Insurance issue top of the agenda
The Corkman, who is considering putting his name forward to replace Christy Murphy as SJI chairman, will sit on a taskforce of the four regional chairpersons set up to investigate all aspects of insurance.
He said yesterday it is essential that the cost be cut. “It is a phenomenal figure and it is crucial we reduce it,” said Hurley. “The insurance is put to bed for 2013 and we have to live with it, but the taskforce will look at all aspects of insurance. We have some time, though, as the current insurance expires on October 31.
“One of the areas the taskforce will address is a situation where individuals must have their own insurance. For example, in racing, if a jockey or a trainer applies for a licence, they must have insurance in place firstly.”
The insurance cost increase forced SJI to raise membership fees by 25% and show authorisation fees by 50%. However, Hurley does not feel this will result in reduced participation.
“It must be remembered that without insurance there would be no show jumping. I would expect a slight reduction in participation anyway due to the economic situation, but hikes in both membership and show authorisation fees will not be a major contributing factor in reducing participation.”
Hurley filled the SJI chairman’s seat at the turn of the millennium and is contemplating another stint.
“I have been approached to consider putting my name forward to become the next chairman, but I must firstly discuss it with my family.”
With the Ulster Region AGM set for Jan 22 it will be late January at least before the national executive meet and a new national chairman is selected.
*Shane Sweetnam and Richie Moloney carry Irish hopes in Sunday’s $100,000 Trump Invitational at The Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. .
The contest is a warm-up for the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), which begins its three-month stint on Wednesday. Riders from 10 countries line out in the invitational, including Britain’s London Olympic gold medallists Nick Skelton and Ben Maher.
WEF boasts over $4m in prizemoney, along with more than 30 Rolex ranking classes, including the only nations cup to be held in the US.
*DEPT of Agriculture funding for Horse Sport Ireland has remained the same as last year’s allocation, amounting to €1.22m.
High-performance funding via the Irish Sports Council is not expected to be announced until March.
*As with Cmmdt John Ledingham recently in this column, show jumper Billy Twomey feels Bertram Allen is a prospect for the Rio Olympics.
The German-based 17-year-old is making ripples at senior level and his mentor Twomey believes these can only get bigger. “He’s a bright boy, an old head on young shoulders. He’s realistic and sensible and that’s a big plus. He’s closely involved with me and all his horses would come through me. I would agree he is a contender for Rio. He’s based in Germany and since I can’t go over to train him I organised for him to go to Marcus Ehning,” said Twomey.
Surgery on Twomey’s back has been deemed a success, but his enthusiasm to return to competition has been curbed by the surgeons. He had planned a return in the Netherlands next week, followed by the World Cup show in Leipzig, Germany. However, these have been scratched. “The doctors were happy with everything, but were putting the brakes on me. I am riding two horses a day and building up slowly and am targeting Bordeaux in the first week in February.”
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