EFI move on SJAI request

Equestrian News: The Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) has risen to the challenge set by the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) and is set to take over the management and selection of all international teams.

The federation had already taken over the selection of international senior and developmental teams on an interim basis in January, but on Tuesday the SJAI mandated the federation to take over every aspect of international affairs in a letter personally delivered by the association's national chairman.

Following an SJAI executive meeting on Monday night, Patricia Furlong took a letter to the federation headquarters in Kill, Co Kildare, on Tuesday afternoon asking that the EFI "embrace and manage the training and selection of all teams from ponies, juniors, young riders, through to the senior teams, including amateurs".

According to a statement issued by the SJAI, the move was made "to ensure fragmentation of our sport is avoided".

The SJAI's acting director general Liz Pottie told The Irish Times yesterday no response had been received from the federation, but EFI secretary general Dan Butler stated the federation would be reviewing the letter's contents and acting on them.

"We're going to move on with it," he said yesterday. "We're looking to see what's a realistic budget, see what the shortfall is and then make a case to the Sports Council."

The federation disbursed €180,000 in Sports Council grants to the SJAI last year, specifically earmarked for international funding. Over €200,000 has been made available for funding international show jumping in 2006 and the federation will now retain that to finance its new role.

Training schemes will still be run under the auspices of the SJAI, according to Liz Pottie.

The SJAI has another issue to face, with the lease on its offices in the Goffs complex in Kill, Co Kildare, due to expire at the end of June. No new premises have been found yet and the association is still without a director general.