IHRA Joint Sub-Committees meeting held in the Maldron Hotel, Portlaoise on Saturday 28th of September 2019,
prepared by David Sheehy
• The five year strategic plan for 2020-2024 will be launched on Friday, October 18, 2019 at the Charlton Airport Hotel. Rebecca Chapman from the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine will be in Attendance. All invites have been sent.
• A supplementary budget has been submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine for 2019.
• A one full day meeting dedicated to discussing our new Rule Book to be organised when racing has finished.
• It was recommended that stewards wear Hi Viz vests.
• Procedures for Stewards enquiries to be looked at and recommendations made. Integrity Committee
• It was recommended that the new warm up process be rolled out for all IHRA meetings in 2020 and for our remaining 2019 meeting where man power allows this to happen.
• 2020 – 3 Year Old Trotting Series. The Format, Sustaining Payment Dates & Prize Money Agreed. Notice will appear on IHRA site.
• 2021 – 3 Year Old Trotting Series. Sustaining Fee & Dates Agreed.
• The remaining Trotting Races for 2019 will race for a combined Prize Fund of approximately €115k.
• A discussion on Trainers not traveling to Annaghmore or Cork was held. Will be discussed further at next meeting.
• A subcommittee to be put in place for 2020 to manage prize money distribution.
• A discussion was held about horses not performing to there merits. Will be discussed further at next meeting where it’s hoped recommendations will be made to help eliminate the problem.
• The World Trotting Conference has been put off until such time that we have our own track and we can hold the complete conference.
• Recommended that a full time integrity person should be recruited for the 2020 season. How this will be funded to be discussed at next meeting.
• Ways to have Draft Race Card published earlier was discussed & it’s hoped can be implemented for week beginning Oct 7th.
• Whip Rule was discussed and it was re-enforced to Committee Members about the serious public perception to the use of whip. Agreed to discuss further at next meeting.
This concluded the business of the meeting
