HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2012 HSI_Report_NEW DOCUMENT.indd 1 20/09/2013 15:35:57 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2012 2 HSI_Report_NEW DOCUMENT.indd 2 20/09/2013 15:35:57 Annual Report 2012 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Structures Department of Department Department of Culture, Arts & of Transport Agriculture, Food 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) Horse Sport Ireland Horse Sport Ireland Horse Sport Ireland Breeding Sport Sub Board Board of Directors Sub Board Irish Horse Board Northern Ireland Horse Board HSI Affi liate Organisations in 2012 Army Equitation School Association of Irish Riding Clubs Association of Irish Riding Establishments Carriage Driving Section of HSI Dressage Ireland HSI High HSI Finance HSI Rules Eventing Ireland Performance Committee Committee Federation of Irish Polo Clubs Structures Hunting Association of Ireland Irish Long Distance Riding Association Irish Polocrosse Association Irish Pony Club Irish Pony Society Irish Shows Association Irish Universities Riding Clubs Association Horse Sport Ireland – What we do Medical Equestrian Association Interface with the Government and Government agencies on Para Equestrian Ireland behalf of the sector Pentathlon Ireland Act as the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport as Reining & Western Section of HSI recognised by the FEI, ISC, OCI and Sport NI Riding for the Disabled Association Ireland Maintain the Irish Horse Register which incorporates the Royal Dublin Society Irish Sport Horse and Irish Draught Horse Studbooks under Showjumping Ireland TREC Ireland licence from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Issue non-Pedigree ID documents for horses under licence from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Run High Performance Programmes for selected equestrian disciplines Run the National Horse Anti-Doping Programme for 3 Equestrian Sport Run the National Equestrian Coaching Development Programme with Coaching Ireland Operate the online Pedigree, Progeny and Performance database – CapallOir HSI_Report_NEW DOCUMENT.indd 3 20/09/2013 15:35:58 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2012 Contents HSI – NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY Structures 3 Chairman’s Introduction 5 Chief Executive’s Report 6 Board of Directors Meeting Attendance 8 Breeding Sub Board Meeting Attendance 9 Sport Sub Board Meeting Attendance 10 OLYMPICS, PARALYMPICS AND HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAMMES London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics 12 Irish-Bred Horses at the Olympics 16 High Performance Programme – Underage Teams 18 High Performance Programme – Senior Teams 23 Senior Nations’ Cups Results 27 THE IRISH HORSE REGISTER AND BREEDING RELATED ACTIVITIES Foal Registrations and IHR Horse Registration Statistics 30 Stallion and Mare Inspections 32 Lanaken and Le Lion d’Angers 34 WBFSH Rankings 38 Financial Supports 40 HSI Breeder Awards 44 GENERAL SPORT RELATED ACTIVITIES Registrations and Entries 46 Coaching Programme 48 Affi liate Organisations 50 National Anti-Doping Programme 52 4 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW 53 HSI_Report_NEW DOCUMENT.indd 4 20/09/2013 15:35:58 Annual Report 2012 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Introduction Introduction Last year – 2012 – was an exceptional The fi nancial return for those breeding and producing young sport horses has been far from ideal and we twelve months for the sector, some of the need radical reform if this is to become a viable high points included medals gained at agricultural enterprise rather than just an interesting hobby. We need to ruthlessly select the best and cull the London Olympics and Paralympics, an the rest if we are to see dramatic improvements. outstanding victory in the Aga Khan and a We can’t change the past but if we make the correct haul of underage medals in the decisions now we can infl uence the future. We acknowledge the success of the past year but we European Championships. cannot rest on our laurels. I admire those individuals who are continuing to invest in world-class facilities to host shows and events so that riders and horses can be developed and competitors and spectators can enjoy our sport to its fullest. Despite the current challenging economic situation, sport horses have provided many standout moments I acknowledge the work of my predecessor Joe for individuals and families in a wide variety of Walsh, the staff of Horse Sport Ireland and the many disciplines throughout the year. The HSI Affi liates had volunteers who populate the management board, sub busy schedules and I commend all of the voluntary boards and committees. Success does not arise by eff ort that makes their events possible. The passion and accident and I encourage everyone involved to work commitment we have for the horse in Ireland remains together to strive for greatness in the coming