Trish Dodd, David Dodd, and Ronan Corrigan, chairman of the Showjumpers Club.
Following last nights successful Industry Awards Ball at the K Club in Kildare, we would like to once again extend our thanks to the Irish Sport Horse Industry Awards In association with TheraPlate Ireland for giving us a the opportunity to share our progress with everyone.
For those who weren’t in attendance, we have shared a portion of the speech which was given below. This highlights some of the goals we are currently working towards and our overall mission as a foundation.
The Jack Dodd Foundation has a clear mission of guiding riders towards improving performance development through their growth as individuals, not just as athletes. We are currently building an extensive network of professionals from a range of industries, namely: Health and Nutrition, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and many more. Therefore what we are currently operationalising is, in essence, the formation of a global online database. The profiles and contact information for these professionals will be available free of charge for anyone who accesses our website. We hope to be able to share this with you within the next 6 weeks. The foundation's goal is to create a sense of community, encouraging riders to help one another and balance their strengths and weaknesses through the sharing of information.
We cannot leave here this evening without also talking about our other two roles: our fund and our charity support. The Jack Dodd Foundation fund will be available to riders and their families in times of need, where unforeseen injury occurs. We were very fortunate to be surrounded by an extensive and generous network of individuals in the duration of Jack’s battle and believe it is important to be able to use this experience to give back to the equestrian community. Further, the Jack Dodd Foundation is also a regular supporter of three charities which were integral to Jack’s own battle. The Irish Kidney foundation, a cause close to our hearts that facilitates organ donations in Ireland, The Showjumpers Club, Injured Riders Fund, which needs little introduction in this room, and lastly, The Brain Battle Fund at Maastricht University Hospital.
At its core, the Jack Dodd Foundation aims to be the voice at the end of the phone that Jack was to his friends and family. By taking a multi-level approach, we hope to be able to create a one-stop shop for riders facing any uncertainties, whether it be in their professional or personal lives, ensuring they always have someone to contact about any troubles they may encounter throughout the duration of their careers. By opening our doors, we hope to encourage others to open theirs, and pave the way to a heightened community and network.
