Hosting the Olympic equestrian competition wasn’t even a gleam in Ken Smith’s eye when he and his family purchased the 242-acre Galway Downs property out of foreclosure in 2010.
Yet, on June 21, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) announced Galway Downs as the proposed site for equestrian and para-equestrian competition.
“Proposed” means that the City Council of Los Angeles must formally approve LA28’s request to host equestrians outside of the city and at Galway Downs. As part of an amendment to the 2028 Games’ venue master plan, equestrian is one of six sports proposed to be held outside of Los Angeles.
Sustainability, legacy and fiscal responsibility factor heavily in all the venue change proposals. Galway’s ability to host all three equestrian events also meets new International Olympic Committee mandates.
Go Big or Go Home
What happened in the 14 years between the Smiths’ purchase of Galway Downs and being on the Olympic brink is a story of big dreams, big thinking, bold actions and belief.
The story has three main characters and a critical supporting cast.
Ken Smith and his family purchased Galway Downs to be a place of celebration – of sport, of life events, of life itself. Ken’s background includes experience with multi-purpose sports complexes, and he envisioned the property’s potential as a wedding and special events venue, too.
He’s not a “horse guy,” but recognized the potential for facility manager and competition organizer Robert Kellerhouse to dramatically elevate Galway’s game if given the right support.
Robert has a long history in the California equestrian world. The lifelong horseman followed his mother’s footsteps in organizing. The late Anne Kellerhouse’s many contributions to equestrian sport include working at the 1984 Olympic eventing competition held at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in San Diego.
“It was unbelievable to have the Olympics there,” Robert remembers. “All of a sudden, people not involved with equestrian sports knew what eventing was. Before that, people who knew I rode horses thought I was a jockey.”
Eight years later, a Southern California equestrian contemporary of Robert’s, Jil Walton, represented the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Both events ignited Robert’s path as an organizer. Helping West Coast riders and horses gain the experience needed for international team consideration was the initial motivation. “That’s how we naively got into running shows,” he says.
Twenty-eight years later, Galway Downs is recognized as one of the world’s premier equestrian venues. The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs reflected this status while hosting four national championships last fall.
Shooting For The Stars
Much of Galway Downs’ current stature connects directly to Ali and Francie Nilforushan, the third main characters in Galway’s Olympic odyssey so far.
They began staging mold-breaking hunter/jumper circuits at Galway in 2018. Their company, Nilforushan Equisport Events, focuses on the highest quality in everything from horse-related safety and performance – like arena footing — to VIP amenities enticing exhibitors to linger with friends long after show time.
Social gatherings and fundraisers created a unique community. Beautiful and thoughtfully designed restrooms epitomize the Nilforushans’ singular approach to prioritizing their customers’ experience.
Veteran sports tourism consultant Mike Millay, of Clancy’s Sports Properties, harnessed and directed the considerable energies and ideas of Ken, Robert, and the Nilforushans. A longtime friend of Ken’s, Mike was recruited early in the Smiths’ ownership of Galway Downs.
Like Robert and Ken, Mike credits Ali with first suggesting a bid for the 2028 Olympic equestrian action.
“I recall Ali telling Robert, ‘We should host the Olympics,’” Mike shares. “Ali is a great dreamer and promoter. But a lot of people say a lot of things without knowing what it means.”
Ali, however, is an Olympic equestrian who represented Iran in show jumping at the 2000 Games in Sydney. That gave him an idea of the equestrian logistics involved and combined with his business success as a nightclub entrepreneur.
Ali recalls getting raised eyebrows at his Olympic suggestion, but never a nay from Ken or Robert. “The beautiful part of my relationship with them is that any time I come up with crazy ideas and dreams, they never try to stop me. They get behind me, push me, and allow me to shoot for the stars.”
Boxes Ticked
Mike called contacts at LA28, and a three-year dialogue began.
When a potential host city bids on the Olympics, “everyone knows things are going to change,” Mike explains. The City of Los Angeles made its bid for the 2028 Games in 2017 and much has changed regarding existing venues and even new sports that need hosting.
The City’s original bid had equestrian competition at a to-be-built, temporary facility in the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area. Among the many entities involved in organizing and approving Olympic plans, new priorities emerged. For all sports, budget, environmental impact, and potential legacy were prioritized. Existing facilities and experienced management teams were favored.
As the Galway crew and LA28 committee began meeting, Galway Downs ticked box after box.
“I think Galway Downs was a perfect opportunity to broaden their footprint,” Mike observes. “And to engage more people in the Olympic spirit, which is really important to the organizers.”
The people play a big part. “I think the committee recognized good facility operators. They know how to focus on athlete safety – in this case that of the horses and the riders.
“And they understand what the guest experience ideally should be. That’s where I think a lot of venues and operators miss the mark – in not truly understanding that their customer is the person who pays for everything at the end of the day.
“What Ali has done with the jumper shows has taken Galway to a different level,” Mike continues. “And Robert and his team make sure that all aspects of the facility are in the right place.”
The embrace of the Olympics’ main mission was critical, too. “I think the committee recognized people who are open to listening, willing to support the Olympic movement and want to be part of the larger Olympic experience. This is not just about equestrian. It’s about the bigger Olympic family – for Southern California and the United States.”
What’s Next?
Mike guesses that the proposal regarding Galway Downs will be approved sometime early in 2025. “There are so many different players in the mix, it just takes a while to navigate all the priorities.”
Determining what property additions and improvements will be made will follow that decision. “LA28 is extremely conscientious about trying to leave Galway Downs in a better place after the Olympics,” Mike reports.
The venue has a jump start in many ways. The Nilforushans’ hunter/jumper events sometimes draw 600-700 horses, compared to the approximately 200 horses – in total – who will compete in the three Olympic equestrian events. For eventing, the cross-country course regularly hosts CCI4*-L competition, so the upward tweaks in dimensions and difficulty should be manageable.
Spectator seating will need to be created. As an example, Chateau Versailles’s Étoile Royale has grandstand seating for 16,000 to view the Paris Olympic dressage and jumping competition.
“Think of a PGA golf tournament that has to build temporary stands,” Mike suggests. “With the tech and construction materials available today, you can create a very wonderful experience in a temporary environment that doesn’t feel temporary.”
A Lasting Legacy
“I had high hopes for the property when we bought it,” Ken Smith reflects. “But hosting the Olympics never crossed my mind for a second.” Managed under the motto, “A Legend Reborn,” Galway Downs has “already exceeded my expectations” in most areas.
He’s equally excited about the potential to bring the world to the Temecula Valley and to help horses and the equestrian lifestyle keep their place in it.
“Temecula is a great tourist town and an attractive place to host an event like this,” Ken continues. “And I think it’s going to help the equestrian world come together. I hope it helps us work together more going forward – between the different disciplines that often don’t talk to each other. I hope it can be a way to protect and advance the equestrian lifestyle for everybody.”
Ali Nilforushan agrees. “We need the Olympics in Temecula. It’s become a refuge for all of us equestrians who’ve been squeezed out of everywhere else.
“It’s a venue to rally around,” the visionary concludes. “It’s been three years already of dreaming and praying about this because I think it’s really going to serve as the backbone for our industry. It’s going to help bring us all together.”
