COMEDIANS to politicians all agree on one thing - when it comes to delivery, timing is everything.

While there is never a good time to announce hefty price hikes, the particular timing of Horse Sport Ireland’s fees increase announcement this week could scarcely be worse, coming from left field in the mouth of Christmas amid rising inflation across all fronts.

With no prior consultation with the key industry stakeholders - Irish sport horse and Irish Draught horse breeders, and the Irish Horse Board, - or indeed, seemingly their own Breeding and Advisory Council, Horse Sport Ireland’s substantial fees increase came as a bombshell and have gone down like a lead balloon.

Within hours of HSI’s announcement, two letters from industry stakeholders landed in the door (see letters section) and both raise some pertinent issues to consider. Where was the consultation with those most affected and what possible future effect could this have on those particular Studbooks?

These increases have been announced very shortly after the withdrawal of Horse Sport Ireland’s judicial review action against the Department of Agriculture’s decision to award the lucrative marketing tender to the Irish Horse Board. The timing alone looks like some type of twisted payback - rightly or wrongly, that very perception blanks the stated reasons by HSI such as economic necessity and the near 20-year gap in their price rises. The discounts previously allowed to IHB members are now wiped away at the stroke of a pen without any prior consultation.

As recently publicly stated by the IHB, they are available to meet HSI and get on with the job at hand. The lack of consultation with the main industry stakeholders on these price hikes is inexcusable and has to be deplored.

Suffice to say, a new breeding ground of discontent has been spawned.

Happy Christmas

What a busy and successful year 2022 proved across all levels of the ever colourful Irish sport horse sector. On behalf of all the hard-working team involved in producing Irish Horse World each week, we wish all our loyal readers and advertisers a very Happy Christmas and New Year in 2023.