THE Irish Field has learned that the much anticipated report of economist Jim Power for the Sport Horse Alliance group, titled ‘Untapped Potential: Unlocking the economic potential of the Irish Sport Horse Industry’ will be released next week.

The 20-strong Sport Horse Alliance group, which is driven by Malahide-based agent Barry O’Connor, represents close to 3,000 jobs in the industry as it includes Horseware, TRM, Gain Equine Nutrition, Connolly’s Red Mills and Devenish, among others, as supporters. Members of the group also include international show jumpers Cian O’Connor and Greg Broderick, as well as Showjumping Ireland, Eventing Ireland, the Traditional Irish Horse Alliance, the RDS, Goresbridge Horse Sales and leading breeders.

Sport Horse Alliance are close to raising their target of €100,000 which will be spent on the report and professional advice to work towards their aims. Members of the group been vocal on the need for unlocking extra funding to fulfil the economic worth of the industry in Ireland. The report is likely to discuss the need for improved infrastructure and facilities in the country, improved competition and international venues, as well as education and promotion of the sector.

This report comes almost a year to the day after the Indecon Report ‘Review of Certain Matters relating to Horse Sport Ireland’ was released last June (2017). That was followed by the release of the UCD Report in October 2017.

The recommendations made in the Indecon Report are now being implemented with the search for a HSI chairperson in its final stages, and the board of Horse Sport Ireland reshuffled.

Full analysis in next week’s Irish Horse World.