THE 1998 World Equestrian Games, rescued a fortnight ago by a £2 million sponsorship deal with Nissan Ireland, are going full steam ahead. The restructuring of the organising company, WEG Ireland Ltd, has produced a cost effective body which claims it can make the venture financially viable, even though the two, previous World Games - run in Stockholm in 1990 and the Hague two years ago, both lost money. There are still no details of the revised budget.
WEG Ireland had all but collapsed when Government funding was withdrawn in April, but the £2 million rescue package from Nissan resulted in the pledge last week of a further injection of £500,000 from the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Enda Kenny. Nissan's input is broken down into £1.6 million in cash and £400 in personnel and the supply of vehicles.
WEG Ireland is now seeking a further £1.4 million in subsidiary sponsorship, and claims to have a number of interested parties. The company also hopeful of further funding from Bord Failte through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) marketing programme.
Michael Stone, secretary general of the Irish Equestrian Federation, has been nominated chairman of the working group, dealing, with the six disciplines that will be run do, ring the two week Games show jumping, dressage and vaulting, which will be staged at the RDS, and three day eventing, carriage driving, and endurance riding, which, will be run at Punchestown. Final agreements with the venues is expected soon.
The company plans a European launch of the project at the Nations Cup show in Aachen, Germany, next weekend.
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