IT was announced this afternoon by Horse Sport Ireland that Gerry Mullins is back on board as chairman of High Performance for Ireland's senior show jumpers.

Reacting to the news that Mullins has been reinstated as HP chairman, chef d’equipe Rodrigo Pessoa told The Irish Field: “I’m glad the situation got resolved and we are back to work with not a minute to spare. The big goal this year is (the World Equestrian Games) in Tryon.”

Mullins added today: "I am very happy that the committee has been put in place for 2018. Our main job now is to qualify for Tokyo in 2020 and we have a good plan in place. I am looking forward to working with the chairman, the board and the CEO of Horse Sport Ireland, we have to work together to be successful."

In recent weeks, Irish show jumping at senior level was rocked by the unexpected resignation of Gerry Mullins who cited grounds of interference from within HSI. That in turn led to Ireland's chef d'equipe Rodrigo Pessoa saying he had to reconsider his own position as Mullins is his right-hand man. Together the two men, along with Co Clare's Michael Blake, were instrumental in helping the Irish team of Cian O'Connor, Denis Lynch, Bertram Allen and Shane Sweetnam, win team gold at the European Championships in August, Ireland's first senior championships medal in 16 years.

The row was rumbling on in the background as the Irish public voted the Irish show jumping team the 'RTÉ Sports Team of the Year'.

HSI STATEMENT

At 4.40pm today, HSI issued a brief statement on its High Performance Committee Membership.

The full statement read as follows:

"At its meeting today (16/1/18) the Board of Horse Sport Ireland appointed the following individuals as Chairpersons for the various High-Performance Committees for 2018.

SHOW JUMPING

Senior Show jumping – Gerry Mullins

Underage Show jumping (YR/JR/CoH) – Sally Anne Tobin

Pony High Performance Show jumping – Kieran O’Gorman

EVENTING

Senior Eventing – Don Hannigan

Underage Eventing (Pony/JR/YR) – Pat Coleman

DRESSAGE & PARA DRESSAGE

Senior & Underage Dressage and Para Dressage - Robert McCormick

ENDURANCE

David Cunningham

In 2017 Horse Sport Ireland undertook an internal review of its high-performance governance structures, inclusive of the applicable terms of reference, as agreed by the Board of Horse Sport Ireland.

Each Committee operates within defined terms of reference, which provide clarity regarding the roles and responsibilities in order to deliver podium finishes for Team Ireland."

More on this story in Saturday's Irish Field