Following the announcement at the Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society Ltd (IHB) AGM in December 2018, the IHB Shareholder renewals process will move to an online platform from 2019 onwards. This development is designed to deliver administrative efficiencies within the system for all stakeholders.

In accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Anti-Money Laundering legislation, notice was given in May 2018 that the IHB's board of directors moved to invoke Rule 13 of the Society’s rules to ‘clean-up’ the Society’s database.

In simple terms, non-active IHB shareholders (individuals who have not paid renewal fees for a period of three years) were notified that their shares would be cancelled and the associated data removed from the IHB active shareholder database.

PRICING STRUCTURE

There will also be a change to the pricing structure of IHB annual shareholder renewals. From 2019, IHB Shareholder renewal fees will be set at €35 per annum – an increase of €10 from the original €25 per annum in situ since 1994.

However, in an effort to encourage IHB Shareholders to adopt and use the new IHB online renewal system, a reduced rate of €25 will still apply for all such online renewals completed prior to 31 May 2019. Furthermore, eligibility to vote in IHB elections is also dependent upon shareholder renewals being paid on or before the cut-off date of 31 May in the year of the election.

Additionally, IHB Shareholders opting to pay their annual renewal fees after the cut-off date of 31 May 2019 will now pay renewal fees of €30 per annum online.

In practice this means that only those IHB Shareholders who do not use the new online system, instead remaining with the older paper-based system, will now be charged €35 per annum irrespective of the date of payment of the IHB renewal.

IHB shareholders/members will continue to enjoy discounted Irish Horse Register (IHR) transaction fees (typically a €37 discount per transaction); have access to the IHR online; will be eligible to receive free Horse Sport Ireland publications (Stallion Book, Foal Book, Breeders’ Magazines); may avail of 40% discount on Irish Horse Gateway membership fees; and retain voting rights for the annual IHB elections and at the IHB AGM.

Any individual wishing to become an IHB shareholder may now also do so online.

For more information on the Irish Horse Board and the IHB Shareholder application/renewal process, please visit www.ihb.ie.

Speaking on the announcement, IHB chair Dr Jack Murphy said: “The IHB is the key organisation for breeders and primary producers of Irish horses and ponies [Irish Sport Horse; Irish Draught Horse and Irish Sport Ponies] and active shareholder and membership participation is crucial in order that the voices of these committed individuals can be heard and acknowledged.

“This will facilitate having their views communicated directly to the major stakeholder organisations and policy makers involved in the oversight of the Irish sport horse sector. In order to maintain a strong representation and organisation, the IHB shareholder renewal fee will remain available at the very modest rate of €25 per annum for those who renew online prior to 31st May 2019 and prior to 31st May in future years.

"I would urge all IHB Shareholders to visit www.ihb.ie and complete the simplified renewal process as soon as possible.”