EQUESTRIAN sports have received a €936,019 injection thanks to the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme). The major recipients are ChildVision Ltd, who have been allocated €426,081 for the Jack DeBromhead ChildVision Equine Centre Development and Stewarts Care Ltd, who have been allocated €357,867 for the Stewarts Care Equine Centre Stable and Circuit.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, announced a total of 1,996 grants, with a total value of €230 million for new and improved sports facilities and equipment throughout the country last week.

Ministers Martin and Byrne were joined by Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, at Cambridge FC in Ringsend to announce the record funding.

The €230 million allocation follows May’s allocation of €26 million for sports equipment, which brings the total investment in community sport and recreation in 2024 to an unprecedented €256 million.

This is a 50% increase on the funding allocated in early 2022 under the 2020 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme.

Over 40 separate sports, as well as multi-sport facilities throughout the country, will benefit from the grants. Each application was assessed under criteria including population density, deprivation and access to facilities.

Equestrian recipients include:

ChildVision Ltd (for the Jack DeBromhead ChildVision Equine Centre Development) €426,081

Stewarts Care Ltd (for the Stewarts Care Equine Centre Stable and Circuit) €357,867

County Clare Agricultural Show Society (for Showgrounds improvements) €86,184

Shillelagh Hunt Pony Club (to purchase training equipment and attract new members) €19,591

Cheval Riding Club (Jordanstown) Ltd (for an outdoor surface irrigation system) €56,658

Previously announced equestrian sport funding (May 2024):

Horse Sport Ireland €55,202

Association of Irish Riding

Establishments CLG €41,313

Inistioge show society €12,413

Irish Pony Club €8,900

Carlow Hunt Pony Club €54,178

Rathfarnham Pony Club €3,798

Clewbay Pony Club €24,480

Golden Vale Pony Club €6,000

Wicklow Hunt Pony Club €8,200

Castle Carraig Riding Club €2,792

Carrickmines Riding Club €14,605

Headfort Riding Club €14,754

Dressage Ireland Ltd €15,566

Border Counties Riding Club €9,690

Golden Grove Riding Club €60,628

Waterford Riding Club €12,843

Wicklow Hunt Pony Club €8,200