Gillian Rolton's heroic ride in 1996 at Atlanta peak of long equestrian contribution through to Adelaide 3-day event

Gillian Rolton was the first Australian female to win an Olympic equestrian medal only one of four Australians to win multiple equestrian Olympic gold medals..

Adelaide’s Gillian Rolton became an Olympic legend for her heroic ride on Peppermint Grove at the 1996 Atlanta games. She was only one of four Australians to win multiple equestrian Olympic gold medals.

Rolton was educated at Woodland Girls Grammar and qualified for the South Australian subjunior swimming team but the school frowned on individual sports. She took up equestrianism, riding a pony at the Royal Adelaide Show in the children's class. Rolton left Woodlands after being told to cut her fingernails in Year 10 and went to Marion High. She continued horse riding, enjoyed surfing, and studied teaching at Sturt college of advanced education.

Rolton enjoyed coaching children in swimming and horse riding, and decided to be a riding instructor. Compensation from a car accident funded her trip  in 1975 to Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton, Canada, where she studied equine anatomy, horse management, horse husbandry, stable management – and show jumping. After three months, she passed the final exam, topping the class with a score of 98%.

Back in Australia, Rolton rode her first event horse, Saville Row, at the 1978 Royal Adelaide Show, taking the champion lady rider prize. She missed out in trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when Saville Row was injured. Olympic selection in 1988 was also unsuccessful after Rolton dislocated her elbow.

In 1987, Rolton bought Peppermint Grove for $2,000 and, in 1992, was included at the last-minute in the Australian Olympic team, after beating all male team members in trials in England. The team won gold at Barcelona, with Rolton the first Australian female to win an equestrian medal.

Rolton won the 1995 Australian titles and was selected for 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The Australians were on the brink of winning gold when Peppermint Grove skidded during the endurance phase. Rolton remounted, unaware she’d broken her collarbone and ribs but unable to use her left arm. At the next jump, she fell in the water  but got back on her horse. She had trouble breathing, as her lung was punctured. Rolton held on, riding Peppermint Grove over another 15 jumps for an excruciating three kilometres She was taken to hospital afterwards but refused painkillers in case she had to ride the next day. She didn’t have to, but her ride inspired her team to gold.

Riding the inexperienced Endeavour, Rolton failed to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics but was an opening ceremony flagbearer. In retirement, Rolton opened a riding school and initiated and coached the national young rider squad and helped start the national interschools program.\She was a national selector until 2007, when she became become an international federation of equestrian sports judge.

In 2015, when Rolton was diagnosed with cancer, she was event director of the Australian International three-day event in Adelaide, a position she had held for 10 years. Rolton was inducted into the Sport Australia, South Australian and Equestrian Australia halls of fame. In 2017, she was granted Adelaide's highest honour with the keys to the city.