Horse Sport Ireland and Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Launch €80,000 HSI Studbook Series – HSI Open Series to all Studbooks for first time

The road to the World Championships for young horses began this morning as Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) launched the 2022 HSI Studbook Series at the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown in Dublin.

Dr Sonja Egan, interim head of breeding, innovation and development, Horse Sport Ireland, holding the Irish Sport Horse, Danos Lola, with, from left, Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Denis Duggan, Chief Executive Officer, Horse Sport Ireland, and Joe Reynolds, Chairman, Horse Sport Ireland, during the Studbook Series Launch 2022 at the National Horse Sport Arena on the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin. (Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile)

For the first time, the competition is open to horses from all Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)-approved studbooks and with €80,000 in prizemoney on offer HSI are expecting a strong entry as crowds return for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HSI Studbook Series provides a platform for younger horses to compete and develop in classes for five, six and seven-year-olds and offers them an opportunity to progress towards competing at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, in the autumn.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D. joined HSI Chief Executive Denis Duggan, Interim Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development Sonja Egan, and HSI Board Chairman Joe Reynolds to announce the 2022 series, which begins this weekend and runs until late July, culminating in the finals taking place at Tattersalls in Co. Meath.

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, holding the Irish Sport Horse, Danos Lola,  during the Studbook Series Launch 2022 at the National Horse Sport Arena on the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin. (Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile)

Minister McConalogue said:

“I am very pleased to be here to help kick off this year’s Studbook Series, which has a major role to play in supporting and promoting equine breeding success through the industry as these young horses learn the ropes through competition.

“It is extremely important that we showcase these young horses, their breeders, riders, and owners because they are the bedrock for the industry as we look to create champions of the future, but also that those connected to them have their time to shine in the limelight.

“My Department is delighted to work alongside Horse Sport Ireland to help develop the sector and industry through initiatives like the Studbook Series. With the crowds back in as normal to watch these stars of the future it really promises to be an exciting event.”

Horse Sport Ireland Chief Executive Denis Duggan said:

“This year is the first time that the Studbook Series has been opened up to all of the DAFM-approved studbooks, not just the Irish Sport Horse.

“I am delighted that HSI have been able to open the competition up this year to horses from any DAFM-approved studbook within the age categories. Competitions, such as the Studbook Series, are great opportunities for all breeders, regardless of what book they have registered horses with to showcase their horses in competition.

“The equine industry is a thriving and vibrant industry, and I’m very pleased to open the series up to the other studbooks – I am hopeful now that this is the beginning of some exciting times ahead for the industry as a whole.”

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, holding the Irish Sport Horse, Danos Lola, with, from left, Joe Reynolds, Chairman, Horse Sport Ireland, Dr Sonja Egan, interim head of breeding, innovation and development, Horse Sport Ireland, and Denis Duggan, Chief Executive Officer, Horse Sport Ireland, during the Studbook Series Launch 2022 at the National Horse Sport Arena on the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sonja Egan, Interim Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development at HSI, added:

“This series represents an opportunity for breeders and producers nationwide to campaign Ireland’s Show Jumping champions of the future.

“This production initiative will support all DAFM-approved studbooks in the viewing, selection and campaigning of their respective top young Show Jumping horses for future international competition.

“The Studbook Series is designed in incremental stages to challenge young horses as they develop and gain experience throughout. It has been leveraged by Irish breeders, producers, and riders to successfully prepare and campaign Irish-bred show jumpers to compete on the world stage at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships in Lanaken, Belgium.

“Horse Sport Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine look forward to continuing to support all Irish breeders and producers to breed and produce the best horses in the world and would like to wish all competitors the very best of luck in the upcoming Horse Sport Ireland Studbook Series.”

The HSI Studbook Series begins this Saturday in Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, running until July 24^th and will take place in counties Wexford, Cavan, Westmeath, Mayo and Cork before the finals in Tattersalls, Co. Meath.

For entry details and all other information, see our webpage.

Notes:

Venues/Dates:

Classes for 5-year-old, 6-year-old and 7-year-old horses will be held at selected venues throughout Ireland listed below.

·         23^rd – 24^th April:               The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan

·         6th – 8th May:                  Barnadown Showjumping, Wexford

·         13th – 15th May:             Cavan Equestrian Centre, Cavan

·         2nd & 3rd June:                Mullingar International Horse Show, Westmeath

·         23rd – 24th June:             ArdChuain Equestrian Centre, Mayo

·         16th & 17th July:              Maryville Stables, Cork

·         23rd & 24th July:              Tattersalls (Final), Meath             

Entries:

Entries for all classes are on a pre-entry basis and must be made through the Showjumping Ireland online system; www.sjilive.ie. No other form of entry will be accepted. Please ensure your entries are made before close of entries as outlined in the show schedules and the SJI bulletin. Entries will open at 10am on the preceding Monday and close at 4pm on Thursday. Late entries will not be accepted.

Eligibility:

The Studbook Series is restricted to registered horses measuring above 148cm. Ponies, 148cm or below, are not eligible to compete. The 5-year-old, 6-year-old and 7-year-old classes are restricted to animals registered in a Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) Approved studbook and recorded as bred on the island of Ireland.

FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses, Lanaken 2022:

The FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Jumping Championship selection criteria will be published separately, on the Horse Sport Ireland website; www.horsesportireland.ie.

ENDS