Over 80 shows receive allocations under the Breeding Grant Initiative in 2024

Horse Sport Ireland chief executive Denis Duggan and Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD and Horse Sport Ireland head of breeding, innovation & development Dr Sonja Egan with DS Candescent to launch the Breeding Grant Initiative 2024. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

More than €500,000 will be awarded to 85 equestrian bodies, societies and organisations across the equestrian community in the 2024 Breeding Grant Initiative. This is a welcome 27% increase of shows funded when compared to 2023. Indeed, when applications for the Initiative opened in December 2023 over 100 applications were received, before the closing date in January 2024. Of the total 85 shows funded, 34% were new shows to the Breeding Grant Initiative.

The diversity of the allocation of funding is evident, with multiple breed societies and organisations around Ireland receiving funding for various shows throughout 2024. This funding will provide direct support to various activities in the sport horse industry.

Denis Duggan, CEO of Horse Sport Ireland said: “We are grateful to Minister McConalogue, and the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, for all their work and for ensuring that our applicants will receive the necessary funding for their events.

“As the governing body of equestrian sport in Ireland we maintain the unique position of supporting breeding and production through National Breeding Services, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.

“Breeding and production throughout the country provides the backbone of the industry and therefore it is crucial for us to be able to provide supports to breeders, studbooks and events, big and small. The Breeding Grant Initiative homes in on the breeding and production of young horses with opportunities for breeders and producers to produce and add value to their horses in every corner of Ireland”.

CLICK HERE to view a table of where the funding is being allocated, broken down into categories of date, organisation, funding awarded and county.

Breeding: 

DS Candescent (ISH) – 2018 gelding by Sligo Candy Boy (ISH) out of Largan Lady Cruise (ISH) by Cruising For Chics (ISH). Breeder: Liam Lynsky. Owner: Alyssa O’Neill and Deborah McCann.

Breeding Grant is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine under National Breeding Services, and delivered by Horse Sport Ireland.