Irish equestrianism on verge of taking a major step backwards
Joe Savage has revealed that Don't Step Back, the mighty grey gelding ridden with such courage and flair by Patricia Donegan at the Sydney Olympics, has attracted firm interest from an American and Australian rider.
If the deal comes to fruition, it will again reveal a flaw in our attempts to build a squad of horses worthy of our riders. That flaw is the lack of support/incentive for owners/breeders to retain our best horses. For decades, there has been a haemorrhaging of the country's top stock. This was no more highlighted than last year, when Liscalgot was close to being sold abroad. Luckily, through the efforts of the mare's rider Dermott Lennon, a group of Northern businessmen were convinced of the attractiveness of buying the mare. Their foresightedness was vindicated when Lennon and Liscalgot became Ireland's first world champions.
At the time, equestrian bodies failed in their efforts to raise State support.
But the prospect of Don't Step Back going overseas brings into focus again this failure to convince State agencies that equestrianism is a team sport; without the horse the rider is nothing.
Officially, equestrianism has been identified by the Government as one of four sports with a chance of garnering an Olympic medal. But the sale of the 10-year-old grey would reveal this as a worthless aspiration.
Not surprisingly, Mr Savage is unwilling to name the prospective buyers, except to say they were of world standard and household names amongst eventing aficionados.
"Negotiations are in train within the past month to sell the horse out of Ireland. These are at an early stage, but firm interest has been shown by a rider from the US and Australia. Both are Olympic class riders and the American has been to see the horse. These are very legitimate interests and I have reached a stage where I must give them serious consideration," said the Corkman earlier this week.
The recently reinstalled chairman of the Munster branch of Eventing Ireland confirmed, however, that, since he revealed the news of the possible sale in the County supplement of the Irish Examiner last Tuesday, tentative moves had taken place to set up a structure to allow the horse to continue competing under the Irish flag.
There is no doubt that the country would be losing a top asset if Don't Step Back was to go abroad. The Step Together gelding was the youngest eventing horse competing at Sydney, but he belied this with a supreme performance that saw him one of only a handful to go clear in the cross-country and the showjumping phases. This brought him to the attention of big-moneyed interests worldwide. Barring accident he is a serious prospect of a medal in two more Olympics and, as such, interest has not waned.
In addition, there is an urgency on Mr Savage to sell if he is to maximise the horse's value. This is due to the reducing qualification time for the Athens Olympics. While Don't Step Back has booked his ticket with Donegan, it is the combination horse/rider that qualifies, so it is imperative for prospective buyers to register him with new owners as soon as possible.
In the meantime, Donegan continues to sweat. Her pragmatism, however, means she recognises this situation merely highlights the vagaries of the sport. "It wouldn't be very nice to see him go, but I cannot complain. Between Joe and the horse, they have put me on the map in eventing terms. Whatever Joe's decision, I will back him 100%," said the rider from Bandon, Co Cork.
Up until now, Mr Savage has resisted the temptation to sell abroad in the hope of finding Irish backers. However, with each passing day, his resilience has weakened in a sport where the costs are high and the prizemoney negligible.
"I am very disappointed that my efforts at syndication since Sydney have not come to fruition. I tried hard and was in contact with prominent people in the bloodstock and entertainment industry, But the talks have failed to yield results at this time," said Mr Savage.
"Mr first option has always been to keep the horse in Ireland. I have an asking price in my mind that is deliberately set with the aim of achieving this and I haven't lost hope."
Mr Savage feels that the Government should redirect some of the money spent on the bloodstock industry towards the sports horse sector.
He said the ideal vehicle for the retention of the top horses would involve a public-private partnership, with tax incentives for the private investor.
The Glanmire man, however, shouldn't hold his breath. A spokesman for the Equestrian Federation of Ireland yesterday said: "The EFI is most concerned about Irish high performance horses being sold abroad, and has endeavoured since the Liscalgot situation to source moneys from central funding, ie, The Irish Sports Council and the Irish Horse Board, for the purpose of retaining such horses within Ireland. But it has been told that no such funds are currently available.
"Therefore, under the heading of the High Performance Plan, a committee, to be chaired by (eventer and stud owner) Alfie Buller, is being set up by the EFI to raise funds privately within Ireland for this purpose. However, this committee is not yet in a position to deal with the proposed sale of Irish high performance horses abroad, as it will take time to implement the plan to raise funds privately. The EFI is hopeful that by next year it will be in a much better position to deal with such matters."
Liscalgot was a wake-up call for the industry and, laudable aspirations aside, it seems it has gone back into snooze mode.
EVENTING will be run under a CIC format at the Athens Olympics. The International Olympic Committee accepted a compromise Federation Equestre International proposal for a reduced competition format after an Olympic sub-committee had recommended eventing be dropped after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
However, the fate of eventing's Olympic status beyond Athens has yet to be decided. The IOC board decided at its Mexico meeting this week to discuss eventing as part of the 2008 Olympic Games and onwards when it meets in Lausanne in February.
The reduced format for Athens will see the dropping of the road and tracks and steeplechase from the endurance phase.
DRESSAGE rider Anna Merveldt-Steffens finished a creditable 10th in the German Masters Grand Prix Special in Stuttgart, Germany, last Sunday.
Aboard Fosbury, she scored 1662 points (66.48%) to finish behind Lisa M Wilcox, from the US, and Relevant with a winning score of 1946 points (77.84%).
She also placed 11th in a grand prix on Saturday with Fosbury.
OWNER Tom Relihan had many reasons to be happy at the Welsh Pony Awards last Saturday, when Valmore Irish Mist counted the overall champion title for 2002 amongst a raft of awards. The three-year-old grey gelding, bred by the owner, was also named the champion youngstock Welsh pony, champion part-bred Welsh Pony and champion Irish-bred pony of the year.
Mr Relihan, from Bedford, Listowel, Co Kerry, was named breeder of the year.
Valmore is by Cadlen Valley Tycoon out of Doughwaite Martini.
THE Waterford/Tipperary Branch of the Show Jumping Association of Ireland will hold its awards night next Friday at Cahir House Hotel, Tipperary, starting at 9pm.
Tickets: 086/2650772 (Tipperary) and 087/7765320 (Waterford).
