Outcome for 2032 Olympic Equestrian Centre leaves city, organisers on tenterhooks

In less than 48 hours plans for the 2032 Olympics and whether they include Toowoomba to host equestrian events will be released, leaving the community and organisers with bated breath.

AI image of 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games venues: Equestrian in Toowoomba.

An independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority review of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics is set to determine Toowoomba’s fate in hosting equestrian events as part of the Games.

A proposal from the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland was one of more than 5860 submitted as part of the review which is set to determine the most cost effective and developmentally sound path forward.

The RASQ’s submission promoted the planned Toowoomba Equestrian Centre at the Toowoomba Showgrounds which would expand the existing Glenvale facility to hold dressage, show jumping and eventing.

While the region faces tough competitors across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, RASQ chief executive Damon Phillips is still holding out hopes for a triumph.

“We’re waiting to see what happens, we still have no idea. I would’ve thought someone would have said something to us by now,” Mr Phillips said.

Mr Phillips said if the review were to favour Toowoomba over other proposed locations it would not only be a major benefit for local equestrian clubs, but regional Queensland.

RASQ CEO Damon Phillips is hopeful of securing the Toowoomba Equestrian Centre for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“(The Toowoomba Showgrounds) hosts 30 plus equestrian events each year and we’re extremely busy with the upcoming show which has 3000 entries,” he said.

“It means we’ll have around 800 horses a day just over the next weekend and we have two more major events in the weekends following.” Mr Phillips said an Olympic-ready equestrian centre would be a significant benefit, especially to the grassroots equestrian groups whose riders would be proud to have the opportunity to showcase their talent in their hometown.

“We’ve now got 40 new stables and this construction will only continue across new arena surfaces and extensions to buildings (if we get the green light),” he said.

“Our plan is to be up and running and Olympic-ready by 2028.”