year. one of our greatest strengths. If the sport is to grow and develop we need all the stakeholders to work together in a climate of mutual respect. We are in an intense competition with other sports and leisure pursuits for spectators, media coverage and sponsorship, and we need to maximize the positive stories we have to tell. Every competitor and horse, at whatever level, is an ambassador for our sector. The young riders are our future and their successes during the past year give us confi dence in the years to come. We have international riders operating 5 successfully on several continents while fl ying the Professor Patrick Wall fl ag for Ireland and acting as infl uential role models Chairman, Horse Sport Ireland for our young people. Our developmental coaching programmes, and those of our Affi liates, continue to pay dividends. HSI_Report_NEW DOCUMENT.indd 5 20/09/2013 15:35:59 HORSE SPORT IRELAND Annual Report 2012 CEO Report Report of the Chief Executive In 2012, a study commissioned by Horse various capacities. The Irish equestrian community did Sport Ireland (HSI), and published by UCD, itself proud on the biggest stage in the history of our sport. found that the Sport Horse Industry in While the Games were a huge success, Horse Sport € Ireland withdrew the nomination of an athlete to Ireland contributes over 700 million per the Olympic Council of Ireland in the lead up to the year to the Irish economy; that it supports Games. While not everyone in the sector agreed with the decision, it was important that the organisation over 12,500 full-time jobs and over 29,000 had strong structures in place to deal with such people earn some or all of their income eventualities. Sixteen Irish-bred horses competed at the London from this sector. Over 47,000 people are 2012 Olympics with four Irish Sport Horses fi nishing in the top 10 in Eventing and two fi nishing in the top 20 estimated to be involved in the industry. This in Show Jumping. The highest placed Irish-bred show is a valuable and important piece of work as jumper Flexible (ISH) produced the show jumping breeding highlight of the year when he won the Rolex/ it demonstrates the scale of the sector and FEI World Cup Jumping Finals at 16 years of age, under Rich Fellers (USA). Flexible subsequently won the its signifi cance to the rural Irish economy. USEF International Horse of the Year Award for 2012. The Eventing breeding highlight saw the Irish Sport Horse Studbook once again topping the world rankings This report contains an overview of the areas that for the breeding of Eventing horses for the 14th time in HSI has direct responsibility for within the industry. the 16 years since the rankings were introduced. HSI eff ectively has four main functions: to act as the Our Senior Show Jumping Team won the FEI Nations’ Governing Body for Equestrian Sport, to maintain the Cup at Hickstead and followed this up with victory at Irish Horse Register and related responsibilities, to run the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show where they High Performance Programmes and to interface with lifted the Aga Khan Trophy for the fi rst time since 2004. the Government and Government agencies on behalf The win featured on the front pages of the national of the sector. The funding provided to HSI is earmarked newspapers in Ireland and meant that, combined with for very specifi c purposes and linked to the functions our Olympic and Paralympic medals, equestrian sport outlined above. There are many other initiatives that we featured on the front pages three times in a six week would like to undertake but our funding is very limited period. and there are many areas of activity over which we still It was, however, disappointing that no equestrian have no direct control. athlete made the shortlist for the RTE Sports During 2012 the Olympic and Paralympic Games Personality of the Year. While it was undoubtedly an came to London. This presented a huge opportunity, exceptional year for Irish sports people it raises the but also a real challenge, as performances inside and question as to what an equestrian athlete would have outside the ring would be scrutinised like never before. to achieve in order to be nominated? Thankfully, the London Olympics and Paralympics were Our underage riders produced outstanding a huge success for Ireland. We won our fi rst equestrian results with seven medals secured in European medal since equestrian sport was introduced to the Championships. These young riders and their parents Olympics in 1912, when Cian O’Connor and the O’Reilly- and coaches, HSI’s High Performance Coaches and Hyland family’s Blue Loyd took individual bronze in our Affi liate Organisations, deserve huge credit for Show Jumping. Our Eventing team fi nished a highly these achievements. It is also worth mentioning the HSI commendable fi fth, all riding Irish Sport Horses, Coaching Programme, which has trained many coaches with Aoife Clark and Master Crusoe (ISH) fi nishing in a structured system.