HORSE SPORT Horse Sport Ireland Unveils Strategic Plan for 400m euro Industry

The plan sets out targets under four areas:

• A market led approach to breeding and sport horse promotion
• Increasing participation by riders, owners and spectators
• Strong Governance
• Improved infrastructure

Chairman and former Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh said that the Strategic Plan sets out the signposts for the sector for the next four years.

"For the first time in the history of the sector the breeding, sport and leisure sides of the sector have come together as part of Horse Sport Ireland. This plan sets out the job of work for the organisation over the next four years," he said.

The Chairman pointed out that there were a number of urgent challenges facing the sector, including the need to implement the Holmes Report on the eradication of Prohibited Substances and Practices from Irish equestrianism.

"An absolute priority for Horse Sport Ireland will be to ensure a clean sport where the welfare of the horse is never compromised in the pursuit of sporting success or commercial gain," he said.

" We need to adjust our breeding policy to take into account current competition requirements - e.g., Ireland needs to regain ground in the breeding of top class International show jumpers.

"While Irish bred event horses are top of the world rankings we had only one Irish bred show jumper in the top 200 in the world last year.

This is a dreadful decline and we must act now to turn the tide. The sooner we make a start with the right breeding decisions, the earlier we will see the benefits of a good breeding policy, " he said.

Mr Walsh pointed out that the detailed operational aspects of a comprehensive new breeding policy would be finalised during 2009 for implementation in 2010.

Horse Sport Ireland is also in the process of developing a new High Performance Plan with its key target being London 2012.

"We have now bedded down our High Performance structures and are putting plans in place for each discipline. These are currently being developed and will be published before the end of the year" he said.

Mr Walsh also emphasised the need for strong Governance in the sector.

"The sector has had a reputation for being disparate and being dominated by vested interests. This plan sets out the pathway to the future and we must follow it resolutely" he said

Mr Walsh concluded by highlighting the potential of the sector which is worth over €400 million to the Irish economy, according to a recent UCD report.

"Ireland is synonymous with the horse and we have hugely talented riders. My wish for the next four years is that the emphasis will be on the achievements of Irish riders and Irish bred horses rather than on other issues that have dogged the sector," he said.