Rule restrictions just not fair

MADAM,

I AM a member of the TIHA, and recently it came to my attention for the Dublin Horse Show and now the TIHA Championship that is to be held in Mullingar in September, that there are rules in place that exclude animals that have competed over 1.20m and two-star eventing. Please riders, read the small print in the schedules!

Surely the TIHA should be in a position to want to showcase animals that have achieved above this level? With these constraints, surely the TIHA is limiting the quality and the ability of the breed?

This applies to two of the classes scheduled for Mullingar.

Firstly a mares and fillies’ class, no geldings allowed, and then the six-year-old and over Performance class where the 1.20m rule and two-star eventing rule came to light.

These rules are not mentioned anywhere on the website upon joining and supporting the TIHA, but have popped up suddenly for these competitions.

This is disappointing for not only owners, breeders and producers alike and very unfair to the TIHA breed that we strive so hard to promote.

I have met a number of the super nice and enthusiastic TIHA representatives at shows where I have been in receipt of the excellent sponsorship provided by the TIHA, and feel this is such a pity to limit the members and their animals overall.

Yours etc

Sarah Lang

Thomastown,

Co Kilkenny