HORSE SPORT IRELAND
Annual Report 2012
5
Intr
oduction
Last year 2012 was an exceptional
twelve months for the sector, some of the
high points included medals gained at
the London Olympics and Paralympics, an
outstanding victory in the Aga Khan and a
haul of underage medals in the
European Championships.
Despite the current challenging economic situation,
sport horses have provided many standout moments
for individuals and families in a wide variety of
disciplines throughout the year. The HSI Affi
liates had
busy schedules and I commend all of the voluntary
eff ort that makes their events possible. The passion and
commitment we have for the horse in Ireland remains
one of our greatest strengths.
If the sport is to grow and develop we need all the
stakeholders to work together in a climate of mutual
respect. We are in an intense competition with other
sports and leisure pursuits for spectators, media
coverage and sponsorship, and we need to maximize
the positive stories we have to tell. Every competitor
and horse, at whatever level, is an ambassador for our
sector.
The young riders are our future and their successes
during the past year give us confi dence in the years
to come. We have international riders operating
successfully on several continents while fl ying the
fl ag for Ireland and acting as infl uential role models
for our young people. Our developmental coaching
programmes, and those of our Affi
liates, continue to
pay dividends.
The fi nancial return for those breeding and producing
young sport horses has been far from ideal and we
need radical reform if this is to become a viable
agricultural enterprise rather than just an interesting
hobby. We need to ruthlessly select the best and cull
the rest if we are to see dramatic improvements.
We can't change the past but if we make the correct
decisions now we can infl uence the future. We
acknowledge the success of the past year but we
cannot rest on our laurels. I admire those individuals
who are continuing to invest in world-class facilities to
host shows and events so that riders and horses can be
developed and competitors and spectators can enjoy
our sport to its fullest.
I acknowledge the work of my predecessor Joe
Walsh, the staff of Horse Sport Ireland and the many
volunteers who populate the management board, sub
boards and committees. Success does not arise by
accident and I encourage everyone involved to work
together to strive for greatness in the coming year.
Professor Patrick Wall
Chairman, Horse Sport Ireland
Introduction
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