WHILE the 2018 Approved Stallions book was published after many breeders had already made their choices for this year, this week’s Dublin Horse Show provided a good opportunity to see the progeny of some of the listed stallions in action.

Now printed on a biannual basis, there is no doubt that producing this 403-page book is a mammoth undertaking to update information and source photographs for. Reference and style-wise, there is no comparison between the 2018 stallion book and the 1988 version.

Thirty years ago, the first tentative performance records of stallion’s progeny were listed in what now appears as a basic stallion guide, yet still provides some useful information. The progeny listings have expanded considerably since with FEI international and national show jumping and eventing records providing a valuable reference point.

Another new addition in recent stallion book issues is the inclusion of linear profiling reports from the Horse Sport Ireland stallion inspections at Cavan, since 2010. First introduced by the KWPN in 1989, linear profiling has been increasingly adopted by other studbooks, including the Belgium’s BWP plus the Holsteiner Verband, Oldenburg and Swedish studbooks.

While breeder-reader feedback on the linear profile reports varies – from confusing to useful – future stallion book editions may have to expand even further with each linear profiled stallion meriting at least one page in the current edition.

The 2018 version is already a packed publication with space requirements presumably reducing the listings for Connemara Pony stallions, for example, to basic details. Likewise, there are a staggering 19 pages of classified stallions, ranging from Entry (not yet presented for inspection) to Not Approved (NA2) included.

Regardless of inspection day results, the fact that owners of NA1 and NA2 stallions still have the courage of their convictions to bring an animal to Cavan and have them fully vetted as part of the process is laudable.

Irish breeders are remarkably adept at picking their stallion choice regardless of classification though, as borne out by the annual foal book statistics.

POPULAR STALLIONS

So which were the most popular stallions according to the current stallion book? Another variation from the 1988 landmark is the current figures show just the number of foals produced, compared to previous statistics for the amount of mares covered and subsequent foal figures.

By not including the number of coverings, does this mask the ongoing situation of mare owners not paying for stud fees?

The Kennedy brothers OBOS Quality (OLD) still leads the way with 182 foals produced in 2017, compared to 231 in 2016. Second in line is the young Irish Sport Horse sire Sligo Candy Boy with Padraig Howley’s stallion credited with 134 foals, up from 81 the previous year.

Rounding off the top-three is Sue Davies’s since-deceased Luidam (KWPN) with 80 foals, compared to 45 a year previously.

With many Irish-born horses now featuring at least two or more warmblood crosses in their pedigree, there is no surprise to see five more popular continental-bred sires in the 2017 top-10, including Tyson (fifth, 64 foals) one place ahead of his Kylemore Stud stable companion and KWPN compatriot Womanizer (55).

In seventh place is the Belgian-bred Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet (52), while Future Trend (OLD) and Capri Van Overis Z (ZANG) round out the top-10 in eighth and 10th places with 48 and 39 foals, respectively.

There is good news too for traditional breeders with a resurgence in thoroughbred sires, led by the increasingly popular pair of Giant’s Causeway sons: Pointilliste and Island Commander. The Slyguff Stud sire was the fourth-most popular stallion recording 67 foals in 2017, a substantial jump from 27 the previous year. Clohamon Stud’s Island Commander lies in ninth place with 41 foals, another to show a growth in support from 18 foals registered in 2016.

The only Irish Draught sire to feature is Ballinglen Stud’s Rebel Mountain (Class 1) with 30 foals, which shows a huge drop in support for the native breed compared to the boom figures of a decade ago.

TIPPING POINT

The 2018 stallion book probably represents a tipping point in Irish sport horse breeding. Future publications will show an increasing number of continental bloodlines as the significantly large number of ageing Irish-based stallions fade away.

Luidam and Silvano are amongst some well-known names listed in the obituary, while amongst the 26 since-gelded stallions are Clare Solstice and Dawn Lux, previous Cavan graduates. Does the increased number of geldings point to realism or pessimism?

Undoubtedly with the advent of the internet and artificial insemination Irish breeders are now spoilt for choice when it comes to watching and using international sires.

In a similar situation to the ‘clicks vs bricks’ competition causing closures and cutbacks amongst high street names, will there be as many Irish studs listed in future stallion books or will some reinvent themselves as AI centres?

That and several other questions are posed in Horse Sport Ireland’s 2018 stallion book. The 2048 edition will reveal as many changes as the flashback to the 1988 version did.

FAREWELL

Two more recent losses to the stallion ranks are Ars Vivendi and Harlequin du Carel. Both of the HSI five-star rated stallions stood with that great horseman Paddy Quirke at his Ballymureen Stud in Littleton.

A timely reminder of Ars Vivendi’s contribution to the Irish Sport Horse herd was CSF Vendi Cruz’s speed class win at the London leg of the Global Champions Tour with Shane Breen. Coincidentally, it was Breen who first produced his stable companion Harlequin du Carel.

The Holsteiner stallion Ars Vivendi was foaled in 1993 and bred by Joerg Kroeger. Approved by Horse Sport Ireland in 2007, he has produced at least five stallion sons to date including Ashford, Ars Polandi, Aktion Pur, Attacke UA, Active, and Tibet Tame, plus international show jumpers such as Actrice and Aktion Pur, ridden by Malin Bayard (SWE) and Judy Ann Melchior (BEL), respectively.

One of the HSI stallion book’s useful features is the number of registered progeny by stallions, with Ars Vivendi credited with 740 foals up to 2017. This year’s foal crop is set to add some more. 27 of his international points-ranking show jumping and eventing progeny are listed, including Boleybawn Actor, Fernhill Fendi and Vivendi Tipperary.

Succeeded in popularity in recent years by O.B.O.S Quality, Ars Vivendi was a highly commercial sire. “He and Harlequin would nearly take over the sales in Goresbridge between them,” noted Paddy in last year’s article in The Irish Field.

The Selle Français sire Harlequin du Carel, picked out as a young foal in a Normandy field, was rated as his favourite amongst the Ballymureen stallions. Approved by the French studbook in 2000, his Irish Sport Horse seal of approval came later in 2009 when he was promoted following his progeny’s performance.

Amongst his 1,141 progeny, according to the 2018 stallion book, are no less than 58 FEI level performers, including Dorada, Du Noble and The Court Jester.

Another very commercial sire, both stallions certainly left their mark on Irish Sport Horse breeding.