HORSE Sport Ireland is in line to receive the largest portion of funding in recent years from Sport Ireland for 2019. The details of Sport Ireland’s Sport Investment 2019, which was released on Wednesday, shows Horse Sport Ireland’s overall allocation rise by €260,000 to €1.56 million.
HSI, the national governing body (NGB) for equestrian sport, will receive an allocation of €875,000 for 2019, representing a €100,000 increase on the 2018, 2017 and 2016 figure (€775,000). They are fourth on the list of 58 NGBs, behind Special Olympics Ireland (€1.2 million), Athletics Ireland (€950,000) and Swim Ireland (€910,000).
The High Performance (HP) programme at HSI has been allocated an extra €160,000, bringing its total for 2019 to €690,000. HSI’s significant HP increase in the second largest of the 21 programmes, following team and individual silver medals at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. Hockey Ireland received the biggest jump in HP funding - an extra €210,000.
These increases see Horse Sport Ireland’s funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTS), through Sport Ireland, rise from €1.3 million for the last three years (2016-2018) to €1.56 million this year.
Last August, HSI received an additional €175,000 in a separate fund from the Minister for Sport, Shane Ross, which, a HSI spokesperson said at the time, would go towards the 2018 World Equestrian Games and getting Olympic qualification, which the senior eventing team managed to do.
FUNDING WELCOMED
Ronan Murphy, CEO of Horse Sport Ireland, welcomed the increase in funding. “We welcome Sport Ireland’s announcement of an increase in the funding allocation for equestrian sport in 2019. Competition for funding is intense and it is reassuring to see Irish equestrianism being supported by our funding partners,” Murphy told The Irish Field.
“2018 was another incredible year for our sport with almost 700 athletes representing Ireland at international competitions in over 30 different countries and on four different continents. We are seeing an increase in participation at all levels and our high performance programmes are consistently delivering on the world stage.
“Among the numerous highlights last year were the achievements of the Irish eventing team winning team and individual silver medals at the World Championships and becoming the first Irish team in any sporting discipline to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“In addition, Irish equestrian athletes also delivered three World Breeding Championship medals, three team European Youth Championship medals and four individual European youth medals,” Murphy added.
Pentathlon Ireland, an affiliate of Horse Sport Ireland, will receive funding of €104,000 via the International Carding Scheme for four athletes. The scheme provides financial support to athletes for their training and competition programmes.
London and Rio Olympians Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe and Natalya Coyle both qualify for the podium category (Olympic medal zone athletes) and will receive €40,000 each. Sive Brassill and Eilidh Prise will receive €12,000 each as part of the international category.
The sport horse industry was left disappointed last October in Budget 2019 when the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine only increased their funding by €500,000 to €3 million, despite implementing the key recommendations of the Indecon report. This week’s allocation brings HSI’s total government funding to €4.56 million.
Meanwhile, HSI are close to finalising their five-year Strategic Plan 2019-2024. “As we work to finalise a new strategic plan for Horse Sport Ireland, our focus remains on establishing sustainable funding models for the Irish Sport Horse industry and working with all stakeholders to ensure the full potential of the sector is realised,” Ronan Murphy said.
HSI FUNDING FROM
SPORT IRELAND
NGB
2019 — €875,000
2018 — €775,000
2017 — €775,000
2016 — €775,000
2015 — €773,191
HIGH PERFORMANCE*
2019 — €690,000
2018 — €530,000
2017 — €530,000
2016 — €530,000
2015 — €520,785
*For the purposes of this analysis, once-off funding which becomes available is not included. In 2018, HSI received €175,000 to assist preparations for major competitions.