Develop regional centres instead

MADAM,

I NOTE, with considerable trepidation, the attitude of the Acting CEO of HSI, Joe Reynolds, to his recent meeting with the Minister for State at the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Martin Heydon, regarding the proposed centre of excellence at Greenogue.

When asked by your reporter in The Irish Field edition of Saturday, February 6th 2021, if he intended to comply with Minister Heydon’s request to slow down the current process and back off signing contracts in the next few weeks, Mr Reynolds again attempted to justify the project with no confirmation that he would accede to the Minister’s request. This patent lack of respect for the realistic concerns of the Minister for State is very worrying as the sports horse industry cannot afford to alienate those who fund our industry to a considerable degree.

Minister Heydon noted that “Consultation has been a significant bug-bearer. There has been a number of people from different affiliates who contacted me over the weekend, who didn’t want to go public, but did want me to know their perspective. I feel I have been contacted by enough people across the sector now to accept that consultation hasn’t been as good as it could have been here.”

Yet, Avalon Everett, Head of Sport, Legal and Governance at Horse Sport Ireland, in the January 16th, 2021, edition of The Irish Field, informs your readers that “stakeholders were consulted at various stages in the process and where practicable their needs have been factored in, as were the needs of all sporting disciplines and breeding industry participants.”

Why then the need for the team at HSI to contact the affiliates from Monday, February 1st to Friday, February 5th, 2021, to consult on the proposed project. Mr Reynolds confirmed this when he “told The Irish Field that by Friday (yesterday), HSI would have this week consulted by virtual means with all affiliates apart from Showjumping Ireland, who they are meeting on Monday morning.” Surely consultation with all affiliates and stakeholders prior to the decision to proceed would have been a core requirement of any feasibility study undertaken on behalf of HSI?

In my previous open letter to HSI, I asked for access to the feasibility study and business plan associated with the project. To date I have not received either document nor have I received a reply to my email.

ECVOA

The Equestrian Competition Venue Owners Alliance (ECVOA), for whom I speak, comprises 18 of the largest competition centres on our island. We are not a group of negative individuals knocking this initiative from HSI. We realise the sports horse industry needs considerable investment from our Government, but we believe all the affiliates and participants in the sports horse industry will be better served by investment at regional level.

We believe the emphasis should be on education and the provision of top quality facilities indoor and outdoor so breeders, producers, owners and riders can produce their horses here in Ireland. HSI is concerned that if we do not take the opportunity they have identified at Greenogue, we will delay progress by four or five years.

ECVOA believes it is more important to make the correct decision, develop centres of training at regional level where maximum numbers of industry participants benefit, than rush into an agreement for a centre of excellence which will have minimal impact on the sports horse industry. Despite the fact that ECVOA are involved in all aspects of the sports horse industry, HSI has chosen not to engage with us in any meaningful way. We are available to meet with HSI at any time of their choosing.

Yours, etc.,

Pat McCartan

ECVOA

Old Dublin Road

Co Westmeath

Lovely memories

recalled

MADAM,

WHAT a wonderful and delightful article by Susan Finnerty on Seamus Lehane and his wonderful horses, so jolly and cheerful. It brings back lovely memories, thank you very much.

‘Great reading the Field’.

More.

Yours, etc.,

Ann Moynihan,

Mallow,

Co Cork