Review to help Horse Sport Ireland reach new heights
‘Reaching New Heights’ was published by a committee drawn from experts in HSI, Teagasc, and Royal Dublin Society.
One of its 35 recommendations is that a government-sponsored, independent review should be undertaken of the structure of HSI and, where relevant, other organisations to fulfil the ambitions set out in the report.
Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said he noted that HSI has welcomed the review.
HSI indicated it had made considerable progress in the past decade in bringing the complex and disparate parts of the sector together, with 27 organisations now affiliated to it, but accepted the time was opportune to review the structures.
Mr Creed invited submissions on these structures through a public consultation — which will be made available to the company that will carry out the review.
“I encourage all of those interested in this important sector to respond to this public consultation,” he said.
Mr Creed said he was conscious of the sport horse industry’s contribution to the economy and how widely dispersed that is across rural and urban Ireland.
“I have been equally conscious of the need for a coherent vision for how the sector might grow and develop and face the challenges of the future,” he said.
The ‘Reaching New Heights’ document contains recommendations on improving the quality of the Irish Sport Horse through better breeding.
Developing the education and training structure for the transfer of knowledge to breeders and improving the marketing and sales capacity across the industry are also urged.
The report further calls for increased participation in the sector, progressing the health and welfare of horses and deepening the institutional capacity to deliver on the goals of the strategy.
