EQUESTRIAN: Surprise jump in registrations

It has come as a surprise, even to Showjumping Ireland, that membership and registration figures for January are up, albeit marginally, on the same time last year.

Last month, Tony Hurley — the new SJI chairman, having defeated Liam Murphy in a vote on Tuesday — expected that there would be a fall-off this year. He based this on the general economic malaise afflicting the country, rather than the 25% increase in fees for membership and horse registration, which resulted from the near quadrupling of the body’s insurance premium.

However, membership applications have shown a rise of 2.8% on last year, while horse registrations are up 4.3%, according to SJI. Show affiliations are also defying predictions, said Hurley yesterday, though he cautioned of a reversal in the coming months.

“The increase in the membership and registrations is very encouraging, while the number of shows already affiliated at this stage is on par with last year, which is heartening too, but it is early days,” said Hurley. “Obviously, we will have a clearer picture by the time the outdoor season begins in May.”

Corkman Hurley, a course designer who also chaired SJI at the turn of the millennium, stressed the advantages of membership.

“There are benefits to being a member of the SJI. We have 10 standing sub-committees in place with individual chairmen, including a new sub-committee dealing with health and safety. These sub-committees will be working to better the sport. In particular, I would point out the amount of training on offer to members up until Easter.”

Hurley reiterated that the insurance issue is something the SJI cannot afford to ignore, saying a taskforce of the four regional chairmen would meet shortly.

“We have some time on our hands, but we expect to have our work done by mid-summer. Our insurance runs from November 1, so we can’t wait until October, as we did last year, only to find a gun to our head. Our premium this year is €625,000 and it would be a near impossible task if we had to pay out that sum again,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hurley’s rival for the chairmanship, Liam Murphy, will head up the influential management and finance committee this year, while the SJI vice-chairman for 2013 is Ulster Region chairman Ray Buchanan.

- Clem McMahon’s hugely impressive stallion Pacino has been euthanased. The nine-year-old Belgian warmblood was instrumental in Ireland’s two nations cup wins last year, producing a double clear in Dublin, while also jumping a fault-free round in Hickstead.

lThe second round of interviews for the job of Ireland show jumping team manager take place on Monday. The new chairman of Horse Sport Ireland Patrick Wall is expected to be present, but HSI did not respond yesterday when asked if he would be part of the interview panel. Robert Splaine is seeking to retain his position, and is thought to be up against two other candidates.

- The Ulster Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals feels SJI should not have those with animal welfare convictions as members.

As reported in last Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Aldyth Roulston, who was convicted of cruelty to animals in Scotland in 2004, was elected to the Ulster committee.

Last week then SJI chairman Christy Murphy said: “If a person has served their punishment and they are in good stead with the SJI, it cannot stop them being a member of a committee.”

However, in a follow-up on its website the USPCA said the SJI “at their next AGM should consider introducing a rule that precludes persons with animal welfare convictions from SJI membership, let alone committee status”.