Elaine Hatton appointed International Marketing Director with Horse Sport Ireland

HORSE Sport Ireland has announced the appointment of Elaine Hatton as International Marketing Director. Ms. Hatton will lead a new International Marketing Division within Horse Sport Ireland, the creation of which was recommended in the Industry Strategic Plan ‘Reaching New Heights’. The Division will be funded from an additional allocation made to Horse Sport Ireland by Minister Simon Coveney in the 2015 budget.

Ms. Hatton is currently the General Manager with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) which promotes Ireland as the leading source for the production and sale of quality thoroughbreds worldwide. Her experience with ITM will be very valuable as she will now take on the same role for the sport horse and pony.

HSI CEO Damian McDonald said that HSI was delighted to welcome Elaine on board. “There is a global market for horses and ponies for all levels of riders and we need to connect our breeders and producers with buyers in a range of markets. Elaine’s experience in ITM, which does outstanding work in marketing to the Thoroughbred sector abroad, will be a huge asset as we start out on the journey of establishing an International Marketing Division for the Sport Horse Sector.

“Elaine is clearly passionate about the Sport Horse sector and also has a strong marketing experience from her previous roles with Glanbia and TRM,” he said. “We look forward to Elaine coming on board in June to market our sector abroad. The Irish Sport Horse sector is worth over €700m to the Irish economy and we believe we can grow the sector further by driving export growth in the coming years.”

Speaking after her appointment was announced Ms. Hatton said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role of International Marketing Director for Horse Sport Ireland. The Sport Horse industry is one that is very close to my heart and one which I strongly believe has great potential. Whilst I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as General Manager for Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, I am very excited about this new challenge and I am looking forward to getting started.”

Before  working for ITM Ms. Hatton was the Head of Marketing for Glanbia Agribusiness. Prior to that, Ms. Hatton worked for TRM and obtained a Bachelor degree followed by a Masters in Equine Science from University of Limerick. Ms. Hatton has a strong background in the sport horse sector having competed in show jumping, eventing and showing from a young age. Elaine began her career by working in sport horse yards in Germany, Austria, the USA and Ireland.

Ms. Hatton will formally take up the position with HSI on June 7th.

Elaine Hatton. Picture: www.photographicmemory.ie