HORSE SPORT IRELAND LAUNCH DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SUPPORTED DAFM STUDBOOK SERIES FOR 2024

  • 20 March 2024, 10:28

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) are delighted to launch the DAFM Studbook Series for Eventing taking place in regions nationwide from April to September. This DAFM Studbook Series is gratefully supported with a total prize fund of €65,000 by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) under National Breeding Services.

Dates listed below, please note all entries are handled through Eventing Ireland:

Date Venue
Leg 1: Sunday 7th April Lisgarvan House (Co. Carlow)
Leg 2: Sunday 19th May Kilguikey (Co. Cork)
Leg 3: Sunday 16th June Ballindenisk (Co. Cork)
Additional leg: 4th August Hillcrest (Co. Limerick)
Leg 4: Sunday 18th August Tattersalls, (Co. Meath)
Leg 5 (FINAL): 7th September Venue to be announced

The 2024 series will be open to all young horses provided they registered in any studbook with a breed recorded. Horses with pedigree recorded and a breed listed ‘UNK’ are not eligible to participate or be in receipt of any prize funds. Please see DAFM Eventing Studbook Series Rules for more information.

The Studbook Series represents an opportune production series for young horses targeted toward a career in eventing, and participation for Irish studbooks in the World Breeding Federations for Sport Horses (WBFSH) young horse jumping Championships at Le Lion d’Angers.

In this series riders, breeders and owners will be rewarded for the breeding and production decisions through several class and league-based prizes. There will be a total prize fund of €65,000 for the series. Breeder’s prizes will be awarded for leading performance in each class and overall league results. There will also be a prize for the top mare and recognition and support for leading young riders in the form of league prizes.

Sonja Egan, PhD, Head of Breeding Innovation and Development commented on the launch:

“We are delighted to launch this years DAFM studbook Series to support the production of young event horses here in Ireland. This year, the series is open to horses registered in any studbook, and not restricted to DAFM classified horses only. This aims to encourage participation and wider production opportunities available to Irish producers.

Last year the weather presented a considerable challenge to the eventing season, and we have worked together with Eventing Ireland to ensure the series is conducted over a longer period of the season, with contingency in place, should we face similar difficulties.

We are very much looking forward to getting to the beginning of the series and wish all participants the very best of luck in the league.”