sector and one of the highlights was the launch, in March, of
our 10-year strategy,
Sport Ireland (HSI) and received input from a lot of people
involved in the sector. The big challenge for the sector, going
forward, is in ensuring that we can resource all the ambitious
recommendations contained in
has been laid but there is a lot still to do and all stakeholders
need to work together if we are to succeed.
The enthusiasm of our young people will make our sector
great and investing in them is one way to ensure that we
have a sustainable sector. In addition to participation in the
sporting disciplines, we need to get more young people
involved in breeding and in the organisational infrastructure
of HSI and the a liates, as new, innovative ideas and
approaches are needed. In addition, many of our activities
depend on an army of volunteers to survive and succession
planning is key to a great future.
blocks and we plan to build on it over the coming years to
make Ireland the `go to place' for a horse or pony for all level
of rider.
to attract new spectators to the sport of showjumping,
ran on three Fridays in June 2015 in greyhound stadia in
Limerick, Cork and Dublin. It was encouraging that the series
was winner of the Best Innovation in Sport award at the
Irish Sports Awards in early November. Spectators, media
coverage and sponsors are inextricably linked and we need
to continually look at our various sporting disciplines to make
them more attractive to the masses.
in the vanguard, kept the tricolor flying in arenas all around
the world throughout the year. And, they certainly didn't
disappoint the home spectators when the team of Bertram
Allen, Greg Broderick, Cian O'Connor and Darragh Kenny won
the Aga Khan trophy at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse
Show.
breeders with the market requirements and provide Irish
horse power to the top riders in the various disciplines. The
calibre of horses jumping in the Studbook Series and young
horses classes around the country has to give us optimism for
the future. Our eventers continue to hold their own at the top
of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH)
rankings and Irish-bred show horses are in the limelight in all
the big shows in the UK. We have work to do to connect our
breeders of young horses with the market place, as many are
not getting adequate return for their endeavours. We are in
global competition and we need to focus on quality and high
standards at all levels if we are to compete with the other
horse breeding nations.
their senior counterparts in 2015 and their ongoing successes
have to give us great optimism for the future. I compliment
our chefs d'équipe, coaches, all the support sta , the many
owners and sponsors who pay the bills, and the parents, who
play a huge role in enabling our talented young riders realise
their full potential.
I acknowledge the hard work of all those in our equestrian
centres and show venues. Their endeavours and investment
in their facilities enable producers to bring on their young
horses, and help riders to hone and develop their skills.
horses has brought so many people from di erent walks of
life together for business, pleasure and friendship. In addition
to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) disciplines,
our a liates cover disciplines such as polo, harness racing,
hunting and mounted games. A passion for horses is in the
DNA of many Irish people and despite a lack of monetary
return, for a large proportion of us, the enthusiasm does not
wane.
and the south, for a sector that contributes so much to
communities throughout the length and breadth of the Island
of Ireland, to give a helping hand to the many initiatives, that
are ongoing and in the pipeline, for breeders, producers and
competitors.
executive and sta of HSI and the contribution of my fellow
board members and members of the sub-boards. I also
thank the many committees that enable HSI to function, and
the army of volunteers in the a liates who keep our sector
vibrant and growing. Cooperating and working together, we
can achieve great things.
Horse Sport Ireland