HRI 2020 Budget Approved

[Wandering Eyes]

The 2020 budget for Horse Racing Ireland was approved by the organization’s board on Dec. 16, HRI announced. Prizemoney, integrity and equine welfare, industry training and education and broadening the interest of the sport with a nationwide advertising campaign in 2020 are the priorities, as is staff recruitment. The details of the 2020 budget include:

• prizemoney will increase by €1.7 million to €68 million, with the higher purses going toward key festivals and major races-€500,000 specifically set aside to boost prizemoney among 20 Group 2s and Group 3s, as well as seven extra fixtures next term
• integrity and welfare spend will exceed €15.5 million with €9.2m going toward integrity support costs like IHRB integrity running costs, anti-doping, EFU & integrity security; €200,000 has been set aside for equine welfare promotion like the Irish Horse Welfare Trust and the Irish Equine Centre through both HRI and Foal Levy-funded grant aid, as well as an equine welfare function within HRI
• HRI will conduct a nationwide TV and digital advertising campaign to broaden the interest and appeal of racing; while the goal of having free wifi at all racecourses is almost complete; the Racecourse Marketing Support grants have been reduced to €180,000 (-50%)
• industry training and education continues to be a major budget point, with HRI increasing funding allocation to RACE for its Exercise Rider Programme and lengthening the course to 12 weeks from six; also there will be a mobile training unit with simulators for skills development of work riders among the suite of services offered by RACE
• increasing and retaining owners sees further funding for the trainer marketing support scheme, owner racecourse days, the Trainer Open Morning, and continued development of a CRM system. There will also be podcasts, roadshows and a new members’ club in an effort to increase the pool of owners for all levels of the industry
• Grants of €1.32 million and €1.095 million were approved for the Irish Equine Centre and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing respectively, both of which also receive funds from the Thoroughbred Foal Levy (€900,000 and €450,000)
• There will be no change to funding levels in point-to-points for 2020. Prizemoney and administration grants to Hunts will remain at 2019 levels.
• Tipperary is the preferred location for a second all-weather track (AWT) the HRI Board agreed, but there is no funding in place at present for the project. No formal approval can be given at this stage and the plan will need to be submitted for re-consideration by HRI’s Evaluation Committee once HRI capital grant aid is available and Tipperary Racecourse has sourced their required funding, with options to be explored by Tipperary in this regard. If a funded proposal has not been approved by HRI by the end of June 2021, then Tipperary’s status as the preferred location will cease and fresh applications for a second AWT may be sought from other potential venues at that point.

“The 2020 budget for the industry is extremely tight and while we have been able to fund the increased fixture list, there have been cutbacks or standstill situations in other areas,” Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh said in a statement. “The basis for funding the industry in the future lies in the increased yield which is now being generated from betting tax which is expected to generate close to €100m in revenue this year.

“The HRI board has aligned its spend in 2020 with its strategic priorities for the industry. However the reality is that a number of important capital projects such as the Irish Equine Centre redevelopment, the development of a second All-Weather Track and a new racecourse capital development scheme, are on hold due to the lack of certainty around the longer term funding of the industry.

“The Government has been clear that Budget 2020 was a standstill budget, written under the threat of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit. The recent general election result in the United Kingdom at least removes some uncertainty in that regard and should allow us to move on to discuss the future trade relationship and make plans accordingly.

“In these circumstances, it is vital that the interests of the racing and breeding industry, which exports over 60% of its annual output, are protected and the HRI budget for 2020 aims to do that.”

For the full details of the 2020 budget, go to www.hri.ie.

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