Horse Sport Ireland announces 2016 foal returns

Horse Sport Ireland is pleased to declare details of the foal registrations for the 2016 foal crop. Total registrations in the Irish Horse Register for 2016 stands at 4,968 foals. The figures show an increase of more than 500 foal registrations over the 2015 figures.

The numbers of foals registered in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook is up from 3,894 in 2015 to 4195 in 2016 (a 7.7% increase). The foal registrations in the Irish Draught Horse Studbook showed a dramatic increase of 45%, from 508 in 2015 to 740 in 2016. The Irish Sport Pony Studbook foal registrations stands at 33 for the second year running.

Alison Corbally, Horse Sport Ireland Director of Breeding and Programmes highlighted the new pony registration incentive of €30, including parentage verification through DNA, for Irish Sport Pony studbook animals for 2017.

“This discount rate was announced recently by the HSI Breeding sub Board, in an effort to boost the number of performance ponies being registered in a studbook and providing their breeder’s with formal recognition.”

The number of Identity Documents (or white books) for foals born with partial or no breeding is down by 50 to 816 registrations. Alison Corbally further stated “The level of foals being registered without recorded pedigree continues to be a source of concern. Breeders should be aware of the sire and dam of their foal, and opting for a white book devalues their foal and results in a substantial loss in information to the studbook and to breeding industry in general.”

A notable trend detected on close examination of the figures going back over the last four years is that the number of younger mares being bred is declining. In 2013 18 % of foals were from dams six-years-old or younger; in 2016 this had reduced to 14%. This would indicate that perhaps owners are selling their young mares. While owners, must have regard to the commercial aspect of their enterprise, it is also important to maintain a balance by ensuring they retain high quality replacement stock for the future.

The detailed breakdown of the figures are shown in the attached tables HERE