Horse Sport Ireland has secured High Court protection while facing severe financial distress, with an interim examiner appointed to restructure the organization and safeguard 47 full-time jobs. High Court judge Mr Justice Liam Kennedy appointed chartered accountant Joseph Walsh as interim examiner after barrister Arthur Cunningham presented the company’s petition on August 24, 2026.
High Court Protection and Financial Pressures
The petition was brought by the company’s directors following a board meeting on August 20, 2026, during which they retained Graham Kenny Solicitors for advice. Cunningham told the court that while Horse Sport Ireland was unable to pay its debts, an independent expert report prepared by Cormac Mohan of AAB Ireland concluded the national governing body could be saved through examinership. The company relies heavily on state backing, receiving €2.1 million in funding for 2026 alone from Sport Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Court proceedings revealed that the organization incurred software development costs totaling €1,581,995 as of June 2026, alongside ongoing obligations for payroll and pensions. The board stated that the financial crisis stems directly from the crystallization of a substantial legacy liability tied to defending a long-standing legal action brought by Studbook Development Ireland Limited, trading as Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, against HSI and other defendants.
Board Leadership and Governance Structure
The company was established in 2006 to serve as the centralized national governing body for the entire sport horse industry. The directors who listed their names in the petition proceedings are Kevin Smyth of Dublin, Allison Mercer of County Down, Susan Foley of Limerick, Karen Brosnan of Kildare, Pamela Byrne of Kildare, David Markey of Dublin, Robert Huey of County Tyrone, and Killian Carroll of Dublin.
Horse Sport Ireland holds official recognition from Sport Ireland, the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, the Federation Equestre Internationale, and Sport Northern Ireland. Despite the court-supervised rescue process, the organization confirmed it continues to operate while management engages with creditors, employees, and funding partners.
Examinership and Restructuring Process
Independent expert Cormac Mohan advised the court that the formulation and confirmation of a scheme of arrangement, paired with additional capital or continued support from Sport Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, offers a reasonable prospect of survival. The directors maintain that examinership provides the best opportunity to protect the enterprise, engage immediately with creditors across multiple jurisdictions, launch an investment process, and preserve current employment.
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