Cr Irvine said the Showground Trust was not eligible for any of the Federal Government grant money, and he could not understand why there was so much protest regarding the decision.

“The Showground is owned by the Department of Lands and therefore the $500,000 that was given by the Federal Government can not be given to it as part of the strict conditions on its use.

“The Equine Council has been set up for about 20 years along the same line as the Sports Council to ensure all stakeholders can have a say about the development of a designated area for equestrian activities.

“When the subject of this money came up, the Equine Council met all of the criteria and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get things off the ground.”

Cr Irvine said the idea of the Equine Council was to take baby steps and create an area for the future.

“At the moment all we want to do is put up a shed and prepare an area of the designated area for people to use as a practice area.

“We aren’t planning anything major at the moment, we just want to have an area everyone can use regardless of what is happening at the Showground, we aren’t in any kind of competition with them.”

The Equine Council and the Equestrian Centre are owned by the ratepayers of Inverell and anyone can use it Cr Irvine said.

“Our ultimate goal is to have designated areas for which ever disciplines want to use the area, so a permanent area for show jumping, barrel racing and anyone else who can benefit.”