World Equestrian Games bid decision understandable, but shortsighted

IT came as no surprise last Friday when Horse Sport Ireland said it would not be bidding for the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

With pensioners fighting in the streets for their medical cards and children being denied a proper education due to overcrowded classes, it would have been difficult to sell the notion of spending taxpayers’ money on a ‘horsey event’.

Even with the promise of €10m from Alltech president Pearse Lyons, it would have been politically impossible for Sports Minister Martin Cullen to give the nod to an event that reputedly would cost €36m.

As such, it was a perfectly understandable and pragmatic move in the political sense.

Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Joe Walsh said the decision was an acknowledgement of the changing fiscal climate and the need for Horse Sport Ireland to concentrate its resources on developing the sport.

He had discussed the initial feasibility study — prepared by Mazars Consulting — with Mr Cullen and it was clear that substantial Government and commercial funding would be required to bring the games to Ireland.

“We had a very open discussion with the minister and while we all agreed that hosting these games would be of great benefit to Ireland we cannot ignore the economic realities,” he said.

“As the governing body for the sport we have to be prudent and be absolutely sure that the games would be viable. With the global economic downturn the risk factors in taking on a project like this have increased significantly in recent months. We all know what happened in 1998 and we cannot risk a repeat of that.” he said, referring to the previous debacle that amounted to Ireland’s bid to stage the games.

In saying all of that, however, it was unfortunate that the findings of feasibility study were not released.

This was due to it supposedly containing sensitive information.

As such, it is impossible to determine if in the long run the Games were projected to be a financial success.

It must be remembered that the Games do not take place until 2014. This gives a run up of five years and, while there are daily reminders of the economic difficulties facing the country, the Government itself is predicting an upturn in late 2010/early 2011.

While Walsh says he is confident Ireland will bid for the games at some stage, it remains to be seen if Mr Lyons will be standing by with his generous offer.

* THE inaugural Horse Sport Ireland Winter Tour begins tomorrow week in Claregalway Equestrian Centre with the first of the €4,000 qualifiers.

Two more qualifiers follow — Killossery Lodge Stud (Nov 22,23), Kernan Equestrian Centre (Nov 29/30).

The finals will take place on December 13 in Cavan, with a prizefund of €9,000

* EMILY TURKINGTON notched up a double at the pony show in Moorsele, Belgium, last weekend. The 15-year-old Co Down rider opened with victory on Saturday in a two-phase on He’s No Joker, repeating the feat on Next Riot on Sunday in a one-round speed class.

Kate Mcdonagh was best of the Irish in Sunday’s grand prix, finishing fourth on Berta’s Clover with four faults in the second round.

The Irish contingent had a brilliant start to the show, taking the top four places in the opening competition, a 1.10m two-phase. Leading the quartet was Bertram Allen on Pass Auf, followed by McDonagh, on Moneymaker, one-and-a-half seconds behind. Third went to Alex Buller on King Con, while Turkington and He’s No Joker was fourth of the 30 starters.

* HORSE Sport Ireland has confirmed that breeding manager Nick Finnerty is returning to the Department of Agriculture.

Mr Finnerty was seconded to Horse Sport Ireland and secured a promotion during the summer.

He was director general of the Irish Horse Board since 2004 and joined Horse Sport Ireland at the start of this year as part of the process of integrating the board into HSI.

* THE FEI is at war again ... this time with its own dressage committee.

FEI president Princess Haya has demanded that the whole committee resign with the FEI referring to the committee’s “lack of flexibility” while adding that it “has been seen to work in isolation, not fully representing the interests of the dressage community as a whole”.

The judging at the Olympics has also been questioned.

However, committee chairperson Mariette Withages-Dieltjens was reported as saying the committee had no intention of resigning.

In a letter published in Horse and Hound, the committee referred to the prospect of polo replacing dressage as an Olympic discipline.

The committee also rejected the claim that the choice of judges for championships and Olympic Games was made by Dressage Committee within a selected circle of close friends, adding that the appointment of officials for championships was now decided by the FEI Dressage Department, with the committee acting as a consulting entity.

As it stands, the committee can only be removed by the FEI general assembly. Understandably, the FEI is hoping it will not come to such a situation.

CORK/KERRY REGION SHOW JUMPING AWARDS

JB Packaging B/C Awards — 128cms B/C: Lucy Mellerick; 138cms B/C: Dylan Sommers; 148cms B/C: James O Reilly.

Award for outstanding achievement — ponies: Shane Dalton

Hall of Fame: Mary Quinlivan.

Griffin Pianos Amateur League Winner: Stephanie Cunningham.

Ballymaloe Country Relish National Ladies League Winner: Lindsey Daly.

Young rider awards — 1.20m winner: Lisa O’Sullivan; 1.10M winner: Shane O Reilly.

Indoor awards — 128cms novice: Shane Dalton; 138cms novice: Dylan Sommers; 148cms novice: Nicole Griffin; 128cms open: Shane Dalton; 138cms open: Aine Good; 148cms open: Aine Murphy.

Outdoor awards — 128cms novice: Michelle Nagle; 138cms novice: Therese O’Donoghue; 138cms novice: Timmy Doyle; 128cms novice: Lucy Mellerick; 138cms open: Patrick Joyce; 148cms open: Emer O Connell; Open Horse: Derry Kingston; Novice Horse: Mary McCarthy.