Like Dickens’ shrewd character Fagan in Oliver Twist, the sport horse industry must urgently review its situation in light of the new alignment of Irish politics.

In short, we must think it all out again in terms of seeking new champions of our funding needs. To use a carriage driving analogy – previously we have concentrated efforts on the tandem of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, but now we must include the many newer parties that have entered the picture.

Some of the newer contenders may have no interest in or a certain antipathy toward the sport horse world. So, in this new volatile situation the sport horse industry’s promoters must do some serious homework in order to find new allies.

Historic perspective

When our newly born Free State was struggling to emerge from chaos in the 1920s, the sport horse found a champion in Fine Gael’s W.T. Cosgrave. He saw support for the sector as a way of both helping the small farmers and advertising Ireland abroad through the participation of the Army Equitation School at events across Europe and the Americas. Fianna Fáil recognised the need of a new beginning in the 1970s through the establishment of Bord na gCapall. A change of government gave the sector a new champion in Liam Cosgrave. Fianna Fáil’s Joe Walsh was a good listener in the 1990s when he created The Horse Board and ultimately brought about the present Horse Sport Ireland. But now it is no longer just Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil as other parties like Sinn Féin have burst on to the scene.

New alignments

Like all of the parties; health, housing, transport and insurance have to among the priorities of Sinn Féin. More than any other party perhaps, the negative image of a rich land owner mounted on a fine horse dominating the scene would still rankle within its historic thinking. So, the question would be asked: “Why should taxpayer’s money be spent on a pleasure pursuit like that?”

Yet! Within its manifesto and those of some smaller parties is plenty of literature about support for indigenous small to medium size enterprises (SME).

There is no more Irish, rural, family-oriented and vibrant SME than that of the horse sport industry. It is not about someone lording it from the back of a horse. Rather it is a horse business that has much to offer both in terms of employment and contribution to the exchequer. The sector cannot be allowed to lose support under any new historic dispensation.

The industry now has its work cut out in the finding of new champions.