Update from the EGM/AGM
The Eventing Ireland EGM and AGM took place at the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone on 12th March with 31 voting members in attendance and 75 online.
The EGM was held to pass three resolutions:
- To replace the 2013 IHTS Constitution and adopt the new Constitution discussed with the membership at online meetings held on 4 October 2023 and 11 January 2024.
- To adopt the new Rules of the Constitution under the Registry of Friendly Societies in place of the existing Constitution.
- To adopt and approve the new Constitution that will become effective when the CLG is in place.
The voting was done both online and in person and the votes were checked and verified by our Auditor, Dermot McMahon.
The results were presented at the end of the meeting with all three resolutions passed.
Steps are now underway to become a CLG. Thank you to everyone who either voted or attended the meeting either online or in person.
Nominations Committee
In respect of the Nominations Committee, the Terms of Reference has been drawn up and the skillsets of the existing Board identified. This enables us to align the composition of the new Board with the specific needs and requirements of our organisation.
Eventing Ireland will host an online meeting at 7pm Wednesday 8th May to discuss the Terms of Reference and formation of the Nominations Committee. All members welcome to attend and contribute.
To receive the meeting invite, please RSVP to [email protected]
Meeting with the Event Organisers
Members of the Board and the General Manager met with international and national event organisers. Several topics were discussed:
- An agreement with the Event Organisers and Eventing Ireland
- Insurance
It was decided that the Event Organisers would convene a meeting between themselves to discuss and refine their proposals before presenting them to the Board for further review. The ongoing dialogue is a welcome addition to our structure and reflects positive progress. It demonstrates our commitment to collaborative communication for the advancement of our sport and we appreciate the time and effort being made by all parties.
HSI and HP Training Plan and Budget
The EI Board is prioritising transparency regarding the High Performance (HP) Training Budget and has requested clarification from HSI regarding its allocation. The 2:1 funding model has been matched and for 2024 only, as it is Olympic year, EI is giving HSI €95k. We are very aware that members money is funding High Performance training and competing and are actively engaged in tracking and understanding the allocation of these resources.
Eventing Ireland made its nominations to HSI in respect of their new Constitution looking for EI representation on the Coaching and Education Advisory Forum (1 place, 2 nominations), the High-Performance Sports Advisory Forum (2, two nominations) and the Recreation and Leisure Advisory Forum (1 place, 2 nominations). Eventing Ireland will be notified shortly to see if the candidates are successful. Nominations were sought for both male and female representatives to ensure gender balance on the HSI Board.
Financial
Eventing Ireland is currently making a loss of approximately €80k. It was noted that if we hadn’t received Covid grant funding over the past two years from HSI, we would be in a very different position. The Admin and Finance Committee, along with other committees are looking at ways to help bridge this deficit going forward.
National Championships and Grassroots Championships
Kilguilkey House will host the National Championships being held from 7-8 September this year.
The Grassroots Championships will be held at Ballindenisk, and a title sponsor has been agreed. Date and sponsor will be announced in due course.
Owners and Breeders Association
The Irish Event Horse Owners Association officially launched at Ballindenisk International. There will be a membership fee to the association but in return they will receive discounts for saddlery, feed etc. There is still some work to be done but if any owner or breeder would like to join, the cost is €100 and membership can be made HERE.
Under 25 Nations Cup
Eventing Ireland is in discussions with other nations to discuss the possibility of running an U25 Nations Cup from 2025. It is hoped the competition will be at CCI3*S level and will be a stepping stone for those looking to step up to senior level and get more experience competing overseas.
This is work in progress and more information will be communicated in due course.
Board Award
For the first time ever, the Youth Committee was awarded the Board Award. This was accepted by members of the Youth Committee in attendance (Kieran Connors, Fleur Creed, Sharon O’Connor and David Nestor)
Volunteers
We are struggling with volunteers at every event all over the country and every week there has been a call out for help. We have distributed a survey and kindly request the participation of all members. Additionally, we will soon be launching a recruitment campaign for volunteers. Please note that membership requires individuals aged 18 and over to volunteer at one event in the south and three events in the north. Your involvement is crucial to the success of our organisation, and we appreciate your cooperation in fulfilling these requirements.
In light of recent weather-related cancellations, we aim to prevent future event cancellations due to volunteer shortages. We urge members to demonstrate their support for Eventing Ireland by volunteering through their membership page. Your commitment to giving just one day of your time to contribute to the sport is invaluable and greatly appreciated. Let’s work together to ensure the success and continuity of our events.
Marketing and Sponsorship Committee
The Marketing and Sponsorship Committee continues to work hard behind the scenes to get sponsorship for our sport. So far, the Committee has secured sponsorship for the Youth Leagues from Kentucky Horseware and Amateur League Sponsorship from Childeric.
Connolly’s RED MILLS has committed to sponsor the OBP League again for 2024. Treo Eile is back on board to sponsor the highest place Thoroughbred horse. We are delighted with the support from all our invaluable sponsors.
National Training Committee
Work is being done from the Committee to put on training in all regions in the country. The recent Geoff Curran show jumping clinic was well received.
Please keep an eye on the website for scheduled training events. If there is any training you would like us to consider, please contact a member of the National Training Committee.
Launch of the Strategic Plan
Over the past year, members have had the opportunity through face-to-face meetings, online meetings and survey to have their say on the Eventing Ireland Strategic Plan.
We are delighted to announce that an online meeting to launch the Strategic plan will take place on Tuesday 30 April at 7pm. Again, we encourage your attendance.
Please RSVP to [email protected] to receive the link to the event.
