O’Donoghue launches new governing body for equestrian sport

JOHN O'DONOGHUE, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism yesterday announced the establishment of a new Agency - Horse Sport Ireland - which will be responsible for devising and implementing strategies for the development and promotion of an internationally competitive Irish sport horse industry (breeding, sport and leisure sides).

He has designated Joe Walsh, T.D., as the Chairman of the new Agency.

Horse Sport Ireland has been established following a report prepared by Michael Dowling, former Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture and Food, which recommended new governance structures for horse sport in Ireland.

Dowling consulted extensively with the main sectoral interests, including the Equestrian Federation of Ireland, the Irish Horse Board, the Irish Sports Council and the Departments of Arts, Sport and Tourism and Agriculture and Food in the course of his work and there is widespread support across the sector for these structures which involve the appointment of a Board of Directors with the following membership - Eight representing FEI disciplines, four representing other sport/leisure organisations, five representing the breeding side of the industry and an independent Chairman.

The Agency will initially be established as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Acts. It will bring within its remit the functions currently being discharged by the Horse Board.

Discussions are continuing with sectoral interests in Northern Ireland with a view to their possible participation in the Horse Sport Ireland structures.

Among the first tasks of the Board will be to draw up a statement of strategy for Horse Sport Ireland and to oversee the appointment of a Chief Executive.

The seventeen members of the Board, who have been nominated by their respective organisations for the post, are:

L O'Neill, ILDRA, CDA, PEI; J Keogh, Dressage Ireland; B Mangan, Eventing Ireland; G Leahy, Eventing Ireland; P Furlong, Showjumping Association of Ireland (SJAI); B Gormley, SJAI; T Dixon, SJAI; E Rice, SJAI; A E Mernagh, Irish Pony Club/Irish Pony Society; Lt Col G O'Gorman, Army Equitation School; H Mangan, Association of Irish Riding Clubs/Association of Irish Riding Establishments; B Brennan, RDS; J J Doyle (breeding); P Duffy (breeding); M Duignan (breeding); W Kennedy (breeding); H McGahern (breeding).