CastleMouse
Well-Known Member
From the HSI Website... http://www.horsesportireland.ie/news/455
FOLLOWING a board meeting yesterday afternoon (Thursday) Horse Sport Ireland has decided not to make a bid to host the World Equestrian Games in 2014.
Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Joe Walsh said that the decision was an acknowledgement of the changing fiscal climate and the need for Horse Sport Ireland to concentrate its resources on developing the sport.
Mr Walsh said that Horse Sport Ireland had a recent meeting with the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen T.D. At the meeting an initial feasibility study that had been prepared for Horse Sport Ireland by Mazars Consulting was discussed. From the report it was clear that substantial Government and commercial funding would be required to bring the games to Ireland.
"We had a very open discussion with the Minister and while we all agreed that hosting these games would be of great benefit to Ireland we cannot ignore the economic realities," he said.
"As the Governing Body for the sport we have to be prudent and be absolutely sure that the games would be viable. With the global economic downturn the risk factors in taking on a project like this have increased significantly in recent months. We all know what happened in 1998 and we cannot risk a repeat of that." he said.
Mr. Walsh said he wanted to thank Dr. Pearse Lyons, Global President of Alltech, for his generous offer to sponsor the Games.
"As an Irishman Dr Lyons really wanted to bring the games to Ireland. His offer to be the title sponsor of the games was extremely generous and it is unfortunate that the timing just isn't right," he said.
Mr. Walsh explained that with the London Olympics in 2012 occurring just two years before the World Equestrian Games, Horse Sport Irelands resources would be stretched on this, and in implementing the actions set out in its draft strategic plan.
He said that he was confident that Ireland would bid for the World Equestrian Games at some stage in the future and he said that the work done in assessing the feasibility of a bid on this occasion would stand to us at that time.
FOLLOWING a board meeting yesterday afternoon (Thursday) Horse Sport Ireland has decided not to make a bid to host the World Equestrian Games in 2014.
Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Joe Walsh said that the decision was an acknowledgement of the changing fiscal climate and the need for Horse Sport Ireland to concentrate its resources on developing the sport.
Mr Walsh said that Horse Sport Ireland had a recent meeting with the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen T.D. At the meeting an initial feasibility study that had been prepared for Horse Sport Ireland by Mazars Consulting was discussed. From the report it was clear that substantial Government and commercial funding would be required to bring the games to Ireland.
"We had a very open discussion with the Minister and while we all agreed that hosting these games would be of great benefit to Ireland we cannot ignore the economic realities," he said.
"As the Governing Body for the sport we have to be prudent and be absolutely sure that the games would be viable. With the global economic downturn the risk factors in taking on a project like this have increased significantly in recent months. We all know what happened in 1998 and we cannot risk a repeat of that." he said.
Mr. Walsh said he wanted to thank Dr. Pearse Lyons, Global President of Alltech, for his generous offer to sponsor the Games.
"As an Irishman Dr Lyons really wanted to bring the games to Ireland. His offer to be the title sponsor of the games was extremely generous and it is unfortunate that the timing just isn't right," he said.
Mr. Walsh explained that with the London Olympics in 2012 occurring just two years before the World Equestrian Games, Horse Sport Irelands resources would be stretched on this, and in implementing the actions set out in its draft strategic plan.
He said that he was confident that Ireland would bid for the World Equestrian Games at some stage in the future and he said that the work done in assessing the feasibility of a bid on this occasion would stand to us at that time.