€500,000 boost for training in sport horse sector

TRAINING in the sport horse sector is to be boosted by an injection of €500,000.

The funding will come through the Equestrian Skillnet programme, which was launched yesterday by Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin.

The launch was also attended by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) chairman Joe Walsh, who said: “The programme gives a significant boost for grassroots equestrian training and is an example of what can be achieved when equestrian organisations work together.”

HSI replaced the Equestrian Federation of Ireland in January as the umbrella body for the sport horse industry and has 15 affiliates.

Equestrian Skillnet provides subsidised training programmes and is funded by the National Training Fund through the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. Courses range from show event management to course designing for show jumping and eventing and coaching.

Equestrian Skillnet will be operated from Horse Sport Ireland’s headquarters in Co Kildare and courses will be held regionally. It is one of 122 similar programmes operating in industries throughout Ireland.

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that the children who featured in the TV series Diarmuid’s Pony Kids are to compete at some of Ireland’s most prominent show jumping fixtures this summer.

The announcement came at the launch of ShowjumpingIreland’s Premier Series by Diarmuid Gavin.

Last year, the celebrity gardener teamed up with show jumper Jessica Kürten on RTÉ as they followed a number of Dublin inner-city children bidding to improve their riding skills. The children made their show jumping debut at last year’s Dublin Horse Show and this summer they will get the chance to compete at some of the venues hosting Premier Series fixtures.

The 10-round grand prix Premier Series, which is sponsored by ShowjumpingIreland and Citroen, will see some of the country’s top show jumpers battle it out for a prize fund of approximately €150,000. The series begins at Louth County Show on April 27 and finishes at Millstreet Horse Show on August 17.

ShowjumpingIreland chairman Ronan Corrigan said: “We see the Premier Series as being the ideal arena for riders and their horses to prepare for international duty while at the same time raising the standard and profile of the sport at national level.”