(SLIDE 1)
INTRODUCTION
(SLIDE 2)
TROTTING IS A GLOBALLY RECOGNISED SPORT ACROSS 31
COUNTRIES AND AN INDUSTRY VALUED AT 13 BILLION EUROS
IT IS A HORSE RACE WITH THE HORSE PULLING A SULKY WITH A
DRIVER RUN AT RECOGNISED RACETRACKS
FRANCE IS THE LARGEST COUNTRY FOR TROTTING AND OTHER
SIZEABLE TROTTING TERRITORIES INCLUDE NORTH AMERICA,
SWEDEN AND AUSTRALIA. FRANCE AND AUSTRALIA IN PARTICULAR
LOOK TOWARD THIS SPORT MORE FOR THE RURAL COMMUNITY
(SLIDE 3)
TROTTING IS THE LARGEST HORSE RACING SPORT IN MAINLAND
EUROPE – BIGGER THAN THOROUGHBRED RACING
(SLIDE 4)
THE IRISH HARNESS RACING ASSOCIATION IS THE GLOBALLY
RECOGNISED GOVERNING BODY REPRESENTING IRELAND AND AN
ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF TROTTING
THE EUROPEAN UNION OF TROTTING IS THE COLLECTIVE GROUP OF
TWENTY MEMBER STATES ACROSS EUROPE. IRELAND IS CURRENTLY
AT OBSERVER STATUS AND HAS UNDER GONE AN AUDIT TO BE
ELEVATED TO FULL MEMBER STATUS. WE WILL LEARN OF THE UET’S
DECISION LATER IN THE YEAR
(SLIDE 5)
THE IHRA IS NOT ROAD OR SULKY RACING
OUR RACES MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED AT RECOGNISED
RACETRACKS AND OFFICIATED UNDER THE FULL GOVERNANCE OF
INTERNATIONAL TROTTING RULES AND STANDARDS
WE BELIEVE WE MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIT IN THE CURRENT ROADRACING SOCIAL ISSUES
(SLIDE 6)
FOCUSING ON FRANCE
IN FRANCE TODAY THE SPORT HAS DEVELOPED WITH MORE THAN
230 INDIVIDUAL TRACKS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY MOSTLY IN
RURAL TOWNS
FOR THE FRENCH THIS IS A SPORT WITH ITS BASE BEING IN THE
RURAL COMMUNITY AND UNLIKE THE THOROUGHBREDS IT IS THE
DISTRICT FARMER AND HIS WIFE WHO HAVE A HORSE OR TWO TO
RACE
YES THERE ARE BIG OWNERS AND STABLES BUT EQUALLY
IMPORTANT IS THE SMALLER PARTICIPANT PRIMIARILY FROM RURAL
COMMUNITIES
FOR FRANCE THE INDUSTRY IS WORTH MORE THAN 6 BILLION EUROS
IN DIRECT ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND IS THE GENERATOR OF MORE
THAN 60,000 DIRECT JOBS
(SLIDE 7)
BOTH THROUGHBRED AND TROTTING CAN STAND SIDE-BY-SIDE AND
BOTH GROW AN ECONOMY
THOROUGHBRED AND TROTTING SHARE RACECOURSE FACILITIES IN
MOST COUNTRIES AND HOLD MEETINGS ON THE SAME DAY AND
FREQUENTLY ALSO THE SAME RACE CARDS. THIS IS GLOBALLY.
(SLIDE 8)
THE USE OF IRISH THROUGHBRED RACETRACKS IN IRELAND IS BEING
PREVENTED BY HORSE RACING IRELAND. THEY ARGUE ON THE BASIS
OF WELFARE, TRACK AND COMPETITION. ALL ARE HOLLOW AND
FLAWED ARGUMENTS
(SLIDE 9)
THE IHRA WAS ABLE TO CONDUCT A MEETING AT DUNDALK
THOROUGHBRED RACETRACK AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. IT WAS
HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND ONLY ADDED TO THE STANDING FOR IRISH
TROTTING WITH INTERNATIONAL GUESTS IN ATTENDANCE
THIS RACE MEETING ALSO FURTHER ENHANCED THE PROSPECTS FOR
IRELAND BECOMING A FULL MEMBER OF THE UNION OF EUROPEAN
TROTTING AND SHOWCASED THE POTENTIAL FOR IRISH TROTTING
TO EXPORT ITS RACES THROUGH PICTURE SALES
(SLIDE 10)
THE IHRA HAS ENTERED INTO A MENTORING PROGRAMME WITH
THE FRENCH GOVERNING BODY LE-TROT WHERE HORSES WILL BE
PURCHASED AT A SUBSIDISED RATE, PRIZEMONEY CONTRIBUTIONS
AMOUNTING TO +150,000 EUROS ARE PAID AND EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE OFFERED
(SLIDE 11)
IMPORTANTLY THERE IS THE SCOPE FOR IRISH TROTTING TO BE
EXPORTED TO FRANCE WHERE COMMISSIONS PAYABLE WILL
AMOUNT TO 50,000 EUROS PER RACE MEETING. THOROUGHBREDS
DO NOT RECEIVE ANY WHERE NEAR THAT AMOUNT OF EXPORT
MONEY FROM MARKETS OUTSIDE OF THE UK.
