There is a silver lining in the ongoing debate over Horse Sport Ireland’s (HSI) plan for a Centre of Excellence and relocation to Greenogue Equestrian near Rathcoole and it is the fact that attention is being paid to it.

Down the years, HSI and its predecessors were sort of like Mr Cellophane in the film Chicago – you could walk right by them and not even know they were there. These governing bodies of the sport horse industry moved from a city centre shop to a flat on Leeson Street to a shed at the Irish Farm Centre without a whimper. There was no great notice when HSI rented space in an office block outside Naas.

But thankfully now that the appointed board of HSI has decided to take a breath of fresh air and hack back across Dublin’s western border it is being well noticed. There has even been mention of the shift in the houses of the Oireachtas.

The Irish Field’s letter pages are filled with comment. In some instances it appeared as if HSI’s leaving Kildare was like the flight of a beloved family member from its legitimate home.

Punchestown option

Setting up at Punchestown has been suggested as a way of keeping horse sport in the Lilywhite embrace. It has even been said that this could be done “for free”. This is not true! The offer was really “almost for free”.

If the course builder Tommy Brennan was still with us he could explain just how important that word almost can be. Speaking of Tommy, it comes to mind that there is no reason why Punchestown could not again host the International Horse Trials that it let slip from its grasp to Tattersalls a few years back.

HSI has no intention of running events like that at Greenogue. So, if Punchestown wants to once more embrace horse sport that is a way of doing it. Some breeding initiatives could be retained in Kildare as well.

But none of the alternatives being touted for HSI’s overall move to Greenogue are a patch on what is on offer there in terms of cost, facilities, freedom to adapt to the needs of HSI’s affiliates and instant availability.

Getting on with it

As I say, it is wonderful that such interest has been expressed in this initiative right from the halls of Government down to local level. Heartening indeed is the hint that HSI might benefit by being a semi-state body or that it might have enjoyed a share of the large scale sport infrastructure grant scheme. This is something that HSI and the Government should explore.

That all sounds great! But right now it is time to end the debate and get the move to Greenogue going.