Vard spurns SJAI bid to return
In a letter to SJAI chairman Charles Hanley sent yesterday, Mr Vard said: "I will be rejecting your offer to return to my position as chairman of international affairs and my letter of resignation still stands."
Hanley yesterday responded: "We would have liked if he had stayed on, but we accept his decision."
Vard sensationally quit his post on November 25, feeling he had been sidelined by some of his fellow committee members as efforts to agree a contract with Robert Splaine for the position of chef d'equipe to the senior national team reached a critical stage.
At an International Affairs Committee meeting on November 24, it emerged that three members of the committee had in their possession a letter from Splaine's solicitor pertaining to the contract for chef d'equipe. Vard did not have this letter and the next day he penned a letter to Hanley saying he was resigning his chairmanship and his position as a director of the SJAI.
Vard yesterday released his resignation letter of November 25 in the hope that it would bring closure to the affair on a personal level.
In it, he said some committee members conducted business as if the decisions reached at an International Affairs meeting in Cavan on November 9 were "null and void".
He also charged that some members seemed to be of the opinion that the proposal regarding team management structure as presented by the SJAI to the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) was open for re-discussion.
This proposal had been passed by the EFI and was considered a major move forward in the effort to bring stability to Irish.
Vard goes on to say: "It would appear that nothing has been learned over the past year and that [a] lack of transparency" is to the fore. "I feel that in order to preserve my own integrity, I have no alternative but to resign."
The Dubliner's resignation occurred at the same time as the decision by the SJAI not to renew the contract of its director general Robert Joyce.
These developments ultimately led the EFI to withhold the SJAI's Irish Sports Council funding for 2006, along with a €90,000 tranche of 2005 funding. The EFI are demanding that the SJAI restart its process of sourcing a chef d'equipe despite a verbal agreement with Splaine and initiate a similar independent process of finding a chief executive.
Despite the difficulties between the EFI and the SJAI, Hanley is confident a resolution will be found.
"There is movement in overcoming this impasse. I am confident there will be a bright start to 2006," he said.
IT was a fairytale finish to a great season for Martin Bryan and Hhs Cindrella last Saturday when they completed a double in the horse finals at the Ballyrafter Centre.
Though he only retired from ponies last Sunday, Bryan is already competing successfully in horses and victory in the 1.10m and 1.20m finals at the Lismore centre was ample proof. Unfortunately, his demonstration of talent came at the expense of Gemma Phelan, Cappagh, who was runner up each time on Live & Kicking.
In the 1.10m final, Midleton's Amanda Kelly set the pace on Attyrory Silken Tom, crossing the line in 39.35. Bryan then turned the key on Ballybur Harley and roared into the lead, knocking three-tenths of a second off the target. Phelan is no stranger to the clock and proved this when coming home in 38.25. But Bryan was not going to be denied and took the plaudits in 37.79 with Hhs Cindrella.
Sean Kelly took the leading rider award and rounded off the season with victory in the 1.00m final. The Watergrasshill rider was first to go in a seven-horse jump-off and availed of every opportunity on the Clover Hill bred stallion Rinneen Clover to set an unbeatable time.
Stradbally rider Aine Cummins steered Clonard Master Nibs to second place.
Also in winning mode was Michael Buckley, the Cappoquin man taking the honours in the 90cms final with Noel Devereux's, four-year-old Knockenpower Belle. Youghal's Alice Fitzgerald was second on the league's leading horse, Glenlickey Rose.
In the pony ranks, Hannah O'Shea won the two novice classes on Itzhak and Snowbell.
The highlight of the finals was the 148cms ABC and Martin Bryan looked to be onto a winning conclusion to his pony career with Ballybur Blake, crossing the finish line in 38.21 seconds. Dungarvan's Aisling Flynn had other ideas and, with Ballyclough Castle Storm, demolished the target time, finishing in 36.91.
The league's leading girl, Elizabeth Bowen, put in a determined effort on Borrismore Queen, but had to settle for second place in 38.17.
