Dublin Horse Show is holding on to a winning formula

THE five-day Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, which opens in Ballsbridge on Wednesday combines world-class jumping, as well as glitz, glamour, shopping and pageantry on a large scale.

But all the show activities at the sprawling RDS in Dublin are underpinned by the infectious passion Irish people have for their horses.

This ongoing love affair has lasted for 2,500 years and has influenced the social, sporting and economic life of Ireland.

It is still alive today despite global and national recessions and the impact these are having on the industry.

Yet, it is a sector that has always thrived in good times and proved to be resilient when money was scarce.

The value of the sport horse industry to the Irish economy was underlined last November when a report commissioned by Horse Sport Ireland was published.

It revealed that the sector contributes €708m to the economy, employs over 12,500 people full time and involves an estimated 124,000 sport horses.

The industry caters for a wide range of disciplines other than racing. These include show jumping, eventing and dressage.

Sport horses are shown in-hand or ridden at shows countrywide, and are involved in leisure type activities such as trail riding and trekking, and in the activities of riding clubs and pony clubs.

Some 11,900 equine classes are held at more than 120 rural shows each year, attracting over 270,000 spectators, with 5% of them attending from overseas.

The study was conducted by the School of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin, under the guidance of Dr Alan Fahey with National Development Plan 2007- 2013 funding.

It pulled all of the facets of the sector together, demonstrating the significant part it plays in the economy.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said the report confirmed that the sport horse sector is an important part of the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland.

The then Horse Sport Ireland chairman Joe Walsh described the report as a comprehensive and detailed piece of work.

“It will be very helpful in demonstrating how important the sport horse sector is to every parish and village in Ireland,” he said.

Since it was first held in 1864 the Horse Show has become a Dublin institution. It is a celebration of Ireland’s affinity with the horse.

That theme was taken up by Tourism and Sports Minister Leo Varadkar when he launched the programme for this year’s show, which is part of The Gathering.

“Ireland is a horse-loving country, and the Horse Show allows us to promote our equestrian heritage on the world stage. It... also provides a huge economic boost to Dublin and beyond,” Mr Varadkar said.

“As one of the many excellent events in Fáilte Ireland’s calendar of festivals and happenings, the Horse Show keeps vital jobs going in the tourism and hospitality sector, he said.

An estimated 72,000 tourists engage in equestrian pursuits here every year. That’s worth an estimated €80m to the economy,

Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn said the show has ensured that the RDS complex is the focal point of international show jumping during August.

With the broad range of events that will also take place over the duration of the show, it is a major attraction for both equestrian and non-equestrian visitors alike, he said.

RDS chief executive Michael Duffy said entries for this year’s landmark 140th show are up by 2%, following a 5% rise last year.

“That’s really encouraging considering the equestrian industry has been through a difficult enough time.

“Our entries reflect the importance and continued relevance of the show to the Irish horse industry,” he said.

Mr Duffy said the aim of the show is to support the breeder and producer of Irish bred horses and provide them with a platform.

This year, the show has a total prize fund of over €940,000 and almost 1,400 entries in 125 classes and competitions. These are made up of 80 showing classes, 31 national show jumping classes and 14 international show jumping competitions

Once again, the Furusiyya FEI Nations’ Cup (Aga Khan Trophy), presented by Longines, will be the highlight in the main arena.

Ireland won the trophy in 2012 for the first time in eight years and will be all out to retain it in front of the home crowd on Friday.

The show is also a colourful pageant of fashion and entertainment as well as shopping at 300 trade stands, but horses remain the primary focus.

Professor Patrick Wall, the new Horse Sport Ireland chairman, notes that the sector is full of enthusiasts and optimists with a passion for the horse that is unrivalled in other jurisdictions. “It’s like a religion for many people,” he says.

* www.dublinhorseshow.com