Trotting Is a Globally Recognised Sport Across 31 Countries and an Industry Valued at 13

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INTRODUCTION

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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

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TROTTING IS THE LARGEST HORSE RACING SPORT IN MAINLAND EUROPE – BIGGER THAN THOROUGHBRED RACING

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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

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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 ROAD-RACING SOCIAL ISSUES

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.