I have to admit that a shiver went down my old back when I read of Showjumping Ireland’s plan to create the post of chief executive officer. I asked myself “do we really, really need a second CEO within Irish equestrianism?”

The move smacked of division rather than positivity; a type of breakaway rather than a drive for unity and a recipe for confusion rather than good governance.

Ever since its difficult birth at Ballymascanlon Hotel back on 14 April 1954, the Showjumping Association of Ireland (now Showjumping Ireland) has been brilliantly strong on grass-roots activity but woefully weak on governance.

It has been hugely positive in its support of local shows, volunteers, judges, course builders and indeed riders. However, has also been almost totally ineffective in managing itself at the top.

Whoever was put in charge of running the organisation was torn in every direction by local factions and interests. Time and time again, decisions taken by a quorum at one meeting would be overturned months later by another quorum at another meeting.

AFFILIATION TO HSI

When Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) was established in December 2006 its main purpose was to bring unity to the Irish equestrian world. It reached all of the individual horse or pony riding bodies and called on them to sign up to full affiliation within the new umbrella body.

At that time Showjumping Ireland could not bring itself to commit to full blooded affiliation. Rather it chose a half way route and has remained there ever since.

It was no easy matter for a powerful organisation, like Showjumping Ireland, with a large membership and budget to surrender some of it’s freedom and become part of a new overall governing body. But as has been proven since then, Showjumping Ireland has a governance problem that it has been unable to solve.

It is my opinion that applying another self-administered alternative will not solve the issue. Rather than spending a great deal of time and money on the creation of a CEO position, would it not be a better idea for Showjumping Ireland to enter into meaningful and far reaching negotiations with Horse Sport Ireland in order to find a way for it to come fully within the committee structure and governance of that body.

After all, the coming together of the South of Ireland Riding Encouragement Association and the Northern Ireland Showjumping and Riding Association back in 1954 was a much more difficult job. But it happened because of strong grass-roots and a willingness to compromise. Is it not time to do so once more?