Horse Sport Ireland has secured a massive boost for next year’s RDS Horse Show with news that the Aga Khan Trophy will be part of a revamped FEI Nations Cup Series that will benefit from a four year €16 million sponsorship from the Saudi Equestrian Fund.
The series will now be known as the Furusiyya FEI nations Cup and Ireland has been confirmed as competing at the top level of European competition in a revived format that will generate a World final event for the first time.
Last year’s event in Dublin was the final leg of the eight event series and came hot on the heels of the Olympics.  Ireland went one better than the previous year when winning the event and securing their place at the top level of the sport.
The RDS event has been taking place since 1864 when riders competed for a prize fund of less than €1,000.  Last year that figure had risen, with the support of Discover Ireland to just short of €1 million.  The new deal with the Saudi Equestrian Fund will see that figure breached in 2013.
“This is a truly historic occasion”, FEI President HRH Princess Haya told the FEI Congress in Istanbul this week.
“We have transformed a historic series and modernised it, without losing the fabulous tradition that dates back over 100 years. Now we have a series that will really catch the imagination of sports fans and the attention of the world’s media. We’re ready to take on the top sports.
“This secures a strong future for the FEI Nations Cup, now the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. The Arabic word Furusiyya encompasses horsemanship, equestrian skills and knowledge, as well as chivalry.”
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