"As an industry we need investment of €100 million over the next five years with the goal of doubling our worth to the exchequer,” so says Barry O’Connor of the Irish Sport Horse Alliance Group (ISHA). The ISHA backed a two year study resulting in economist Jim Power’s report Untapped Potential, Unlocking the Potential of The Irish Sport Horse Industry that is launched this week.
This 60-page, comprehensive, far-reaching and realistic report includes charts, statistics and illustrations.
The report hammers home the message that one of our most indigenous and rural industries is being starved of crucial investment that could pay back 100 fold.
Backing this seminal study is a powerful group from industry and sport that put up €100,000 to make it happen.
They include: Red Mills, Gain, Horseware, Showjumping Ireland, Traditional Irish Horse Alliance, Carol Gee, Cian O Connor, Ronan Rothwell, Tiernan Gill, Noel Cawley, Wrenwood Stables, RDS, Greg Broderick, Norman Allen, Goersbridge Horse Sales, Leslie Fitzpatrick and Barry O’Connor.
During the course of this study, meetings were held with Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan and Junior Agriculture Minister Andrew Doyle.
In a statement to the Irish Horse the group declared “we don’t want subsidies, tax breaks, price supports etc.
We need investment in our centres, infrastructure, education, shows and competitive circuit that will directly produce more jobs, exports and inward investment. What they are looking for is an ‘economic mandate’ like the sector has never had before.”
Keeping jobs at home
The report also highlights the need to keep talented young riders and producers in Ireland.
Their counterparts around the world, notably across Europe and in America, do not have to base themselves abroad in order to progress their careers, adding to jobs and economic derivatives in their respective home nations.
Jim Power and members of the ISHA travelled to the Netherlands to see how one of Europe’s most successful equestrian nations operates. Here is what they found in terms of world class centres, shows, prize money and training.
“The country has over 1,000 riding schools. Horse sport is regarded as a pastime accessible to many people of all ages, with training programmes available for people of all ages and abilities.
"It is estimated that 70% of all Dutch riders ride solely for recreational purposes, with 250,000 horses privately owned in the country, out of a total horse population of 450,000.
"In total, the country has 3,000 horse sport centres and riding associations, and 7,300 events per year are run, resulting in 765,000 individual competition entries in eight separate disciplines.
"The country also hosts five outstanding international horse shows every year, which attract an estimated 270,000 visitors in total.
"Between 50 and 75 show jumping competitions are held every weekend. These competitions tend to be very professionally organized and are very competitive”.
Achieving the sector’s potential
The report notes that annual Government funding of €64 million goes to the thoroughbred sector, accounting for 28,900 jobs.
By contrast, exchequer expenditure on the Sport Horse sector, where there are 14,057 full time jobs, came to just under four million in 2016. The report calls for an annual input of about €20 million to be used as follows:
a) Development of a limited number of Equestrian Centres to the highest international standards (6m per annum for five years)b) Show prize money increased for riders, owners and breeders (3m p.a.)c) Cash incentives for performance mares, cash recognition of breeders producing International performers, help in the production of home bred animals up to international level (2.5m p.a.)d) Money for education and training right from school age (2m p.a.)e) Equestrian tourism marketing (1.3m p.a.)f) Funding for smaller equestrian centres for upgrading and the same for country shows.(5m)Conclusions
The report’s concludes: “With proper funding provided in a structured way and with a clear set of priorities, it should be possible to increase the contribution that the sector makes by at least 50% within a decade.
“This would translate into over €400 million to the economy and an additional 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
The export contribution should be capable of being doubled from €48 million.
“Such growth in itself would be very important for the overall economy, but the key benefit is that much of the contribution would go directly to regional and rural economies.
“From a social and economic perspective, this would be very beneficial”.
To my view, this is a good report that deserves to be read and digested by everyone interested in the Irish Sport Horse.
Its strength comes from the two years of work behind it and because it takes full account of previous reports like Indecon, Reaching New Heights and the UCD analyses of the sector’s benefit to the economy.
With the implantation of the Indecon Report well
under way and if the recommendations of this paper
are successful we could see a totally new era in Irish equestrianism being born.
The Report is now available on line. Check the HSI website for links to Untapped Potential.
