For now, demolition is paused. But unless a deal is reached within 60 days, Hawkesbury risks losing one of the region’s most valuable sporting and economic assets.

A long-running standoff that threatened the future of dressage in New South Wales has taken a turn, with the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association (HDAA) agreeing to enter negotiations that many hope could save the sport’s home at Clarendon.

More than 150 people packed an extraordinary Council meeting on Thursday night, fighting to protect the cherished dressage grounds that have been home to Dressage NSW (DNSW) for over 35 years. The land in dispute sits within the Hawkesbury Showgrounds - public land owned by Crown Lands and managed by Hawkesbury City Council - but DNSW leases just 8% of the 260-acre site.

Tensions boiled over when HDAA confirmed plans to demolish the million-dollar sand arenas used by dressage riders to make way for what many believed would become a car park. But when pressed on their intentions, HDAA representatives failed to explain what they actually planned to do with the 20 acres once the dressage infrastructure was removed. They denied the space would be turned into car parking but offered no alternative use.

The uncertainty ignited widespread concern, not only because Clarendon is one of just two dressage facilities in Sydney, but because its loss would be devastating to a sport that draws riders from across the state - from children to Paralympians to Olympic competitors. With entry fees at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre pricing out many riders, Clarendon remains the only affordable venue for thousands.

For Hawkesbury, the stakes are far higher than sport alone. The equestrian industry pours millions into the local economy through events, accommodation, feed suppliers, farriers, and local businesses. Equestrian NSW CEO Vireena Peacock said Tamworth’s Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre generates over $20 million annually for its region - a figure Hawkesbury could match if its own equestrian assets were secured and properly backed.

Yet relations between HDAA and DNSW collapsed over the past year. A letter from HDAA’s president to Council in March flatly stated the association had “confirmed it is not willing to retain the subject dressage facilities and will not enter into any licence/lease agreement over the site with any equestrian group.” But at Thursday’s meeting, HDAA management claimed they had been open to discussions all along - a contradiction that left many in the chamber shaking their heads.

Andrea Roth, the HDAA’s Business Manager, said DNSW had themselves indicated they wished to step away from the lease. But DNSW explained this had only been a proposal to shift the running of competitions to another dressage body - not an end to the sport’s presence at Clarendon.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of a motion to stop any demolition of the arenas and to give both sides 60 days to reach a resolution.

The meeting laid bare the consequences of HDAA’s plans. Dressage NSW estimates that replacing the arenas and judges’ boxes elsewhere would cost more than $10 million - if suitable land could even be found. Council heard that DNSW currently invests $27,000 a year maintaining the site, keeping it in top condition not just for able-bodied riders but also for para-equestrians, who cannot safely compete on grass surfaces. “As a para rider myself, I wouldn’t be safe on grass,” said local competitor Helen Baston. “It’s slippery and dangerous.”

Claims that dressage events were blocking other users of the showground were also firmly rejected. “We don’t ask for exclusive use,” Ms Baston said. “Many groups share the grounds already - it can co-exist.”

Jeff Oliver, speaking for the Save Clarendon Dressage group, reminded Council the issue was about more than contracts. “This is not a legal or political question, but a moral one. It’s about doing the right thing. This is public infrastructure on public land.”

Equestrian NSW has now formally offered to take over the lease from DNSW. As the state body for equestrian sport, it has the resources and security HDAA says it needs.

The community’s response has been overwhelming. More than 3,000 people have signed a petition to save Clarendon, and a grassroots campaign - ‘Save Clarendon Dressage’ - has formed to fight for the facility’s future.

For now, demolition is paused. But the clock is ticking. Without agreement in the next two months, New South Wales dressage - and a vital part of Hawkesbury’s equine economy - faces an uncertain future.