Annual Report 2015 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2015 HORSE SPORT IRELAND
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HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2015 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2015 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Department of Department Department of Culture, Arts & of Transport Agriculture, Food Structures Leisure (NI) Tourism & Sport and the Marine Fédération Sport Northern Irish Sports Equestre Olympic Council Paralympic Ireland (SNI) Council (ISC) Internationale of Ireland (OCI) Council of Ireland (FEI) HSI Sport Sub Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) HSI Breeding Board Board of Directors Sub Board HSI Affiliate Organisations in 2015 Irish Horse Board, Northern Ireland Horse Board, Connemara Army Equitation School Pony Breeders Society Association of Irish Riding Clubs & Irish Pony Society Association of Irish Riding Establishments Carriage Driving Section of HSI Dressage Ireland HSI High Eventing Ireland HSI Finance HSI Rules Performance Committee Committee Federation of Irish Polo Clubs Structures Hunting Association of Ireland Irish Harness Racing Club Irish Long Distance Riding Association Irish Polocrosse Association Horse Sport Ireland – What We Do Irish Pony Club Irish Pony Society Interface with the Government and Government agencies on behalf of the sector. Irish Quarter Horse Association Irish Shows Association Act as the national governing body for equestrian sport as recognised by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), Irish Irish Universities Riding Clubs Association Sports Council (ISC), Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and Sport Medical Equestrian Association NI (SNI). Mounted Games Association of Ireland Maintain the Irish Horse Register which incorporates the Irish Para Equestrian Ireland Sport Horse (ISH) and Irish Draught Horse (IDH) studbooks, under licence from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Pentathlon Ireland Marine. Riding for the Disabled Association Ireland Issue identification (ID) documents for horses under licence from Royal Dublin Society the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Showjumping Ireland Run High Performance programmes for selected equestrian Side Saddle Association of Ireland disciplines. TREC Ireland Run the National Horse Anti-Doping Programme for Equestrian Sport. Run the National Equestrian Coaching Development Programme with Coaching Ireland. Operate the online pedigree, progeny and performance database, CapallOir. Promote the Irish sport horse industry through the 3 International Marketing Division. HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2015 HSI – National Governing Body 3 Structures 5 Chairman’s Introduction Contents 6 Chief Executive’s Report 8 Board of Directors Meeting Attendance 9 Breeding Sub Board Meeting Attendance 10 Sport Sub Board Meeting Attendance High Performance Programmes 12 Some Key Highlights 14 Team Ireland Equestrian Sponsors & Suppliers 15 High Performance Programme – Underage Teams 21 High Performance Programme – Senior Teams Irish Horse Register & Breeding Related Activities 30 Foal Registrations & IHR Horse Registration Statistics 32 Stallion & Mare Inspections 35 Lanaken & Le Lion d’Angers 40 WBFSH Rankings 42 Financial Supports 48 HSI Breeders Awards International Marketing 50 International Marketing Division & Activities General Activities 54 Coaching Programme 56 Governance 57 Affiliate Organisations 58 New Initiatives 61 Registration & Entries Financial Overview 69 Director’s Report 71 Auditor’s Report 85 Sources of Income 86 Allocation of Funds 87 High Performance Investment Allocations 88 Breeding Projects, Initiatives, International Marketing & Operations Expenditure 89 Sport Programmes, HP, SNI & Operations Expenditure 4 Annual Report 2015 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Chairman’s Introduction Chairman’s Introduction Last year, 2015, was another great year for the sport horse sector and one of the highlights was the launch, in March, of our 10-year strategy, Reaching New Heights. This important document was coordinated by Teagasc, the RDS and Horse 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 Reaching New Heights, so that our sector can realise its full potential. The ground work 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 affiliates, as new, innovative ideas and approaches are needed. In addition, many of our activities depend on an army of volunteers to survive and succession Our pony riders and young riders were not to be outdone by planning is key to a great future. their senior counterparts in 2015 and their ongoing successes have to give us great optimism for the future. I compliment We have the international marketing division out of the our chefs d’équipe, coaches, all the support staff, the many blocks and we plan to build on it over the coming years to owners and sponsors who pay the bills, and the parents, who make Ireland