WHILE the impact of Brexit generally is still a huge worry and a great unknown, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD was reminded of the significance of the special relationship that exists between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain in the equine sector at a meeting in Clane on Monday night.

The Irish National Stud chairman Matt Dempsey, and David Mongey, chairman of Punchestown Racecourse, spoke of the concerns among the racing, breeding and sport horse sectors.

The meeting was attended by a wide range of business and community leaders, including many from the three equine groupings. Brexit has very serious implications for the Irish thoroughbred racing and breeding industry and the Taoiseach was asked that the concerns of the sector are taken into account in any negotiations on the matter.

Britain is the main market for Irish horses and the racing and breeding industries operate as one, with horses, trainers, riders and more regularly moving between both jurisdictions.

The special relationship between Ireland and Northern Ireland means that all thoroughbred foals born on the island carry the (IRE) suffix, while two of Ireland’s 26 racecourses are based in Northern Ireland, with 22 fixtures run there annually. Approximately 90% of runners at these fixtures are trained in the Republic, so a return to a hard border would seriously disrupt this movement.

On the breeding front Ireland and Britain operate as a single entity for stud book purposes, while, together with France, a tripartite agreement between the respective Departments of Agriculture to facilitate free movement of thoroughbred horses between the three countries is in place. It is considered vital that this is retained and such a concern is common to all three countries.

Two-thirds of Ireland’s annual foal crop is exported and 80% of this is to Britain. It is the single biggest market for Irish bloodstock and a major source of overseas revenue to Ireland.

Ireland’s exports of thoroughbreds are worth about €225 million annually.

On the racing front, Irish-trained horses ran nearly 1,500 times in Britain last year winning prize money of more than £15 million. In reverse there were more than 300 British runners at Irish race meetings, who brought home almost €4 million in prize money.