Equine

In the days before mechanisation, horses were an essential part of farming in Ireland. For example, in 1939, it was estimated that over 350,000 horses worked on Irish farms.

Today, horses are kept for breeding or for pleasure, or usually a combination of both. There are three main sectors to the horse industry on Ireland’s farms – racing, breeding and equestrian sports.

Despite its small size, Ireland holds a pre-eminent position in thoroughbred racing and breeding and in the equestrian world.

The Irish bloodstock breeding and racing industry is of major national importance in terms of employment (especially in rural areas) as well as in exports and tourism. The industry is worth hundreds of millions of euro of economic activity, sustaining jobs and a national network of racecourses, trainers, breeders and farms with an enviable skills base.

Irish horses are in demand worldwide, with exports to 40 countries. A long tradition of skilled horsemanship is a key reason, as is the fact that our limestone soils provide ideal grazing for healthy equine bone growth. Tax incentives for stallion farms introduced in 1969 helped encourage major investment in stud operations.

Some key attributes of the sector include:

• Total population of around 96,000 horses in the border region of Ireland (Statista, 2019).
• Ireland recorded a population of t 34,821 thoroughbreds in 2016 (DAFM, 2017).
• Ireland is the third largest breeder of thoroughbreds in the world and the largest breeder of thoroughbreds in the EU.
• 9,381 thoroughbred foals were registered in 2016.
• Approximately 28,900 people are employed in the thoroughbred industry in Ireland (DAFM, 2017)..
• The value of Irish thoroughbred exports was an estimated €370m in 2016.

Irish owned and headquarted Coolmore (www.coolmore.com) has stud operations in Fethard, Co Tipperary, Kentucky USA and Australia. Their racing operation, Ballydoyle, in the hands of Aidan O’ Brien, is also a global leader in flat racing. Irish trainers such as Dermot Weld, John Oxx and Dermot Weld have also trained horses in Ireland to win at the highest level overseas.

Irish National Stud

The State owned Irish National Stud (www.irishnationalstud.ie) based at Tully in Co Kildare is a major tourist attraction, with some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous gardens to be found anywhere in the world. It is a working stud, with elite stallions available to breeders at commercial rates. The farm, purchased by Colonel William Hall Walker at the turn of the 20th century, helps Ireland retain its global leadership position in thoroughbred horse breeding. Each year, over 115,000 visit the farm and its exhibits. In May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II, a noted horse breeder, visited the farm during her historic State visit.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Irish National Stud
Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Irish National Stud

The State owned Irish National Stud (www.irishnationalstud.ie) based at Tully in Co Kildare is a major tourist attraction, with some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous gardens to be found anywhere in the world. It is a working stud, with elite stallions available to breeders at commercial rates. The farm, purchased by Colonel William Hall Walker at the turn of the 20th century, helps Ireland retain its global leadership position in thoroughbred horse breeding. Each year, over 115,000 visit the farm and its exhibits. In May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II, a noted horse breeder, visited the farm during her historic State visit.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Enlarge image

Horse Racing Ireland

Horse Racing Ireland (www.goracing.ie) are responsible for the Thoroughbred sector. Their mission statement is “to develop and promote Ireland as a centre of excellence for horse racing and breeding”.

Breeding horses and ponies for a range of equestrian sports is also an important part of farming in Ireland. Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) (www.horsesportireland.ie) is the governing body for equestrian sports in Ireland.

HSI operates the Irish Horse Register, which encompasses the Irish Sport Horse Studbook and the Irish Draught Horse Studbook. There are also other studbooks operating in the non-thoroughbred sector, including the famous Connemara Pony Society (www.cpbs.ie/), the Kerry Bog Pony Co-op Society (www.kerrybogpony.ie), the Irish Cob Society (www.irishcobsociety.com), the Irish Piebald & Skewbald Association, Miniature Horse and Pony Society of Ireland and the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland.

The Dublin Horse Show (www.dublinhorseshow.com) is held in the Royal Dublin Society each August and provides a major shop window of the best of Ireland’s equestrian talent.