General News
26 September, 2025
Mount Isa's Olympic pitch continues with high-level meeting
Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae organised a presentation to two key 2032 Games representatives.
Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae’s bid to showcase the iconic Isa Rodeo during the 2032 Brisbane Olympics continues to gain momentum.
Last week, Cr MacRae, alongside Mount Isa Mines Rodeo chairman Mark ‘Tommo’ Thompson and Richmond Shire mayor John Wharton, made a presentation to Jessica Reid and Brendan Keane from the 2032 Games team.
Ms Reid is the chief of staff to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, while Mr Keane is the event’s director of sport.
“It was a bit of a pitch to explain what the Mount Isa Rodeo is and what we have to offer and why it would be a great addition as an exhibition event for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics,” Cr MacRae said.
“When I was in St George for the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils gathering, Jessic Reid happened to be there as a guest speaker. I approached her and the meeting was set up from there.”
Cr MacRae said the 45-minute meeting was used as an opportunity to present the North West as a viable option for overseas riders wanting to come to Australia for a circuit ahead of what could be a “world championship” rodeo in the traditional August timeslot, which is likely to be held smack bang between the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
“It’s a long way to come for one event, but having Richmond and Cloncurry, and even Quamby, on in the lead-up to Mount Isa could make it work,” the mayor said.
“We also had an APRA representative in the meeting with us to provide technical advice.”
Exhibition and demonstration sports have been an Olympic tradition over the years.
“We had a look at the history and apparently the Calgary Stampede was a part of the Olympics Arts Program,” Cr MacRae said.
“Rodeo has also been a part of two previous Winter Olympics – one in the United States and one in Canada.”
While there was no definitive response from the Olympic representatives, the Mount Isa mayor said she felt confident that the Outback city’s rodeo would have some kind of international presence in 2032.
“The message we got was there has been a move away from exhibition sports, however that wasn’t intended to discourage us,” Cr MacRae said.
“They do understand that this is going to be a Games for the whole of Queensland and that Mount Isa provides a unique Outback experience that we should definitely be able to leverage.
“Whether it will be classified as an official Olympic exhibition event or whether we just try and make it a ‘world championship-type’ event is a conversation for down the track.
“I do think there is an opportunity for our region to start looking at working together and putting forward a proposal and packages to see what we can achieve for what will be a special time for Queensland.”