New commissaires are training this weekend to officiate at races big and small nationwide
By Brian Canty
One of the country’s top commissaires, Gary McIlroy has said he is satisfied with the number of applicants attending a two-day course this weekend in the hope of qualifying as a commissaire to officiate at races in the coming months and years.
McIlroy, who has officiated at some of the biggest domestic races in the last number of years including the National Championships and the An Post Rás, said the interest shown was very promising in addressing the shortfall in many regions across the country.
Leinster, he said, was the province that had the least number of commissaires but there had been the biggest proportion of applicants from that province.
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“It’s been good. We’re happy with the number of people who’ve applied. Hopefully they can all get qualified to address the shortfall and take the workload off some of those who are depended on week-in week-out, for many months of the year.”
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“The applicants came from all over but we’re particularly happy because the biggest number came from Leinster,” he explained.
Though the course had initially been slated for last weekend, it was put back a week to facilitate those who expressed an interest.
On completion of the two-day course this weekend, attendees will become “trainee commissaires”. They will then attend races for a season – a minimum of four events – with a fully qualified colleague. Their activities will be logged and when their paperwork is later assessed, if they pass they become grade B commissaires for the following season.
For anyone who might have questions about becoming a commissaire in the future, they can email McIlroy at [email protected]
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