Davey
1982	C. Irving	Edgehill Charlie
1983	V. Roycroft	Faro
1984	L. Brodbeck	Montago Gold
1985	S. Keach	Trade Commissioner
1986	Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....	Kiwi
1987	Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....	Kiwi
1988	L. Hayward	Delatite Comic
1989	I. Stark	Foxy V
1990	Heath Ryan Heath Ryan Heath Ryan is an Australian equestrian who represented Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the dressage team.-Record:*1990 Melbourne 3 Day Event: 1st*2002 World Equestrian Games: Team-12th...	Looking Good
1991	Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy Andrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....	Kiwi
1992	P. Cribb	Navarone
1993	P. Cribb	Navarone
1994	C. Barrett	Elbacee Masterpiece
1995	R. Brown	Mighty Heights
1996	J. Cooper	Falcon Ivory
1997	S. Tinney	Jeepster
1998	Shane Rose Shane Rose Shane Rose is an Australian equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the three-day eventing team....	It’s A Knockout
1999	C. Bates	Masterprint
2000	S. Tinney	Belcam Aava
2001	S. McLeod	Frederick Hunter
2002	D. Middleton	Willowbank Jack
2003	T. Boland	Limitless
2004	E. Anker	Balmoral Cavalier
2005	Megan Jones Megan Jones Megan Jones is one of Australia's top event riders, a Silver Medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.Jones began riding at the age of 5, continued through her early years in Pony Club before hitting the international scene in 2003 at the World Cup Final...	Kirby Park Irish Jester
2006	Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson is an Australian equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the three-day eventing team. She grew up on a farm and says she began riding at the age of three to help muster cattle on the property...	Ringwould Jaguar
2007	W. Schaeffer	Koyuna Sun Dancer
2008	Megan Jones Megan Jones Megan Jones is one of Australia's top event riders, a Silver Medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.Jones began riding at the age of 5, continued through her early years in Pony Club before hitting the international scene in 2003 at the World Cup Final...	Kirby Park Irish Jester
2009	Megan Jones Megan Jones Megan Jones is one of Australia's top event riders, a Silver Medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.Jones began riding at the age of 5, continued through her early years in Pony Club before hitting the international scene in 2003 at the World Cup Final...	Kirby Park Allofasudden
2010	Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson is an Australian equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the three-day eventing team. She grew up on a farm and says she began riding at the age of three to help muster cattle on the property...	Ringwould Jaguar

CIC-W***

Year	Rider	Horse
2003	N. Roe Wondaree	Hooley Dooley
2004	Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson Sonja Johnson is an Australian equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as part of the three-day eventing team. She grew up on a farm and says she began riding at the age of three to help muster cattle on the property...	Ringwould Jaguar
2005	O. Bunn	GV Top Of The Line
2006	E. Armstrong	Voortrekker
2007	N. Siiankoski	Kolora Stud Archie
2008	W. Schaeffer	Koyuna Sun Dancer