Horse Sport Ireland Autumn Development Series 2020

Horse Sport Ireland are delighted to announce the launch of the HSI Autumn Development Series 2020. This significant series aims to provide development opportunities for breeders, owners and riders and to extend the competitive season for equestrian sports, which was shorted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The HSI Autumn Development Series 2020 will provide significant prize money and include breeders prizes in each discipline. The series will be run in accordance with existing government guidelines in relation to COVID-19.

HSI are supporting a range of events across Ireland in Show jumping, Eventing and Dressage. These events will be run country-wide across a range of centres by the relevant affiliates. Show jumping classes will include both Grand Prix and young horse classes, which have been carefully scheduled and agreed with Show jumping Ireland. In order to compete in the Young Horse Show Jumping final in Cavan (30th October) horse-rider combinations must have jumped in at least two other young horse show jumping qualifiers. The first Show Jumping Ireland venue will be this weekend in Mullingar Equestrian Centre, with HSI already supporting the finals of the Youngster Tour. In addition from the new HSI Autumn Development Series, Horse Sport Ireland will support the 6-year-old final and the Grand Prix. All further dates and venues will be announced shortly.

Eventing Ireland classes will be a mixture of Eventing, arena Eventing and young horse experience classes. These events will act as standalone events and will not follow a league format. The young horse classes seek to provide an educational experience for young eventers on grass whose production was affected by the delay of the 2020 eventing season. Additionally, arena Eventing offers eventers the opportunity to run their horses until November on good quality all weather surfaces. As in Show Jumping, an effort was made to spread the sponsorship of events across a range of venues nationwide.

Dressage Ireland are planning to run a league across each of the four regions culminating in a final. Horse Sport Ireland is providing a significant prize fund for these events to support the development of Dressage in Ireland, which is now one of the fastest growing participation discipline. We are currently exploring the final dates for the league but anticipate that these will be announced in the coming days.

Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Mr Joe Reynolds said:

“We are delighted to provide significant funding this Autumn to breeders, owners and producers to extend the season and redress the damage to the production calendar caused by Covid-19 earlier in the year. I would like to acknowledge of the support of the three affiliates, Show jumping Ireland, Dressage Ireland and Eventing Ireland for facilitating the development and approval of this autumn calendar so quickly. I look forward to witnessing some excellent competition in this “HSI Autumn Development Series” in these coming months.”