Read more
The wisdom of mare selection
Michael Slavin: National Circuit needs funding and leadership
"As an industry we need investment of €100 million over the next five years with the goal of doubling our worth to the exchequer,” so says Barry O’Connor of the Irish Sport Horse Alliance Group (ISHA). The ISHA backed a two year study resulting in economist Jim Power’s report Untapped Potential, Unlocking the Potential of The Irish Sport Horse Industry that is launched this week.
This 60-page, comprehensive, far-reaching and realistic report includes charts, statistics and illustrations.
The report hammers home the message that one of our most indigenous and rural industries is being starved of crucial investment that could pay back 100 fold.
Backing this seminal study is a powerful group from industry and sport that put up €100,000 to make it happen.
They include: Red Mills, Gain, Horseware, Showjumping Ireland, Traditional Irish Horse Alliance, Carol Gee, Cian O Connor, Ronan Rothwell, Tiernan Gill, Noel Cawley, Wrenwood Stables, RDS, Greg Broderick, Norman Allen, Goersbridge Horse Sales, Leslie Fitzpatrick and Barry O’Connor.
During the course of this study, meetings were held with Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan and Junior Agriculture Minister Andrew Doyle.
In a statement to the Irish Horse the group declared “we don’t want subsidies, tax breaks, price supports etc.
We need investment in our centres, infrastructure, education, shows and competitive circuit that will directly produce more jobs, exports and inward investment. What they are looking for is an ‘economic mandate’ like the sector has never had before.”
Keeping jobs at home
The report also highlights the need to keep talented young riders and producers in Ireland.
Their counterparts around the world, notably across Europe and in America, do not have to base themselves abroad in order to progress their careers, adding to jobs and economic derivatives in their respective home nations.
Jim Power and members of the ISHA travelled to the Netherlands to see how one of Europe’s most successful equestrian nations operates. Here is what they found in terms of world class centres, shows, prize money and training.
“The country has over 1,000 riding schools. Horse sport is regarded as a pastime accessible to many people of all ages, with training programmes available for people of all ages and abilities.
"It is estimated that 70% of all Dutch riders ride solely for recreational purposes, with 250,000 horses privately owned in the country, out of a total horse population of 450,000.
"In total, the country has 3,000 horse sport centres and riding associations, and 7,300 events per year are run, resulting in 765,000 individual competition entries in eight separate disciplines.
"The country also hosts five outstanding international horse shows every year, which attract an estimated 270,000 visitors in total.
"Between 50 and 75 show jumping competitions are held every weekend. These competitions tend to be very professionally organized and are very competitive”.
Achieving the sector’s potential
The report notes that annual Government funding of €64 million goes to the thoroughbred sector, accounting for 28,900 jobs.
By contrast, exchequer expenditure on the Sport Horse sector, where there are 14,057 full time jobs, came to just under four million in 2016. The report calls for an annual input of about €20 million to be used as follows:
a) Development of a limited number of Equestrian Centres to the highest international standards (6m per annum for five years)b) Show prize money increased for riders, owners and breeders (3m p.a.)c) Cash incentives for performance mares, cash recognition of breeders producing International performers, help in the production of home bred animals up to international level (2.5m p.a.)d) Money for education and training right from school age (2m p.a.)e) Equestrian tourism marketing (1.3m p.a.)f) Funding for smaller equestrian centres for upgrading and the same for country shows.(5m)Conclusions
The report’s concludes: “With proper funding provided in a structured way and with a clear set of priorities, it should be possible to increase the contribution that the sector makes by at least 50% within a decade.
“This would translate into over €400 million to the economy and an additional 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
The export contribution should be capable of being doubled from €48 million.
“Such growth in itself would be very important for the overall economy, but the key benefit is that much of the contribution would go directly to regional and rural economies.
“From a social and economic perspective, this would be very beneficial”.
To my view, this is a good report that deserves to be read and digested by everyone interested in the Irish Sport Horse.
Its strength comes from the two years of work behind it and because it takes full account of previous reports like Indecon, Reaching New Heights and the UCD analyses of the sector’s benefit to the economy.
With the implantation of the Indecon Report well
under way and if the recommendations of this paper
are successful we could see a totally new era in Irish equestrianism being born.
The Report is now available on line. Check the HSI website for links to Untapped Potential.
Read more
The wisdom of mare selection
Michael Slavin: National Circuit needs funding and leadership
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