PLANS to hold SJI registered shows at the National Horse Sport Arena have been cancelled. Concerns mounted last week from owners of equestrian centres that the government-funded project was running contrary to what it was envisaged to do when it first opened at Abbotstown in 2013.

In a statement from the National Show Arena, marketing manager Aidan Devitt said: “The SJI shows which had been scheduled in 2019, will not be proceeding at the National Horse Sport Arena. There are no plans to run SJI shows at the National Horse Sport Arena in the future.”

This has also been confirmed by Showjumping Ireland, which stated: “At this time, we have been advised that the show has been cancelled and therefore, it was removed from our calendar.”

Many operators of equestrian centres felt that if the National Horse Sport Arena operated such shows, it would threaten the livelihood of those running private centres.

One source said: “The National Horse Sport Arena has an unfair advantage over self-financing venues. They have received government funding to run and maintain facilities. Privately run centres pay rates, upgrade their facilities and pay huge expenses in order for them to run shows.”

Ciaran Glynn from Killossery Lodge Stud, Swords, Co Dublin, posted on Facebook; “This (National Horse Sport Arena) facility was paid for by taxpayer money, its upkeep is paid for from government money, it was originally designed as a centre for elite training, but it is now being used make the already difficult task of running profitable shows at local level even more difficult.”

This was supported by Chris Byrne from Coilog Equestrian Centre, Co Kildare, who said: “The ethos behind this venture was hitched to training. The next phase of their business plan is to perpetuate their existence at the expense of self-funded businesses. If enough numbers don’t engage with objections, family run and funded enterprises with be destroyed with significant consequences. A level playing field is required.”

This is not the first time that the National Horse Sport Arena has ruffled feathers of established equestrian centres. In 2016, the introduction of training shows was viewed as a threat by the owners of private equestrian centres.

Opened in 2013, The National Horse Sport Arena, managed by an operations company of the National Sports Campus, was to be available on a ‘community commercial’ basis to those who are aspiring for success in international competition. All the emphasis on the centre was then around training and preparing athletes for high performance.

The original business plan, which was prepared by Horse Sport Ireland in 2012, stated that “the opportunity exists to generate income by opening the equestrian facilities (hourly hire) to the public under ‘pay as you go’ offer”. It was also proposed that the infrastructure would provide Olympic standard training facilities for the Horse Sport Ireland high performance programme. That now includes events organised by HSI affiliates or individuals.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE

In the original planning application to Fingal County Council, (planning ref FW12A/0141) (19-Mar-2013), it states on page 11: “The purpose of the proposed development is to provide a world class training area to be used by the appropriate national sporting federation, in this case Horse Sport Ireland, down through the years.

“It is not intended that it will be used, should planning permission be granted, as a competition venue where large numbers of spectators may be expected.”

It went on to reference use for “training, education and preparation for competition such as European, World Championships and Olympics.”