A strategic review of the infrastructure governing the equine sector is to be undertaken, with the Department of Agriculture issuing a tender shortly.

Show jumper Cian O’Connor yesterday declared that “the Olympic dream ain’t over yet, by any means”.

Stud owner Mary McCann confirmed yesterday that she had two clones from her deceased stallion Cruising. 

Robert Splaine will continue as manager of the Ireland show jumping team, following a review of his performance over the past two years.

Andrew Doyle, chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, believes moves to bring online betting into the tax net should result in greater financial support for the sport horse industry.

Showjumping Ireland (SJI) chairman Tony Hurley is optimistic the work of its insurance taskforce will pay dividends and he is “hopeful” of a substantial reduction in the premium for next year.

Ginny Elliot has withdrawn her application seeking another term as the Ireland eventing team high-performance manager.

Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor leapt into the history books yesterday when he brought show jumping to Croke Park for the first time.

With just over a month to go on his contract, Robert Splaine received a glowing endorsement from the Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) chief executive yesterday.

Five months after a trade delegation to China led by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney heralded the opening of the country as a possible market for Irish horses, the major obstacles of quarantine and a direct flight have yet to be resolved.

Show jumper Cian O’Connor boosted the efforts of Ireland’s horse industry to break into the emerging Chinese market by winning the Beijing World Cup yesterday.

Ballindenisk will host the European Championships in 2019, if the Fell family ambitions are realised.

Katie Taylor’s father and trainer Peter has insisted he stayed calm throughout his daughter’s heart-stopping Olympic final win as he knew it was her destiny to win gold.

Show jumper Denis Lynch has been required by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) to attend a meeting in Dublin today to put his case as to why he should be allowed to participate in the Olympics.

Tattersalls Ireland yesterday told Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) it has until October 1 to establish a “sustainable guaranteed funding mechanism” or the Meath venue will be unable to host its 2013 international horse trials.

The RDS and other historic show jumping venues could face serious competition in remaining in the top-level Nations Cup series if proposals for a revamp proceed next year.

THE market for Irish horses in China is full of potential, Horse Sport Ireland chief executive Damian McDonald said yesterday, but he acknowledged a number of obstacles needed to be overcome.

Denis Lynch has Lantinus and All Inclusive to choose from in the first round of tomorrow’s Global Champions Tour in Doha, Qatar, though yesterday he had yet to decide which horse to use.

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) has suffered a 7% cut in its high performance funding from the Irish Sports Council as a result of the failure to qualify a show jumping team for the Olympics.

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) has yielded to pressure and opted to initiate an independent review of Ireland’s failure to qualify a show jumping team for the Olympics.

SENATOR Tom Sheahan did not mince his words in the Seanad last week when citing a “cancer” in Horse Sport Ireland for the failure of Ireland’s show jumpers to qualify a team for the Olympics.

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) is to undertake a review of Ireland’s poor performance in last week’s European Championships.

AN “independent” review of ShowjumpingIreland’s (SJI) insurance policy has been initiated by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI).

HORSE SPORT IRELAND is again putting up a prizefund of €75,500 for its Irish Sport Horse Studbook Show Jumping Series.

IRELAND will contest this year’s Meydan Nations Cup Series, despite a 60% cut in funding by its affiliate, ShowjumpingIreland, coupled with a reduction in the Irish Sports Council contribution to high performance.

THE multi-million dollar Breeders’ Cup racing fixture could leave the United States and come to Ireland if a sporting and leisure complex gets the go-ahead, according to champion trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) yesterday saw its Irish Sports Council funding cut by over €120,000 for 2011 and it may also have to contend with a cut in the level of Eventing Ireland’s contribution to high performance.

PLANNING for the nations cup season moves into focus next Tuesday, when riders gather with management at Dublin airport to plan the season ahead.

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) yesterday reiterated its willingness to meet show jumper Denis Lynch in a bid to resolve any issues he has with team manager Robert Splaine.

SHOWJUMPINGIRELAND (SJI) chairman Ronan Corrigan says the organisation is conducting a review of its working relationship with Horse Sport Ireland (HSI).

SHOW JUMPER Billy Twomey yesterday rejected the notion that he is on rescue mission for Ireland at the Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Kentucky.

ON WHAT was described as “a seminal day” by the chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, Joe Walsh, officers of both the HSI and Olympic Council of Ireland signed an agreement designed to ensure there is no repeat of the doping embarrassments heaped on equestrianism and Irish sport in general at the last two Olympics.

HORSE SPORT IRELAND is “conscious 2009 will be a difficult year for the industry and it will be doing its best to provide support” as the global economic downturn hits home.

HORSE Sport Ireland yesterday confirmed it will not be putting in a bid to stage the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

THE chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, Joe Walsh, yesterday said he was determined to “clean up” equestrian sport in the wake of Lantinus, the horse ridden by Denis Lynch, testing positive for the banned substance, capsaicin, at the Olympics.

AS the Olympic Committee of Ireland launches an investigation into the management of Irish Olympic equestrianism, Horse Sport Ireland has laid the blame for Thursday’s failed horse doping incident solely on the rider’s shoulders.

JESSICA KÜRTEN justified her favourite’s tag yesterday when she won the €130,000 Longines Grand Prix at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

IRELAND show jumping team manager Robert Splaine set out his stall for this year’s Samsung Super League, saying his aim was firstly to maintain our place among the world’s elite.

DENIS LYNCH will saddle up his Qatar Global Champions Tour winner (GCT) Lantinus for the Samsung Nations Cup Super League opener in La Baule, France on May 8-11.

JESSICA KÜRTEN went on the offensive again this week in her battle with the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) over the drugs case involving Castle Forbes Maike.

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) has commissioned management consultancy group Genesis to assist it in drawing up a strategic plan for the industry.