HSI launches 2024 Affiliate Participation Grant

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is delighted to have launched the 2024 Participation Grant for its sporting affiliates.

To exemplify the organisation’s vision to lead the sector through increased participation in our sport HSI, in 2020, introduced the Participation Grant, redeveloping the original Sports Grant.

The purpose of the grant is to stimulate vibrant growth of equestrian sport in terms of participation numbers across various disciplines through quality experiences, environments, and supports.

The HSI Participation Grant supports projects that drive increased participation through targeted initiatives creating a positive environment for growing participation. Projects supported will make equestrianism more accessible, increase participation of women and provide support, resources, and knowledge transfer to all members of the horse sport sector.

2024 will be the fifth year of the HSI Participation Grant and to date, approximately 45 projects have been supported with over €300,000 invested in grassroots equestrianism.

HSI Affiliates such as AIRC, AIRE, Mounted Games Association and Eventing Ireland have used the funding in training events for members and non-members alike to help attract new members to their respective disciplines, while also retaining current members.

The Mounted Games Association has received funding through the HSI Participation Grant

Supported projects include developing educational pathways for qualified equestrian instructors to deliver training for less well-known disciplines such as Western Riding and TREC. Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Ireland have used the funding to deliver training to their network of valued volunteers which was greatly needed, especially after Covid-impacted years had limited their ability to deliver much-needed services.

The Irish Pony Club were able to support the setup and the reestablishment of Branches, targeting lower socio-economic areas where the costs associated with the delivery of Pony Club activities were subsidised for the developing branches.

Dressage Ireland and the Irish Pony Society used the grant to assist in the launch of the hugely successful youth equitation programme, Elevate. Showjumping Ireland utilised the fund to support the development of their Sportsman membership, which continues to grow annually, and to increase and enhance the training and education programmes for officials and organisers within the sport.

HSI has been, and continues to be, delighted to support these programmes that foster the development of equestrian sport at grassroots level. Applications for funding are welcomed and anyone interested is urged to contact any of HSI’s sporting affiliates for further information.

Below is a table of funding awarded to HSI Affiliates for the past four years.