Chinese quarantine restrictions, lack of flights, major stumbling blocks

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.

The issue was brought into focus again this week, when Cian O’Connor enhanced Ireland’s reputation there by winning the Beijing World Cup qualifier.

HSI chief executive Damian McDonald was part of the April delegation and, afterwards, he said the market for Irish horses in China was full of potential. He acknowledged, though, that the quarantine issue needed to be overcome. At present, horses going to China must be quarantined in the Netherlands for 30 days, followed by a further 45 days in Beijing. Another challenge is that there is no direct flight from Ireland to China, necessitating the chartering of a plane.

Last night, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture issued the following statement. “A protocol for the direct export of horses to China has been signed. A veterinary health certificate based on this protocol is currently with the Chinese authorities for signature. The pre-export isolation requirement of 30 days is included in this protocol. Such a requirement is not unusual for export of horses to Non-EU.”

Confusing it may be, but the spokesperson could not elaborate on the statement.

Yesterday, McDonald said engendering trust was key to breaking into China.

“We are in the process of building relations with people in China. There is an emerging sport horse sector in the country, with a particular emphasis on show jumping . We were part of the trade mission in April and had a trade stand at the HORFA show in Shanghai in September, and Cian’s victory in the World Cup qualifier will help develop Ireland’s equestrian profile in China.

“It is a terribly competitive environment — the Dutch and the Germans had a very strong presence in HORFA — but building up contacts and profiles will be a slow process and it is still relatively early days.

“Cian was a very good ambassador for the sector and it was great that he took the trouble to go. He was very well received by the Chinese equestrian sector. An Olympic medal is a door-opener worldwide.

“The real need is for further horse expertise and we were recently able to organise for a farrier to go to the Beijing International Equestrian Club for a three-month period.”

O’Connor’s win at the club — which is under the directorship of Galway native Austin Melia — came on a borrowed horse.

“I am absolutely thrilled to win this major event here and perhaps contribute to the very encouraging relationship which is emerging between China and Ireland in regard to our respective horse industries,” said the Meath-based 32-year-old.

Capitalising on this growing relationship, however, will require quick and decisive action at state level.

* Shane Sweetnam’s consistency over the past few months earned him $50,000 last week when he claimed the Hagyard Challenge Series in the US.

The series consists of seven grands prix and the Kanturk rider cruised to an easy win, counting among his tally victory with Amaretto D’arco in the the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the end of August.

lDenis Lynch and Jessica Kürten had good reason to travel to Rio de Janeiro this weekend, with €1m on offer in tomorrow’s Athina Onassis Horse Show Grand Prix. Kürten, has brought Vincente, while Lynch is well armed with Lantinus, All Star 5 and Night Train.

At the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham, Billy Twomey started off on a good note yesterday, steering the eight-year-old Molly Malone to second place in the Welcome Stakes.

On Wednesday, Waterford’s Anthony Condon showed Twomey’s Special Lux to good effect when winning the 1.40 Addington Manor Talent Seekers class.

* Millstreet will again stage a three-star international show next year, on Aug 13-18, following Dublin Horse Show.

The Cork venue’s application has been forwarded by HSI to the FEI for inclusion in its international calendar.

lAn auction of 20 national hunt horses is being held by Fleming Auctioneers at the farm of John Cahill, Watergrasshill, Co Cork, tomorrow. It will include eight brood mares, and unbroken geldings and fillies aged 2-4, along with one five-year-old.

The auction begins at 11.30am.

The West Cork Horse Breeders’ horse sale on October 21, at Ballybrack Equestrian Centre, Glenville, Co Cork, will include Irish draught horses.