The IFA’s James Murphy, a farmer/horse breeder from Co Kilkenny, was recently appointed as the new Copa chair of the Horse Working Party.

COPA (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations) and its European umbrella organisation – COGECA (General Committee for Agricultural Cooperation in the European Union) represents the general and specific interests of some 40,000 farmers.

COPA COGECA is recognised by the European Institutions as the main representative body for the entire agricultural and fisheries cooperative sector.

Speaking to The Irish Horse Murphy said that: “Right across Europe, this sector is struggling so I’m focused on what we can do to bring profitability into the equine sector.” James underlined the need to have a true European policy for horses to maximize the economic potential of the sector and to take better account of the benefits of the equine sector for rural areas.

“We have to ask how can we make better use of CAP (Common Agriculture Policy), the equine sector has been left behind, but the equine sector can avail of Pillar 2 rural development funding.” The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Knowledge Transfer Equine Programme is co-funded by the Irish government and the European Union under Pillar 2 rural development funding

“It is up to the equine sector to unlock more from the rural development funding. You have to step in and fight for inclusion. It’s an area we need to explore better. The equine sector needs to become more proactive.”

LOBBYING

Murphy stressed that the way forward is through unity: “Breeders in a region shouldn’t be afraid to come together, there needs to be more interaction – together breeders will be able to influence their situation, a lobbying group can make a difference.”

Interestingly, these words were echoed by top racehorse trainer and breeder Jim Bolger at Horse Sport Ireland’s International Marketing Symposium which took place on Thursday last at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, and was attended by over 350 people.

The top Kilkenny trainer said: “You (the sport horse industry) are in the wrong government department. While it is a sport, it is more agricultural than sport, the production of the young horse is an agri-activity.”

“You should be able to convince Government that you have a very valuable national asset here but they are going to have to put €20m a year into it. You should develop a lobby to convince the government to give you €20m a year or you should all change your occupations.

“Government love to be dealing with a representative body, you need one body with all the participants with their feet under the board table. Get all interested parties on board.

“HSI is the right model, get everything into HSI and the Government will appoint a chair and feel they are in charge.

“And once they think they are in charge, you’re in business,” he said to ringing applause.