In between wrestling with horses, calving cows and trying to entertain the child on his midterm break last week, I watched season two of Clarkson’s Farm.

Whilst Jeremy Clarkson can be a little controversial at times, it is fair to say that he is using his media profile to great benefit in highlighting the ups and downs of farming.

Relatability

The series is interesting, entertaining, and at times heartbreaking, and this accurate portrayal of the reality of farming is doing much to bridge the gap between Joe Public, and the agricultural sector.

Stereotypes are hard to shake, and there’s little doubt that farmers are often seen as rich (if only), moany people who make fortunes on the back of Mother Nature and outrageous subsidies.

Mr Clarkson, however, might just be beginning to create a new level of understanding and relatability amongst the masses. Those of us within the equestrian industry don’t fare much better.

We seem to be seen as wealthy toffs who faff around in the countryside, driving our expensive horses hither and yon in an assortment of even more expensive vehicles - for no obvious reason.

€1.9 billion

That many of us have to weigh up the importance of, say, paying our rent or putting food in the fridge, against calling the vet or buying wellies with no holes in them, garners little sympathy.

Not happy? Serves us right. The fact that the overall Irish sport horse, horse racing and breeding industries contributes in excess of €1.9 billion per annum in revenue and provides approximately 41,500 jobs, is of little interest to the aforementioned Joe Public. It simply isn’t relative or relatable.

Horse Sport Ireland sponsored a six-part documentary in 2022 called Horse Country, which was wonderfully well received by everyone in the equestrian industry.

However, there was no way that Joe Public was going to miss Fair City, in exchange for watching the allegedly financially privileged taking their horses for a scamper in the countryside, was there?

Financial impossibility

We need a Jeremy Clarkson. We need Joe Public to see people in the winter, in the dark and in torrential rain, swearing loudly at their horses who refuse to be caught.

We need to see horses prepped perfectly for sale, only to fail on X-rays. We need to see horses suddenly deciding to behave like maniacs at inopportune moments.

We need to see people desperate to make it, working all hours and surviving on beans. We need to see the long days and longer nights, the drama, the disaster, the financial impossibility of it all - and the very occasional great and wonderful triumphs.

We need an unfiltered view for folk to understand why we live this life, and how our industry benefits both our citizens and our country.