TUESDAY marked an important event for the Irish Sport Horse industry with the official launch of Horse Sport Ireland’s Strategic Plan 2019-2024 on the eve of the opening of this week’s Stena Line Dublin Horse Show.

The Irish sport industry contributes nearly €1 billion to the Irish economy and supports 14,000 full-time jobs. Worth twice that of the Irish sheep sector, and comparable to Ireland’s world renowned thoroughbred industry, the sport horse sector has attracted little in the way of significant funding recognition from successive governments.