October Board Communication

Dear Members,

As you know, the Board of Eventing Ireland is currently undertaking a strategic review, in which many of you have already participated by attending one of our strategic sessions or completing the online survey. Your input in this process is greatly appreciated.

As part of this strategic review improvements in our Corporate Governance has already been identified as a key area. We have recently set up a Working Committee on this subject and are working on a full proposal to ensure our governance structures meet the required standards. As you can imagine, this is a comprehensive project that will take some time to do. In the interim, there are some practices that we are keen to adopt to ensure that all members are kept abreast of the work we are doing on your behalf. To this end, we have adopted a policy of a Board Report, which will be circulated after every Board Meeting, which will give you, our members, sight of the initiatives we are working on. This report will differ from the Minutes of the Board Meetings, which may include confidential information for Board Members only. Still, a Board Report is an excellent step to ensure transparency of the matters discussed at Board level. Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries or if, in fact, you would like to get involved at Committee level.

Please find attached our first Board Report from our meeting held on 31st October 2023.

The following is a summary of the Board meeting held on Wednesday 31 October 2023 at 5.30pm at the Keadeen Hotel Naas.

Regional / Committee Updates

• An update from regions and committees was circulated before the Board Meeting.

Constitution and Strategic Plan Updates

• Members had an online meeting on 4 October. Anne McFarland joined along with 20 other people. The session was interactive and positively received. Members requested another session on the Directors and Members Handbook, most likely in early December. Overall, consensus was reached on everything except the Board structure, which is still food for thought, and further discussion is required. We will meet the Regions next.
• The Board structure was discussed once again. All were reminded the Board’s role is one of Strategy and Risk while the office and sub-committees are at the operational level reporting to the Board.
• The Board approved the membership survey for the Strategic Plan. Responses will go directly to Teneo.
• The Board will meet Brian MacNeice in mid/end November to discuss the Draft Strategic Plan and the structure of Eventing Ireland. We will then meet the Regions with the draft plan.

Dates 2024

• The Dates Committee regrets that a suitable date was not  secured for an international date for Clonmahon House.  The Dates Committee and Board  hopes to succeed in the future.
• Possible venues discussed for the National Championships (two applied).
• Possible venues for Grassroots discussed (two applied).
• National Dates meeting scheduled for 1^st

Finance

• Eventing finances haven’t washed its face for a number of years – we’ve been issued grants that have kept us afloat.
• The Board reviewed a ‘rainy Ireland’ budget for 2024. Only 28 events ran in 2023 when 42 were scheduled; if this was repeated in 2024, EI would experience a large deficit. A ‘What If’ analysis was reviewed by the Board that allowed them to review the implications of levy, membership, or registration increases. An increase in entry levies was the least favourite. The most favoured option was an increase in membership and registrations with an increase in the number of events run throughout the year. The decision to review again when the number of 2024 events is known and insurance costs are known. We will also discuss this at the next Event Organiser’s meeting. The last membership/registration price increases were in 2018.

Insurance

• Alison Packman, Fleur Creed, Eamonn Egan and Patrick Moran met with our Insurance Brokers to discuss insurance costs for 2024. Insurance costs are in crisis, and we must look at every option. Howdens agreed to review and come back to us with options in mid-November.
• Alison is also talking to other organisations about their Insurance policies.

Health & Safety Statement & Checklist

• The Board approved the new H&S checklist, which was reviewed and approved by the Stewards Committee on 23 October. Olga Murphy, recommended by HSI and renowned across the equestrian industry, has worked closely with EI on this matter.
• The Health & Safety Statement was approved earlier in the year. These are ready to introduce to the Event Organisers at their next meeting.

Public Relations/Communications

• Sarah Love has offered some advice on Board Communications. A meeting is scheduled for 6 November.