AND IT IS NOT JUST EXPORTING TO FRANCE. THERE ARE OTHER
POTENTIAL EXPORT MARKETS
(SLIDE 12)
ADDITIONALLLY WE HAVE AN IRISH HORSE WHO IS CURRENTLY IN
AUSTRALIA FOR THE RICHEST SERIES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
THE INTER-DOMINION. IN 1993 THE IRISH THOROUGHBED VINTAGE
CROP WAS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL HORSE TO TRAVEL TO
AUSTRALIA TO PARTICIPATE AND WIN THE MELBOURNE CUP. NOW
ANOTHER IRISH HORSE MEADOWBRANCH DJ HAS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ACHIEVE SIMILAR SUCCESS. THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN HIM
BEING THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL HORSE TO RACE IN THIS SERIES.
THE THREE HEATS AND FINAL WILL TAKE PLACE IN PERTH DURING
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
(SLIDE 13)
AS NOTED THE IHRA HAS NO ASSOCIATION WHATSOEVER WITH
ROAD RACING. EUROPE DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. ONE
REASON FOR THIS IS THE STRENGTH OF THE EUROPEAN TROTTING
INDUSTRY. THE SPORT IS OFFERED IN MANY RURAL TOWNS AND IS
PRESENTED UNDER THE GOVERNANCE OF TROTTING RULES WITH
PRIZE-MONEY AND BETTING OPPORTUNITIES
(SLIDE 14)
BY SUPPORTING THE IHRA ROAD RACERS CAN BE INTEGRATED TO
HAVE ACCESS TO RACE AT TRACKS WITH PRIZEMONEY UNDER THE
RULES OF RACING GOVERNENCE WITH BETTING OPPORTUNITIES
(SLIDE 15)
ON TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER THE BUDGET WAS HANDED DOWN. THE
THOROUGHBRED AND GREYOUND RACING INDUSTRIES SAW A
COMBINED INCREASE OF 9% OR SIX MILLION EUROS.
IN ADDITION THE TRAVELLING COMMUNITY RECEIVED AN INCREASE
OF 27% TO 2.7 MILLION EUROS FOR ADVANCING HORSE PROJECTS
FOR URBAN AND TRAVELLER HORSE OWNERS.
THE IHRA REQUESTED A TOTAL OF JUST 375.000 EUROS FOR
DEVELOPMENT AND VERTERINARY ISSUES.
THE IHRA WAS ALLOCATED ZERO.
(SLIDE 16)
THE IHRA IS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING ONE OF THE KEY
COUNTRIES WITHIN THE GLOBAL TROTTING INDUSTRY
THIS WILL OCCUR THROUGH DEVELOPING EXPORT MARKETS FOR
IRELAND AND CREATING OTHER INDUSTRIES AND JOBS IN IRELAND
INCLUDING BREEDING AND INTERNATIONAL TOTE BETTING
TROTTING HUB
AND YET NOT ONE EURO APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN FOUND TO ASSIST
IN DEVELOPING THIS INDUSTRY FOR IRELAND WHERE WE CAN
PRODUCE REAL DIRECT ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
(SLIDE 17)
THE IHRA IS SEEKING FUNDING FOR ONGOING BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING FOR VETERINARY NEEDS AND LONGER
TERM FUNDING TO DEVELOP DEDICATED TRACKS FOR TROTTING
WE ARE HOPEFUL OUR POSITIVE AND SELF-GENERATED PROGRESS
WILL BE NOTED AND ACTED UPON.