Help from France and Australia for bid to boost harness racing with Irish Harness Racing Association
And it is support from France and Australia that is giving the IHRA hope that trotting racing will yet match thoroughbred horse racing in Ireland, as it does in many other countries.
If the IHRA succeed, small farmers could have a new equestrian enterprise.
Small landowners thrive alongside big stables in breeding and training trotter horses in France, and they form an important grassroots base of the sport in France, the country where this type of horse racing thrives best.
But North America, Sweden and Australia are also important trotting territories, and Irish supporters of the sport hope to tap into their success.
Trotting, in which a horse pulls a sulky carriage with a driver seated in it, is a globally recognised sport found across 31 countries.
The IHRA is the globally recognised governing body representing Ireland, and has observer status in the European Trotting Union, UET, which represents the sport in 20 countries.
The IHRA will learn later this year of the outcome of their recent audit to be elevated to full UET member status.
“For an organisation such as ours, the equivalent is a country joining the EU,” according to Arthur Cooper, employed by the IHRA as a consultant.
He said, “The IHRA is on the verge of becoming a key component within the global trotting industry.
“This will occur through developing export markets for Ireland and creating other industries and jobs in Ireland, including in breeding, where we now have our own stud book.
"Breeding of horses in Ireland is an integral part of the economy, and that is where we have a terrific opportunity to develop Trotteur Francais horses for export to Europe, and into Sweden and France in particular.
IHRA chairman Mark Flanagan has explained a breakthrough agreement with the French authorities, for Irish breeders.
“We signed an agreement with the French two years ago which allows for the breeding of a horse in Ireland which is then permitted to go back and race in France.
“In France, international races only account for 10% of the calendar, and 90% of races are for French-owned horses.
“However, if a horse is bred in Ireland through the Trotteur Français programme, it is allowed to enter races in France with a prize fund totalling nearly €230m.
“There is also a huge breeder streaming programme which generates €29m in breeders’ fees.
“If a horse is bred in Ireland, but races in France, a breeder would receive a breeding premium, because of the signed agreement with France which allows us to breed horses in Ireland.
"This is a huge opportunity for the industry in Ireland.”
But the ultimate prize from IHRA’s strengthening connections with the sport internationally could come from selling Irish trotting racing to gambling and TV interests in the countries where the sport is strongest.
This is already a major money-spinner for Ireland’s well established thoroughbred racing industry, which gets media rights estimated at more than €20 million per year from companies such as Satellite Information Services and At The Races.
Arthur Cooper revealed, “We are in discussion with countries around the world for Irish harness racing to be exported, and we will receive commission.”
The IHRA had a recent chance to show off their sport to the world when trotting race meeting was organised in Dundalk, as a trial event permitted by Horse Racing Ireland, the commercial State agency with responsibility for development and administration of horse racing, which authorises race tracks.
IHRA chairman Mark Flanagan said the head and general secretary of the European Trotting Union were “amazed” at the facilities at the all-weather, floodlit track, which underwent major redevelopment in 2007.
“The facilities at the Dundalk track are outstanding.
"The head of the European Trotting Union, and the general secretary and the CEO of French racing, visited the facilities at Dundalk.
“They were amazed by the Dundalk track, which is one of the best tracks in Europe for thoroughbreds and for harness racing. They were impressed that the track was floodlit.”
He said IHRA could get substantial payments for media rights to trotting at Dundalk.
“Premium harness racing meetings could be held at that venue and we could get €50,000 upwards in revenue per meeting.
"Projected figures from French meetings would show €75,000 per meeting. The thoroughbred industry gets €40,000 per race meeting.
However, when the IHRA recently briefed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the harness racing industry in Ireland, they were unhappy with what they see as a poor level of support from the government and the racing “establishment” within Ireland, for IHRA’s bid to bring trotting in Ireland to its high level in other countries.
They said they were ignored in the Budget last October.
In contrast, the thoroughbred and greyhound racing industry gained a funding increase of 9%, or €6m.
The IHRA also says Horse Racing Ireland has denied them the use of its racetracks for trotting, since 2008.
“We held two successful meetings in Dundalk in 2008, and we have been excluded from having any other meeting. We looked for meetings in Wexford and in Killarney.
"We had negotiated with the people in Killarney, we had booked hotels, and we had a date set for a two-day meeting but, all of a sudden, that was pulled from under us,” said IHRA chairman Mark Flanagan.
He said IHRA will seek to set up dedicated harness-racing tracks.
“For now, we can use Dundalk.
"We have a five-year plan, but when we can demonstrate that we can create revenue, the race tracks will come.
"We would like to put a plan in place around Ireland to have race meetings in Sligo, Limerick, Kerry, Wexford and Waterford.
“This gives everybody a chance to participate. This sport is known as a working man’s sport all over Europe.
“It is accessible for the working man or a husband and wife.
"I have attended races in France over the last number of years, and it is amazing to see couples coming to the races in their sulky, and the husband racing the horse in the evening, where the prize money on offer can be €14,000.
“The minimum prize money in France is €10,000. The programme they have is unreal.”
Meanwhile, a HRI spokesperson told the Irish Examiner in an emailed response: “The harness racing trial that took place at Dundalk is currently being evaluated.
"The matter will be discussed at the next HRI board meeting on December 18, and there will be no further comment until then.”
