Statement Issued On Behalf Of SJAI Chairman, Tony Hurley

At a meeting of the Show Jumping Association Executive in Dublin on Tuesday, September 24, it was decided that the North Wexford Show should retain the
Grand Prix status accorded to it as part of the 2002 Kerrygold Grand Prix League.

As this decision did not change the points awarded to riders who competed, Francis Connors remains the Kerrygold Grand Prix League Champion. However, the Executive was concerned that the initial allocation of the North Wexford Show had led to Conor Swail lodging an objection to the overall League result, in which he finished second.

It was decided because of the issue that arose in these exceptional circumstances, Conor Swail would be offered financial reward similar to that given to the League winner, by way of compensation for the misunderstanding that had arisen over the North Wexford Show. That offer has now been made to him in writing.

The SJAI Executive regrets that controversy of this nature has arisen over the Grand Prix League, but a most unusual year of adverse weather conditions had led to the cancellation of some Grands Prix, and of these, some were rescheduled at short notice. Some, however, did not reschedule, and became the victims of both bad weather in 2002 and Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001, and therefore did not run for two consecutive years.

In these circumstances, the Executive has decided that a special contingency plan will be drawn up before next year¹s Grand Prix League, so that further disruptions caused by either exceptional weather conditions, or disease, can be dealt with in a more structured way, to maintain goodwill with show organisers, competing riders, and sponsors.

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