North Wales MS Mark Isherwood is calling on the Welsh Government to allow indoor riding arenas to be reopened.
Mr Isherwood has been contacted by a number of equestrian businesses in North Wales which are frustrated that they are still unable to make use of their indoor schools, despite indoor riding centres in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland having already reopened.
Mr Isherwood put forward their case in two separate letters to the First Minister earlier this month, but received the same disappointing response to both from Mark Drakeford’s office stating: “We have passed it on to colleagues who are dealing with the review of lockdown measures so your constituent's views can be taken into account.”
Mr Isherwood said:
“These businesses are suffering financially and deserve a detailed response from the First Minister explaining why they are unable to open currently and outlining exactly when opening will be allowed.
“As Mike Mullis, Flintshire-based Chairman of British Dressage Wales, outlined ‘I can fully understand the Welsh Government's view of the risk of transmission posed by indoor sports facilities, but I would argue the science will show our indoor riding arenas do not pose the same risk due to their size and lack of people inside. I believe in all honesty that they do not understand the difference between an Indoor Riding School and a Sports Hall’.
“The ‘Covered Arena Report’ produced by British Dressage (BD) Wales states that ‘the equine bodies have produced risk assessments to enable their centres and coaches to decide whether their covered arena is suitable for use at this point’ and ‘Due to excellent ventilation, stringent biosecurity in BD approved facilities and the sheer size of arenas (providing a large space for each individual) covered arenas are a very low risk environment for the transmission of Covid’.
“Another constituent, who runs an Equestrian Centre near my home in Flintshire, and just 5 miles from the English border, wrote to me calling for indoor riding arenas in Wales to not be categorised as indoor sports facilities, ‘because in all other British nations, horse riders can ride in an indoor arena (built rather like a huge supermarket)’ and this ‘is an issue that is simply killing my business’.”
Mr Isherwood added: “Only today I have been contacted by a constituent from Denbighshire who competes at dressage at local competitions and is desperate to know when riders will be allowed to compete in indoor arenas again. As she states: ‘Competing at dressage involves one horse and rider alone in the indoor arena. The door is opened by a steward and then the horse and rider go back to their horsebox and go home awaiting the results on line. This is so safe’.”
“It is grossly unfair and illogical that although these facilities have been allowed to reopen in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, no indication has been given as to when they can reopen here. Welsh riders from all disciplines are being put at a huge disadvantage and I therefore call on the Welsh Government to urgently review its stance on this.”