Ministers signal support for the establishment of HSI
Their pronouncement came following a meeting on February 21 of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI), the Irish Horse Board, the Irish Sports Council and the Departments of Arts, Sport and Tourism and Agriculture and Food.
It is timely, considering the recent announcement by the EFI of a modernisation drive a precursor to the setting up of Horse Sport Ireland which saw it declare the need to forge ahead without the immediate inclusion of the Irish Horse Board. The sudden push forward caught many by surprise and could have led to a fragmentation of the process. However, the Government backing, with its implicit promise of financial support, will certainly help to concentrate minds.
A further meeting is to take place next Friday, at which the identities of those to form an implementation group will be finalised. The group will have an independent chairman. It will have a target date of January 2004 for the formation of Horse Sport Ireland. The ten-person implementation group will be made up of three representative from the EFI, three from the IHB, one each from the Irish Sports Council, the Department of Sport and the Department of Agriculture. The finance structure required to set up Horse Sport Ireland will also be large on the agenda.
Yesterday, SJAI chairman Charles Hanley confirmed he had acceded to a request to join the implementation group, describing the government announcement as very positive.
In a joint statement, ministers Walsh and O'Donoghue said: "The new national government body (Horse Sport Ireland) will significantly strengthen the horse sport sector, bringing a new common purpose to future development and lead to greater organisational efficiencies. The year 2004 is fast approaching and it is our hope that the new body will be a positive influence on Ireland's equestrian performance at the Athens Olympics." Who could argue with that sentiment?
THE Show Jumping Association of Ireland has appointed John Lyttle as its new general manager and is to relocate its headquarters to Goffs, Co Kildare, in May/June.
Mr Lyttle's appointment was ratified at a meeting of the SJAI executive on Tuesday, as were the draft accounts and the setting of Thursday, April 24, as the date for the 2002 AGM. The Ambassador Hotel, Kill, Co Kildare will be the venue, subject to availability.
From Tipperkevin, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare, Mr Lyttle will take up his position March 13 with a salary in the region of 40,000. His appointment comes following a process following personnel consultants contracted by the SJAI.
The appointment of Mr Lyttle and the relocation announcement are visible signs of the efforts by the executive under its new chairman Charles Hanley to put the association on a more professional footing. Undoubtedly, it will give confidence to a membership dismayed by recent difficulties.
Commenting on a decision to appoint a general manager as distinct from a chief executive, Mr Hanley said the association did not possess the administration facilities required by the latter.
Mr Lyttle comes to the Association from Horse Racing Ireland. A former director of Eventing at Punchestown the company that runs the annual international horse show he has served on Eventing Ireland committees.
According to a statement by the SJAI, Mr Lyttle has "a broad range of experience in a commercial environment allied with equestrian knowledge. He has over 20 years experience of competing and has represented Ireland in 10 international three-day events".
The transfer of the SJAI headquarters to Goffs sees the dissipation of a cloud over the association. After its current landlord the RDS went to court in a rent dispute, the SJAI had until the summer to find a new headquarters.
Mr Hanley, however, said he had met recently with RDS chief executive officer Shane Cleary and said the SJAI were vacating the Anglesea Road premises on good terms.
Mr Hanley said they had also discussed the possibility of reactivating show jumping at the RDS spring show, which is held at Goffs.
Responding to the imminent arrival of the SJAI, Goffs Logistics Manager Shane O Dwyer said: "This is an important step for both the SJAI and ourselves. Goffs are in the process of seeking to establish an equine cluster here at Kildare Paddocks, bringing together the various sectors of the industry as part of an overall campus. Eventing Ireland is already located here. Now, this joint arrangement with the SJAI is a further significant step in that direction, a direction that has positive implications also for the entire equine industry."
It is also envisaged that the SJAI will have a new computer system in place by January 2004.
LIEUTENANT SHANE CAREY battled his way to the top of the rankings at the Vilamoura Grand Prix last Sunday. Riding the Army Equitation School's 11-year-old Master Imp gelding Ballycumber, Carey produced a double clear round with almost a second to spare over second-placed Belgian star Stanny van Paesschen (Lassergut Contour). The Army campaign at the Portuguese event saw Capt Gerry Flynn (Bornacoola) place third and Lt Carey fifth in last week's grand prix.
