Hanley pours cold water on efforts at unification
The Mayoman said the new SJAI executive had opted to get its house in order before considering the concept of Horse Sport Ireland, as the proposed unified body has been dubbed.
"My personal feeling is that it is going to happen. We are a small country with few members and it has worked successfully in other countries.
"But the SJAI have a lot of little problems to sort out first such as finding a CEO and new head office and installing a new computer system and are not going to rush into it (the unified body)," said Mr Hanley.
His comments come following his ascendancy to the chairman's post at the first meeting of the new national executive on Tuesday night.
The 36-year-old proprietor of Claremorris Equestrian Centre, who held the post of vice-chairman last year, was unopposed for the position vacated by Tony Hurley.
The news that the SJAI executive is intent on reining in Horse Sport Ireland will undoubtedly come as a disappointment to those promoting the concept, particularly the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI).
After a long period of inactivity on the issue, the federation recently outlined a modernisation plan for itself. This is viewed as a precursor to the setting up of a unified body.
Undoubtedly, the EFI's hand was forced in terms of the publication of its modernisation plan. It would almost certainly have lost out on promised State funding if it did not. For example, it is without a secretary general following the departure of Col Ned Campion last year. It is also without a high-performance director, though it is currently in the process of filling both positions.
Importantly, the modernisation plan proposes that the EFI move towards its goal of a unified body without the immediate inclusion of the Irish Horse Board.
As a non-sporting organisation charged with overseeing the breeding sector, this is conceivable. However, it would be farcical to consider any future umbrella body as "unified" without the inclusion of the SJAI, the largest, in membership terms, of the equestrian disciplines.
Explaining the executive's antipathy to joining the rush towards Horse Sport Ireland, Mr Hanley said: "In the last 18 months, there has been nothing as regards the unified body, but now there is a great burst to get it up and running.
"The SJAI executive are not ready to move in with the other disciplines and is able to stand on its own two feet," said the new chairman, who visited the associations' headquarters in Ballsbridge yesterday for discussions with the staff.
Mr Hanley also revealed that he expected to meet the chairmen of Eventing Ireland, John Swanton and Dressage Ireland, Paul Byrne, next month as part of a familiarisation exercise. He strongly refuted the suggestion that this was an attempt to sideline the EFI.
Meanwhile, the EFI executive, which is comprised of representative of equestrian bodies in Ireland, met last night to discuss the modernisation plan, having digested it in the past couple of weeks. It is only natural to assume the feelings of the SJAI executive were made known. If other organisations were of a like mind is not known at this stage.
The benefits of a new umbrella body have been well documented at this stage, ie increased State funding, the industry speaking with a singular voice and an end to the duplication of administrative tasks. It is obvious that the SJAI is, at this stage, convinced that a perceived loss of autonomy is too high a price to pay for these.
THE SJAI executive has doubled the size of its powerful management and finance committee from four to eight and set up a new sports committee. The management and finance group will consist of two from each region, of which one must be from the executive. The sports committee will consist of the chairpersons of the various sub-committees. According to Charles Hanley, who will chair both groups, the groups will lighten the load of the executive and will expedite the workings of association.
The following are the personnel on the new sub-committees, with the chairperson named first: Management and finance: Charles Hanley, Tom Dixon, Patricia Furlong, Pat Duggan, Alan Latimer, Ernie Logan, John Hannan (Connacht and Leinster representatives to be added). International affairs: Peter Leonard, Paul Duffy Jnr, Liam Buckley, Tommy Wade, Brendan McArdle. This committee will remain in place until the Athens Olympics in 2004. National Competitions: Eamon Rice, Mark Duffy, David O'Brien
INTERNATIONAL riders Lt Shane Carey and Cian O'Connor will give the benefit of their experience at training shows in the coming fortnight The shows will take place on February 8/9 and February 15/16 at Ennis Showgrounds and will be open to riders throughout Munster. Proceedings will begin at 4.30pm on Saturday, with a 2pm start on Sunday. The money raised will supplement the organising costs for Crecora Show in July, which is a fundraiser for Millford Hospice in Limerick.
IRISH dressage rider Anna Merveldt-Steffens placed seventh in the World Cup Qualifier (Grand Prix Kur) at San Patrignano in Italy last Sunday. Riding the 15-year-old Westphalian gelding Fosbury, she scored 69.41% to finish behind victor Monica Theodorescu, on board Renaissance Fleur TSF. The German scored a double by also winning the grand prix the previous day. Merveldt-Steffens also placed second in the Prix St Georges and Intermediare 1 Kur classes on the 10-year-old Weltmeyer mare Hera.
