'An absolute nightmare' - insurance crisis has Irish pony racing in deep trouble

The future of Ireland's pony racing circuit, where Rachael Blackmore and Colin Keane began their careers, hangs in the balance due to an insurance crisis described as "an absolute nightmare" by those within the sport.

The current insurance partner has pulled the plug for the forthcoming season and a replacement has yet to be found. Indeed, a quote cannot even be obtained from anywhere.

An extension with the existing partner has been agreed for one month until June 4 at a cost of €2,115, but there is no cover after that date, which means the sport will have to stop.

Pony racing in Ireland is made up of regional associations which operate on a voluntary basis. There were between 28 and 32 racedays each year before the Covid-19 pandemic, with insurance costs amounting to €12,000.

Only 11 pony racing meetings were staged last year but the insurance cover rose sharply to €24,500, with Brexit blamed for such a significant rise.

Horse Racing Ireland provided the pony racing sector with a grant of €12,500 to help cover the rising cost of insurance last year and has agreed to do so again for 2022.

However, insurance companies are not even willing to provide the pony racing circuit with a quote for the remainder of the season and so the future of the sport is in deep trouble.

Blackmore, Keane, Charlie Swan, Jack Kennedy, Shane Foley, Jody Townend, Nina Carberry, Darragh O’Keeffe and Ben Coen are just some of the big names of Irish racing who began their careers on the pony racing circuit.

Antoinette Gallagher, from the Midlands Pony and Racing Club, explained the starkness of the situation.

Rachael Blackmore: the Grand National history-making jockey started out in pony racingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"We were told only one insurer was left in Ireland dealing with equines after Brexit, but that couldn't be true," she said.

"Point-to-point is still getting covered, the hunt is still getting covered, pony clubs are still getting covered. We are not being given a reason as to why we won't be covered now.

"We already have 30 meetings scheduled for this year, but up to June 4 we'll only be able to run three. We don't know where we stand after that and we just can't seem to get a straight answer.

"It's an absolute nightmare. It's never been this bad. Last year we struggled with the money but we said we’d do everything we could to raise money.

"We had dealings with HRI over the past two and a half years and thankfully they finally gave us a grant.

Antoinette Gallagher: pictured with Dylan Browne McMonagle, who rode more than 250 winners on the pony racing circuit

"This year they promised to give us the same amount, or maybe a bit more as the quote was very high, but we can't even get a quote now. We're in such a predicament."

Irish point-to-point racing was in a similar situation last year. It is insured under the policies of hunt committees, but they came together to raise a €1 million bond to maintain insurance policies and allow racing to continue.

Gallagher claimed a similar remedy was not possible for pony racing.

"We would never be able to do that," she said. "We find it hard enough to get sponsorship as it is because we don't get any government funding or any sports grant or anything like that."

Over the last few years, the pony racing community has developed a strong relationship with the Race Academy and Centre of Education (Race) in Kildare, and has seen many riders leave the pony racing circuit to join their ranks.

Gallagher said: "We've 20 more young beginners going to Race this Saturday and we already had two days at Race with 20 kids each day."

However, as riders cannot join Race until they are at least 16, the potential discontinuation of the pony racing circuit will leave many young riders with no racing experience and could see them give up the game altogether.

"Where does the future now lie for these kids?" Gallagher asked. "They can't go to Race until they’re 16, we've kids from the ages of 8-16. What happens to them now? What happens to all their ponies and horses?

Jack Kennedy: another leading jockey to have made a start to his career in pony racingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"We're having a beginners' race this year, which is for brand new jockeys, with 27 already entered for that, and we're also going to have a ladies' derby.

"This is the sport of choice for some of these kids. They don't play any other sport because they're so dedicated to horses. They're going to miss out now on all those exciting endeavours because of this."

The stars of the pony racing circuit graced the Curragh on October 10 last year when Kian 'Tubbs' McNally, son of trainer Ronan, partnered Where It Began to victory in one of the races on the day.

Plans are already in place for two similar racedays at the Curragh this season and a fixture at Listowel also booked in.

Gallagher said: "We're determined to make this an even better year, but now this has just thrown everything into chaos.

"We're always on about trying to promote kids' mental health and keep them in sport. You're taking away one vital sport for the majority of kids that come pony racing because once you're into horses, you don't have time for any other sport. That's the truth of it."

Read more:

Concerns over Irish pony racing's funding crisis heard in parliamentary meeting

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