A MOVE toward creating an alternative governing body for the horse sport sector in Ireland is understood to be imminent now the Dublin Horse Show and Olympic and Paralympic Games are complete.

The move is being spearheaded by a group of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) affiliates and stakeholders who claim changes HSI made to its memorandum and articles in January constitute a move to exclude affiliates and downgrade grassroots representation.

A second meeting of these stakeholders took place in late June and representatives from the following organisations were present; Royal Dublin Society (RDS), Showjumping Ireland, Eventing Ireland, Dressage Ireland, Irish Horse Board, Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, Equestrian Competition and Venues Owners Alliance, Association of Irish Riding Clubs, Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society, Irish Pony Society, Irish Shows Association, Para Equestrian Ireland, Riding for the Disabled Association of Ireland, Stallion Owners Society, Irish Quarter Horse Association, Endurance Ireland and the Army Equitation School.

Chair of the meeting, Flor Madden of the RDS, informed those present there had been no progress in terms of obtaining a meeting with the Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, TD, or the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Ms Catherine Martin, TD, to address the matter of Horse Sport Ireland.

Mr Madden referred to the most recent correspondence from Minister McConalogue received on June 20th.

The letter essentially outlined Minister McConalogue’s support of HSI and his confidence in its current Chairman and Board.

It was agreed that this was not a satisfactory response from the Minister, and while the letter should be acknowledged, it was now time to escalate the matter.

Mr Madden recounted for the meeting what had been agreed at the previous meeting on April 24th that “by amending its constitution HSI had reduced the role of the affiliates, and abdicated its duties in terms of the following: increasing stakeholder engagement, improving accountability to the industry, engaging stakeholders in strategic planning, increasing resources for the industry, focusing its Board on the industry rather than on Horse Sport Ireland (a Company Limited by Guarantee)”, and, “that the changes will have long term implications on the industry and its grassroots representation”.

The affiliates and stakeholders present agreed once again for the need for an overarching body accountable to the industry.

Mass withdrawal

It was agreed that after the Olympics and Paralympics, they would give notice of a mass withdrawal from HSI with a three months’ notice period. This has yet to be done.

It was also agreed the affiliates and stakeholders would proceed with their respective budget submissions directly to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine while each Olympic discipline would prepare a budget funding request for their sport, to be collated as an amalgamated submission to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

After the exit, it was agreed an application would be made to the FEI, the Olympic Council and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for ‘Horse Sport Ireland – Version 2’ to be recognised as the governing body.

A federation would then be established, like the former Equestrian Federation of Ireland, (EFI) and its recognition would be sought from the Olympic Federation of Ireland, the FEI, Sport Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

It was also agreed a document detailing how ‘Horse Sport Ireland – Version 2’ would be run under a much-reduced overhead and outlining how it will have a greater industry impact would be prepared and presented.

The group agreed that under its plan, the current Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) would be reduced to a private limited company, with little/no industry representation and which will not be capable of receiving Government funding.

It is understood the affiliates and stakeholders are expected to contact the RDS Equestrian Department within the next fortnight to confirm their agreement, or not as the case may be, of their organisation to the process agreed at the June meeting.

Horse Sport Ireland declined to comment on the matter.