Ruth Rogers

MICHAEL RING, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with special responsibility for Tourism and Sport has called on equestrian tourism operators to avail of the digital marketing platform of Tourism Ireland to boost their business and the wider tourism industry.

Speaking on a visit to Willie Leahy’s Dartfield Horse Museum and Equestrian Centre close to Loughrea in Co Galway, Minister Ring urged all equestrian tourism businesses to provide material such as photos, video clips and testimonials to the tourism body to be used as digital marketing ammunition to attract a global audience into Ireland.

“Timing is of the essence as people are now making decisions about their holidays this summer so action is needed now!” he warned, adding the recent Reaching New Heights report has recommended that a range of equine tourism and recreationally-focused initiatives should be fostered to promote increased participation across the sector.

“It is great to see the increasingly close collaboration between Horse Sport Ireland and the Connemara Pony Breeders Society as they have very much in common. The emphasis has to be on breeding and producing a quality product, excellence has to be the name of the game,” said Minister Ring. “People have to learn to ride ponies before they can ride horses so the future of the two sectors is inextricably linked. Just as we cannot drink all the milk we produce in Ireland, or eat all the beef, we cannot ride all the horses and ponies.”

He continued: “I compliment Willie Leahy on his development here in Dartfield and for his Connemara Trail, started in 1968 and which for years has been providing tourists from all over the world with the holiday of a lifetime. Every happy tourist is an ambassador for Ireland and we need as many of them as we can get.

“Several other providers have similar tourist offerings and there is no reason that the ‘Willie Leahy model’ can’t be replicated in many other counties of Ireland,” he added.

“There is no better way to experience all that Ireland has to offer in terms of spectacular scenery, contrasting landscapes, wildlife, peace and serenity than from the back of a horse or pony,” he maintained. “The céad mile fáilte of rural Ireland is the icing on the cake to ensure people have an experience that they will never forget.”

Horse Sport Ireland chairman Pat Wall referred to the recent appointment of a new director of marketing within his organisation.

“When it comes to selling horses and ponies, the minor game is in Ireland but the senior game is abroad and I welcome the setting up of the international marketing division in Horse Sport Ireland,” said Professor Wall. “I wish the newly recruited director, Elaine Hatton, well and encourage her in her endeavours to make Ireland truly the ‘land of the horse’ and the go-to place for a horse and pony for all level of riders.

“In her marketing role, she will also have to market Ireland as a tourist destination for both spectating at equine related events and for partaking in riding holidays, or riding for a few hours on a general holiday here, as every satisfied customer will leave here promoting Irish horses and ponies. Before people buy a horse or pony they will have to know about Ireland and come and visit. Tourism Ireland will provide any assistance it can.”

Equestrian tourism is a key component in the strategy to truly develop Ireland as the ‘land of the horse’, maintained the Horse Sport Ireland chairman.

“We get many international spectators for RDS August Horse Show and the Clifden Pony Show but there are shows and events every week up and down the length and breadth of Ireland and there is no reason why we should not be able to attract international tourists to them also,” he said. “Tourism Ireland, and the tourist offices around the country, cannot promote these events if they don’t know about them so it’s up to the organisers to let us know, what exactly they are offering spectators, so they can be appropriately promoted.”

GOING GLOBAL

Professor Wall told visitors gathered at Dartfield that the Connemara pony was an iconic brand recognised globally as intuitively Irish.

“There are 17 daughter societies from US and Canada to New Zealand and Australia and many of the EU member states have vibrant studbooks. South Africa is about to come on stream as number 18 and when the daughter studbooks have their annual meeting, it is like the United Nations for Connemaras!” he pointed out. “Clifden is the equivalent of Mecca for Connemara pony enthusiasts.”

The Horse Sport Ireland chairman reminded guests that the tourism industry was delivering double digit growth year on year and the equine sector could benefit from this phenomenal growth.

“But you have to make the effort to provide the right holiday offerings and the right promotional material. Digital marketing is proving to be a revolutionary approach to reaching old and new customers and I encourage the equine sector to share their material with Tourism Ireland,” he urged.