Dublin Horse Show expected to be worth more than €43m to local economy

The Dublin Horse Show is expected to inject more than €43 million into the local economy this week, with around 100,000 people due to attend the five-day event.

Organisers say the show will offer visitors more than just horses. There will be 300 shopping stands and a sizeable art and crafts exhibition.

RDS chief executive Michael Duffy said the show was originally held to promote the Irish horse industry, and that tradition will continue this year, as Irish breeders will be given "an international platform at which to showcase the very best of Irish-bred horses".

“This is the showcase event for Ireland’s equestrian tourism product, and gives us an opportunity to show that Ireland can successfully host major sporting events and it provides a wonderful experience for spectators and participants alike,” he added.

The five-day event which begins at the RDS on Wednesday will see more than 125 competitions taking place, including the Land Rover Puissance and the Aga Khan, for a total prize fund in excess of €940,000.

The Royal Dublin Society and Leinster recently announced they had agreed to redevelop their grounds from an 18,500 capacity into a 25,000 capacity stadium.

The budget for the build, which will involves demolishing the old Anglesea stand as well as putting additional seating beside the new stands, is €20 million.