It has come to our attention that certain Event Organisers (EOGs) have issued public statements regarding the withdrawal of events in the diary for the upcoming season.
Until now, we had refrained from advertising this matter with our members, as negotiations with those EOGs remain ongoing. However, due to the nature of the statements issued by certain EOGs both online and in the media, it has become necessary to outline Eventing Ireland’s (EI) position on this issue.
Certain EOGs, represented by Mr. Will Kearney of Frankfort Stud, have presented specific requests to EI which, if accepted, would significantly increase the costs borne by members attending these events. In an effort to avoid unnecessary disruption and to address their concerns, our Chair, Mr. Niki Potterton, entered into good-faith negotiations with Mr. Kearney.
During the course of these discussions, EI raised additional concerns regarding the organisation and management of events. Below, we provide a summary of the current status of these negotiations:
The Board of EI held a meeting last Wednesday 22nd January and these negotiations were on the Agenda. Given the nature of requests by EOGs it was determined that the issues that required to be canvassed with members and this would be done at a regional meeting on next Wednesday the 29th January.
It appears that the EOGs took exception to this because on the 23rd January, the EI office received at the same time requests from EOGs to withdraw their events. Those EOGs are:
- Lisgarvan
- Grove
- Clyda
- Crecora
- Frankfort Stud
- Scarteen
This was a shock to our Chair and immediate attempts to communicate with Will Kearney were ignored. When a meeting was suggested by the Chair for Monday 27th January, Mr. Kearney made it contingent on the eventing dates being removed. This appeared to the Board to be a negotiating tactic.
Notwithstanding, on Monday, 27th January, the EI Board sent a formal letter to Mr. Kearney inviting him to a meeting, and his response is still awaited. Regrettably, on the same day, a coordinated effort to share incorrect and misleading statements about the issues between EI and the EOGs was observed.
EI remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for our members while fostering positive relationships with the EOGs. We will continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders and will provide further updates as necessary, including any changes to the eventing diary.
ENDS
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