TWO of the main players in recent years at Horse Sport Ireland stepped back onto the equestrian stage this week, each taking up exciting and demanding new roles at home and abroad.

Amid much industry speculation, Alison Corbally was formerly announced yesterday (Friday) as the new Director General of the Irish Horse Board, taking up the reins of this key new role as the Co-Operative Society embarks on a new era.

After spending the guts of two decades as Director of Breeding at Horse Sport Ireland, Corbally will be aiming to hit the ground running on Monday as the reinvigorated IHB embraces its greatly enhanced role after successfully securing the marketing tender from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine last year.

All eyes are firmly fixed on the future steps of the IHB - there is a significant body of work to be done on behalf of Irish breeders/producers as well as the marketing and promotion of Irish-bred sport horses at home and abroad.

Meanwhile on Thursday, former Chief Executive Officer of Horse Sport Ireland (2017-2020), Ronan Murphy, was announced as the new FEI Director of Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting. He will take up the new role this July, joining the Lausanne-based FEI headquarters.

In recent years, we have all seen how the continuing participation of equestrian sport in the Olympic Games has provoked much public debate and has come under a harsh spotlight at times. Securing the future of equestrian sport at Olympic level, and the welfare of all equines involved, is paramount. We wish both Alison and Ronan every success in their new roles.

In other news, a flavour of next year’s American presidential election came to our shores with the visit of President Joe Biden. Susan Finnerty takes us behind the scenes of his hugely successful visit to Ballina (pages 92-93).