the ‘go to place’ for a horse or pony for all level play a huge role in enabling our talented young riders realise of rider. their full potential. I acknowledge the hard work of all those in our equestrian The inaugural Jumping in the City series, which endeavoured centres and show venues. Their endeavours and investment to attract new spectators to the sport of showjumping, in their facilities enable producers to bring on their young ran on three Fridays in June 2015 in greyhound stadia in horses, and help riders to hone and develop their skills. Limerick, Cork and Dublin. It was encouraging that the series was winner of the Best Innovation in Sport award at the We are a broad church and it is amazing how a love for Irish Sports Awards in early November. Spectators, media horses has brought so many people from different walks of coverage and sponsors are inextricably linked and we need life together for business, pleasure and friendship. In addition to continually look at our various sporting disciplines to make to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) disciplines, them more attractive to the masses. our affiliates cover disciplines such as polo, harness racing, hunting and mounted games. A passion for horses is in the Our international showjumping riders, with Bertram Allen DNA of many Irish people and despite a lack of monetary in the vanguard, kept the tricolor flying in arenas all around return, for a large proportion of us, the enthusiasm does not the world throughout the year. And, they certainly didn’t wane. disappoint the home spectators when the team of Bertram Allen, Greg Broderick, Cian O’Connor and Darragh Kenny won We need political recognition and support, in both the north the Aga Khan trophy at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse and the south, for a sector that contributes so much to Show. communities throughout the length and breadth of the Island of Ireland, to give a helping hand to the many initiatives, that One objective for the future has to be to connect our are ongoing and in the pipeline, for breeders, producers and breeders with the market requirements and provide Irish competitors. horse power to the top riders in the various disciplines. The calibre of horses jumping in the Studbook Series and young I acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the horses classes around the country has to give us optimism for executive and staff of HSI and the contribution of my fellow the future. Our eventers continue to hold their own at the top board members and members of the sub-boards. I also of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) thank the many committees that enable HSI to function, and rankings and Irish-bred show horses are in the limelight in all the army of volunteers in the affiliates who keep our sector the big shows in the UK. We have work to do to connect our vibrant and growing. Cooperating and working together, we breeders of young horses with the market place, as many are can achieve great things. not getting adequate return for their endeavours. We are in global competition and we need to focus on quality and high Prof Patrick Wall standards at all levels if we are to compete with the other Chairman horse breeding nations. Horse Sport Ireland 5 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2015 CEO’s Report CEO’s Report of the Chief Executive In 2015, a roadmap for the industry entitled Reaching New Our showjumping team missed out on Olympic qualification Heights was published. This document was the product of in the European Championships at Aachen by less than one more than 18 months’ work from Teagasc, the RDS and Horse fault. At that event, Cian O’Connor and his horse, Good Luck, Sport Ireland (HSI). It was launched in March 2015 by then had their round interrupted by a ring steward. Unfortunately, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney. Cian and Good Luck picked up four faults. The subsequent On foot of the report, an extra allocation was provided to HSI appeals all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to establish an international marketing division. Subsequently, (CAS) proved to be costly and time consuming. The original Elaine Hatton was appointed as director of International concept of CAS, as a sport-specific dispute resolution Marketing and this new division has now been set up. mechanism to avoid costly court cases, is far removed from the reality. It is now a very expensive route to take. Of course, The equine sector was also included in the new Knowledge we could have decided not to appeal but when there is still Transfer Programme, which was rolled out by the Department a chance of getting a team to the Olympic Games, there is of Agriculture, Food and the Marine during 2015. This model an expectation from riders, owners and other stakeholders has been very successful in other sectors and it has the that the National Federation will exhaust every possibility to potential to be a game changer for the sport horse sector.