Looking at the photo of the facility that is in that article I am confused where they will run any phase of anything there. Where will they put dressage rings and all that?
They mention in that article that cross country has to be at the same venue, but not how they will accomplish that.
Not a single word how theyāre going to cram cross country in at SA.
The article talks about sustainability and not having throw away venues, but I find it hard to imagine that any changes made to Santa Anita (and the creation of a X country course somewhere adjacent) will be anything but a temporary throw away venue
Thatās the whole sustainability point, that the Olympic changes & upgrades (whatever they may be) will be throwaway but the venue itself wonāt be.
The Santa Anita site will still continue to be used as a race track into the future even after 2028. And for whatever other events it hosts now.
To that point Galway would be more sustainable as any upgrades made would remain and support the sports that the were made for. That seems, to me, more in the spirit of sustainability
Only from the perspective of equestrian sport; not all the needed infrastructure.
They make an arena out of the track in front of the permanent grandstand and run both dressage and jumping in that space. They add temporary grandstands to the ends and the infield side of the dirt track.
I agree, absolute crickets about the cross country, which has never run there in any form at any level. Curious that thereās not even a hint of a plan.
I have to say, IMHO this article does little to say āwhyā they chose Santa Anita and especially after they had made it all but final that Galway would be the venue.
Thereās nothing about āoh, we thought this part would be okay and then we changed our minds after some studyā and even some of the elements mentioned - like temperature - are just flat wrong. Arcadia is one of the hottest areas of the greater Los Angeles area, as well as one of the smoggiest.
Santa Anita may or may not be the right choice but itās very curious to have this sudden shift rather than say a choice after an ongoing public announcement that these were two venues under consideration.
The article talks about āepicā locations being expensive and difficult in Paris and so āthatās a reason not to choose Galwayāā¦ which is odd in this article given that Santa Anita is clearly the more epic/historic location.
I remain extremely curious as to their plan for cross country. I suspect a lot of long loops along the turf course and bringing in footing over that parking area to the north of the track to sculpt out a couple of hills and a water complex.
To Everyone,
Letās have some fun with this.
Since they havenāt given a clue about the plans for x-country, letās come up with some possibilities.
Where would you put it at Santa Anita ?
Would you make use of the track and infield ?
Would you use the surrounding land, if available ?
What would the course look like ?
If this were my problem, Iād use the turf course, perhaps part of the backside of the track, and the two parking lots. Iād bring in a heck of a lot of dirt. I donāt know that it can be grass; to get grass to grow youād have to put in a helluva irrigation system in addition to all the freshly trucked in dirt and youād need months to establish it and Iām not even sure if that quantity of water is available to handle that amount of grass. Iād put the main water complexes in the back parking lot. Maybe if you twist enough you donāt need to encroach on the front parking lot which would be ideal because thereās not really a path that I can think of, maybe only if you wrap around or through the stables somehow.
Iād put portables on the turf course and make all the more permanent pieces in the rear parking. Ideally you run a loop in front of the grandstand but that may be too hard to do depending on how good you feel about moving portables in there overnight.
Which is exactly why the long-established 4* track at Galway should be used. Along with a well-established history of premier SJ and dressage shows. Yeah they would have to build more spectator seating but that infrastructure would remain and be used for years, whereas best I can tell anything they build at Santa Anita will be torn down.
If I were an elite eventer I donāt know how comfortable Iād be risking my horse on very portable footing. This infrastructure would have to be in place for a long time for test events, etc. Not likely with the geography of SA.
On the eventing forum a few of us discussed spectator logistics and we came up with some ideas- take over the park-n- rides north and south of the intersection of the 15 with Temecula parkway and use shuttles. Itās only about 30 min. Once you are out of greater Temecula, plenty of housing and hotels/airbnbs.
Surfing has been sited at Trestles in San Clemente and having lived in San Clemente and the popularity of surfing in SoCal- that sport will have equal or more logistical issues getting the masses in to watch.
I wonāt be surprised in the least if āgaspā they suddenly decide last minute the XC for eventing will happen at Galway anyway. Like ā84 with XC at Fairbanks. So then why werenāt the whole set of equestrian there in the first place.
The argument it all must be near LA is specious. Esp as softball and canoeing are happening 1000 miles away. Even San Clemente for surfing is well south of LA proper.
It all reeks.
I completely agree, Iām really sad that it wonāt be at Galway where weād get infrastructure benefitting us all for years to come.
Temporary stands and shuttles seem a lot easier.
Iām thinking more like they suddenly decide last minute the XC will be arena eventing. 
Just because thereās a history, doesnāt mean itās everyoneās favorite.
When Del Mar Horsepark was closed, dressage shows moved to Galway by necessity
because there was no other facility available. Galway stabling- original permanent stalls that need maintenance and small temp stalls - is a mixed review, as it depends on your barn assignment. The driving distance was an issue for many competitors, but they showed up anyway to earn their scores.
When Horsepark reopened under the HITS banner, with upgraded footing and stabling, the dressage crowd happily returned to the coast.
This year Galway has two dressage shows (March and June).
Horsepark has six.
Both softball and the slalom canoeing will be held at dedicated facilities for those sports in OK. I agree thatās pretty far but the Paris games held surfing in Tahiti.
I really think the problem with Galway in the 2 lane rural road access, not the facility itself or even the distance from LA.
Of course no facility will be āeveryoneās favoriteā. But the major issue, as far as I understand, is that FEI and perhaps IOC? Have mandated that facilities and infrastructure for every Horse sport must all be colocated on the same grounds.
I have showed at both Temecula and Delmar many times in the past many years. Never at Santa Anita but a very easy Google map shows that Santa Anita does not have the facility for eventing cross country. Neither does Delmar. I live equidistant from Galway and Delmar and there is even less of a chance that Delmar could host the cost country then Galway unless they resurrect the old Fairbanks from 1984. Santa Anita possibly could host the cross country if they use the Arboretum somewhat adjacent to the track but I very seriously doubt the administrators of the Arboretum will allow that. Perhaps Iām wrong.
I recognize this is the Dressage forum, and that the people perhaps posting on this topic care only about the Dressage, but holistically all of the equestrian sports matter.
Del Mar Horsepark used to run Eventing, up to preliminary level. The courses wound around the property, through the GP ring, and went across the river on the backside of the property. Indeed, it is a very lovely place to compete, one of my favorites. But that is a space that definitely does not have the space to run the Olympics, even just for dressage and show jumping. Thereās just no room at all for spectators in any quantity.
Hard to beat the weather though! One of the few venues right on the coast staying super nice all year. No surprise local competitors will choose it if they can.
The Arboretum is NOT empty space. There is no way you could put a cross-country course there.
Thanks @poltroon! I actually edited my post from a few minutes ago because I realized I was saying Delmar when locals express Show Park/Blenheim in Orange County. You quoted me while I was in the middle of editing. Basically the take away as we have lovely facilities all within an hour of each other, but there is only one suited to run all three disciplines at the Olympics and that is Galway
They stage a 5K at Santa Anita for derby day that starts through an actual starting gate, winds through the arboretum, ends on the track. (It was raining the day I ran it, so I am technically a āmudderā). If they do stage the CC in that area, there needs to be a peacock jump. Those birds are everywhere in that part of the San Gabriel Valley.
I suspect you mean the facility formerly known as The Oaks now Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park. No idea where Delmar (one word) is 
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