Shergar quickly'"; another shareholder, Lord Derby, disagreed and said "if ransom money is paid for this horse, then there is a danger of other horses being kidnapped in the years to come – and that simply cannot be tolerated". The first phone call from the thieves was on the night Shergar was stolen; Fitzgerald was not back at Ballymany by that time, and had not had the chance to tell the news of the theft to anyone. The call was to Jeremy Maxwell, a horse trainer based in Northern Ireland. The caller demanded £40,000, although this figure was later raised to
Horse racing in Ireland in 1964 to further the interests of racecourses and represent their owners. Its membership comprises all Irish racecourses. The Irish Jockeys Association (IJA) represents jockeys in the industry, and is notable for running, in association with the Turf Club, the Irish Jockey's Trust, which supports jockeys and former jockeys in difficulty. The Irish Stablestaff Association (ISSA) lobbies for improved working conditions and pay for stable staff. Horse racing in Ireland Horse racing in Ireland is intricately linked with Irish culture and society. The racing of horses has a long history on the island, being mentioned in some of the earliest