SHOWJUMPING Ireland has said it has no concerns about pony measuring, although it admits the subject was discussed at its recent annual general meeting.

The issue of over-height ponies has been raised in recent weeks by veterinary surgeon Brian Gormley and Lady Nesta Fitzgerald, who both drew attention to the unfairness of large ponies jumping in height categories which they believe the ponies are ineligible for.

Gormley claimed the ‘big pony plague’ was being sustained by affluent relations who were willing to pay high prices for over-height ponies but who were effectively teaching their children to steal from other children competing on correctly measured ponies.

The veterinary surgeon said his motion, submitted to Showjumping Ireland in advance of the association’s AGM that ‘The SJI should review and revise pony measuring’ was rejected by the SJI.

However this week a spokesperson for SJI told The Irish Field: “Showjumping Ireland respectfully advise that Mr Gormley’s motion, as contained in his correspondence, is not a motion to which the members of Showjumping Ireland require notice.

“Furthermore the issue raised by Mr Gormley is a matter more appropriate for the rules committee of Showjumping Ireland as the matters raised relate to Showjumping Ireland’s rules and have no relevance whatsoever to the Memorandum and Articles of the Association.”

When asked if SJI had any plans to review the current pony measuring system, the spokesperson said: “This was discussed at the recent AGM and the chairman has undertaken to bring it back to the relevant committees for discussion.”

However he insisted that SJI “does not have any concerns regarding pony measuring.”

He added that no national complaints had been received to date regarding pony measuring or veterinary surgeons involved in measuring.