Celebrating 160 years of the Ipswich Cup New

Date: 11-Jun-2026

Saturday June 20 rings in a significant milestone for the Ipswich Turf Club, marking the 160th anniversary of the Ipswich Cup.

The inaugural Cup was run in 1866 and won by Jibboom, not on the current site, but at nearby Grange Road. The club’s new Events and Entertainment Centre, which also houses the new jockey rooms, opened in 2020, is named in honour of that original site.

This year, the TAB Ipswich Cup carries $250,000 in prizemoney and will play out in front of a crowd exceeding 10,000 patrons.

The Cup is one of the biggest annual events on the Ipswich calendar, with the infield music festival one of the more iconic events in Queensland racing, as are the packed marquees that line most of the Ipswich straight.

The Turf Club now conducts more than 40 meetings annually and while its staff is not huge on numbers, it is big on productivity, never more notable than Cup time each year, banding together to make sure the huge event runs smoothly.

The loyalty the Ipswich Turf Club receives from its staff is borne out in this photo, with these six long-serving staff members providing 160 years years’ service combined.

Darrel Bell is the longest serving ITC staff member, having been with the club for a remarkable 45 years. Groundsman Peter Hughes is in his 30th year, while Maintenance Manager Chris Wallace recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with the club.

Track Manager Sean Tou is in his 23rd year, Gate Keeper Kerry Nutley his 21st and Office Manager Amy Walsh now in her 16th year with the ITC.

“The Club is extremely fortunate to have such a loyal group of staff and those six long serving employees typify the close-knit team the ITC has become known for over such a long period of time,” current CEO Nathan Exelby said.

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