RENOWNED hunt club, the Galway Blazers, are grappling with insurance concerns ahead of their upcoming opening meet in two weeks’ time.

The chairman of the Galway Blazers Michael McDonagh, confirmed that the hunt club had cancelled their planned point-to-point this weekend arising from their insurance concerns, adding that the same concerns also apply to their upcoming opening hunt meet.

However, a spokesperson for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said that the insurance policy in place covering the Blazers’ cancelled point-to-point fixture had met the IHRB requirements.

It’s understood that the Galway Blazers are now looking at their options, including possibly becoming a limited company - similar to many hunt clubs nationwide.

Galway Blazers’ chairman Michael McDonagh said: “We cancelled our point-to-point planned for Sunday as a result of our concerns over insurance and those concerns still exist going through to our opening hunt meeting in two weeks’ time. One option we are looking at is becoming a limited company, having third party cover and our members also having their own cover as well.

“There is unanswered questions as to what is covered and what is not covered in the insurance policy, and as it stands I think the future of hunting is going to be very hard to operate. What purpose does it serve to have to have the waivers signed in the presence of a solicitor? This is going to be cost thousands, plus VAT on top... is it realistic?

“The insurance company has asked for the waivers to be signed in the presence of a solicitor and that is one obstacle too many. The implication is that there will be a onus on the solicitor in the event of an accident and that is a risk that solicitors are not willing to take. We eventually found a solicitor who would be present but the cost was too high.

“We had a long meeting on Wednesday night where our own members and masters presented their own independent legal opinion. It became very complicated with too many unanswered questions. Our opening hunt is coming up and we want to know if we are going to be required to have a solicitor present every day we go out. What is the difference between a waiver signed by members and one signed in front of a solicitor? It is making it impossible.”

IHRB statement

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), commented: “The insurance policy covering the Galway Blazers (F) point-to-point met the requirements of the IHRB – many fixtures have ran under this policy since February and many are due to run under this policy. Shillelagh & District (F) point-to-point on Sunday next, 16th October are the next hunt due to run a point-to-point under the same policy as Galway Blazers, and they have confirmed that they are proceeding under the terms of the policy “

The IHRB also said it was satisfied that hunt clubs nationwide have recourse to adequate insurance to allow point-to-point fixtures go ahead this season.