A NEW era is on the cards for Horse Sport Ireland with confirmation yesterday (Friday) of the appointment of outgoing CEO of Macra na Feirme Denis Duggan to the Chief Executive Officer job at Horse Sport Ireland.
The Tipperary native will take over from Acting CEO Joe Reynolds by year’s end – Reynolds will then revert to his chairmanship post, currently filled by Professor Mary Lampkin-Coyle.
Denis Duggan becomes the fourth CEO at Horse Sport Ireland since its inception. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we warmly welcome him to this crucial role for the €815 million Irish Sport Horse industry.
During his five-year tenure at Macra, Duggan – regarded as a sound professional as well as a ‘people person’ – helped transform the rural youth organisation’s financial bottom line to a welcome multiple and substantially grew its membership. The key areas of governance, coupled with diversity and inclusion, are cited among his own main achievements at Macra HQ.
Without doubt, Duggan’s desk will be crowded with the many issues naturally thrown up by an organisation as diverse as Horse Sport Ireland as well as striving towards its strategic objectives.
Horse Sport Ireland has obtained the green light to embark on its plans for Greenogue Equestrian, amid concerns by ECVOA over its future operation. A round-table consensus would aid the framing of good working relationships between HSI and the families who operate Ireland’s big regional competition equestrian venues.
Asides from wishing Denis Duggan every success in this all-important role, we trust that he will be allowed the space and time to bring his ‘A-Game’ to the table – ultimately putting his own positive mark on our vibrant industry as we collectively move into the crucial rebuilding phase post-Covid.
Top coverage
This week’s issue is packed with top coverage of the successful 2021 renewal of the flagship Irish Breeders’ Classic at Barnadown and Millstreet International Horse Trials. (Millstreet International coverage >> 89-91 and Irish Breeders’ Classic >> 93-98).