This was not another ‘same old, same old’ gathering, but rather a very focused effort with a very specific goal.
HSI chairman Professor Pat Wall set the tone when he said: “We are trying to achieve a road map to a better place.” What that place should be was spelled out by Teagasc’s Professor Cathal O’Donoghue as “increased export value for our horses and increased income for breeders”.
He also said that at the conclusion of this series of open breeder meetings, the submissions and suggestions would be correlated into a strategy report to be placed before Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney by the end of June.
Ministerial
support
For his part, Minister Coveney added very much to the meeting’s positivity by stating: “I want to be a part of this project. I will get behind the process and support the sector financially to the degree possible within the limitations of my Department.
“There is need for a collective ambition within this sector so that we can sign off on a 10-year plan.”
But he also added that the best use should be made of this process because “there is not going to be a second one of these”.
The meeting was organised so that everybody could participate. In a workshop style, those in attendance were seated at round tables in groups of six or eight.
Each group appointed its own spokesperson who recorded and reported the group’s comments on four key topics – breeding skills, value generation, marketing and required cultural changes.
Following the 30-minute table discussion, each group was asked for a report on their findings. By the end of the night, some 32 pages of comments and suggestions were recorded and retained for further study.
Topics discussed
The most prominent subjects covered included:
• The need for an improved cohort of mares. • Competitions dedicated to mares.• Licensing of stallions.• Lack of DNA database.• The negative impact of extensive use of white passports with no recorded pedigree.• The need for better training and production of young horses for sale.• Free availability of the CapallOir database.• Financial support for improved prize money.• Removal of the over-supply of poor-quality horses.• Tax breaks for sport horse breeders.In addition to the mentioned, much more was recorded and all of this will go into the mix. Still to come are five more meetings at which the same processes will be in operation. These are taking place tonight (Thursday) in Hotel Kilkenny; tomorrow in Carrigaline Court Hotel, Cork; next Tuesday in the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort; plus two additional meetings to be held at dates still to be announced in the north-west and in Northern Ireland. All are scheduled for 7.30pm.
Submissions can be forwarded to submissions@sporthorsestrategy.ie by 2 May. This is a worthy event that’s worth supporting. CL
This was not another ‘same old, same old’ gathering, but rather a very focused effort with a very specific goal.
HSI chairman Professor Pat Wall set the tone when he said: “We are trying to achieve a road map to a better place.” What that place should be was spelled out by Teagasc’s Professor Cathal O’Donoghue as “increased export value for our horses and increased income for breeders”.
He also said that at the conclusion of this series of open breeder meetings, the submissions and suggestions would be correlated into a strategy report to be placed before Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney by the end of June.
Ministerial
support
For his part, Minister Coveney added very much to the meeting’s positivity by stating: “I want to be a part of this project. I will get behind the process and support the sector financially to the degree possible within the limitations of my Department.
“There is need for a collective ambition within this sector so that we can sign off on a 10-year plan.”
But he also added that the best use should be made of this process because “there is not going to be a second one of these”.
The meeting was organised so that everybody could participate. In a workshop style, those in attendance were seated at round tables in groups of six or eight.
Each group appointed its own spokesperson who recorded and reported the group’s comments on four key topics – breeding skills, value generation, marketing and required cultural changes.
Following the 30-minute table discussion, each group was asked for a report on their findings. By the end of the night, some 32 pages of comments and suggestions were recorded and retained for further study.
Topics discussed
The most prominent subjects covered included:
• The need for an improved cohort of mares. • Competitions dedicated to mares.• Licensing of stallions.• Lack of DNA database.• The negative impact of extensive use of white passports with no recorded pedigree.• The need for better training and production of young horses for sale.• Free availability of the CapallOir database.• Financial support for improved prize money.• Removal of the over-supply of poor-quality horses.• Tax breaks for sport horse breeders.In addition to the mentioned, much more was recorded and all of this will go into the mix. Still to come are five more meetings at which the same processes will be in operation. These are taking place tonight (Thursday) in Hotel Kilkenny; tomorrow in Carrigaline Court Hotel, Cork; next Tuesday in the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort; plus two additional meetings to be held at dates still to be announced in the north-west and in Northern Ireland. All are scheduled for 7.30pm.
Submissions can be forwarded to submissions@sporthorsestrategy.ie by 2 May. This is a worthy event that’s worth supporting. CL
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