Inaugural meeting of Traditional Irish Horse Breeding Committee

The inaugural meeting of Traditional Irish Horse Breeding Committee was held at the HSI offices yesterday, 20^th April 2015.  The new Committee aims to develop and encourage the breeding of traditionally bred horses and consists of representatives from the Traditional Horse Breeding Association (TIHA) and the HSI Breeding Sub Board.

From 2015 all foals that are traditionally bred are being identified upon registration and will be recorded as ‘ISH (TIH)’ on their passports.  All TIH Irish Sport Horses are being recorded separately within the Studbook’s database.  TIH stallions have been identified in the new 2015 Stallion Book and the suffix (ISH) (TIH) is included on all HSI press releases which publicise the performances of traditionally bred Irish Sport Horses.

Over the coming months HSI will be identifying all TIH mares within the Irish mare herd and the Committee will be inviting the owners of such mares to attend regional meetings to discuss traditional breeding. Other initiatives which will feature highly on the Committee’s Agenda include opportunities to encourage traditional breeding through ‘Knowledge Transfer Equine (KTE)’, proposed research projects and ensuring that TIH horses are marketed through HSI’s new international marketing division to be headed by Elaine Hatton.