FEI Pony Measuring dates reminder

DON’T forget that the upcoming FEI Pony Measuring session will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, January 25th and 26th at Cavan Equestrian Centre.

This is the only Irish FEI pony measuring session.

Pony owners who intend to compete for the first time in 2023 will need to present to a FEI Measuring Session while ponies with an interim measuring certificate will need to be measured.

The FEI transition system ends today (Saturday, December 31st) so all ponies will need a FEI Measuring Certificate in order to be eligible to compete at FEI events.

Control of horses funding in Cork

CORK North Central TD Thomas Gould (SF) tabled a Dail question recently to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine asking what funding had been provided to Cork City Council for the control of horses in 2022.

In reply, Minister Charlie McConalogue TD (FF) said: “To date in 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has paid funding of €1,875.00 to Cork City Council for Control of Horses activities.”

Registration notice

HORSE Sport Ireland has posted the following on its website: “Horse Sport Ireland has been made aware of delays in postage that have resulted in a shortened period of time for customers to return information regarding registrations. For anyone who has received requests from HSI to have return information to us within the first week of January, please note that this has now been extended until January 13th.

“We acknowledge the concern that customers have around delays due to postage around the Christmas period and we have taken this step to allay those concerns. Please note, also, that our 2023 pricing structure will come into effect on January 1st. All applications received into HSI on the first day of business in the new year (January 3rd) will be processed at the 2022 pricing rates.”

Eventing Ireland AGM notices

EVENTING Ireland Western Region AGM will be held at Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry, Galway on January 12th at 8pm. All current and future members of the Western Region are invited to attend.

The South Leinster Region AGM will be held on Saturday, January 14th at 6.30pm in the Cill Dara Golf Club, Whitesland East, Kildare R51 KD56. It will be followed by a Table Quiz at 7.45pm.

The Northern Region AGM will be held in the function room of Gourley’s Bar, Ballygowan, on Monday, January 9th at 8pm.

BEF launches new advisory body

BRITISH Equestrian (BEF) Board launched a new independent body to provide guidance and recommendations in the key strategic area of equine wellbeing and standards. The Equine Welfare and Ethics Advisory Group, under the chairmanship of Professor Madeleine Campbell, will work to provide evidence-based best practice, make recommendations on critical issues within equestrian sport and develop guidance to promote an ethical horse/human relationship.

The Group’s composition is representative of expert roles in equestrian sport, equine veterinary science and governance to ensure there is a balance of viewpoints and any recommendations are appropriate and workable.

Appointed members of the group are:

Independent Chair: Professor Madeleine Campbell BVetMed (Hons) MA (Oxon) MA (Keele) PhD DipECAR DipECAWBM (AWSEL) MRCVS

Jim Eyre, BEF Chief Executive

Roly Owers MRCVS, BEF Board Director and CEO World Horse Welfare

John McEwen MBE, BVMS MRCVS, BEF Director of Equine Sports Science and Medicine

Richard Waygood MBE, BEF Technical Director

Iain Graham, British Showjumping Chief Executive

Sarah Phillips, BHS Chief Operating Officer

Lynne Bailey, BEF Head of Integrity and HR

Winnie Murphy, BEF Head of Communications.

Independent Chair of the new group, Madeleine Campbell added: “This is a welcome initiative from British Equestrian, and I was humbled to be asked to chair the group. The equestrian sporting landscape outside racing involves a large and complex range of stakeholders.

“However, I anticipate that the group will provide clear guidance and a framework for everyone to champion equine welfare in a way which clearly puts the horse’s wellbeing first and foremost and optimises their care, and ultimately contributes to preserving our sports and to maintaining the social licence to ride and keep horses in the future.” (See ‘Comment’ column).