Susan Finnerty

A TOTAL of 766 stallions covering an average of 6.9 mares each – these are the stark figures from the 2014 foal register.

Granted the 766 Irish and worldwide-based stallions listed in this useful register cover a multitude of breed types, classifications and varying commercial appeal. These include the most popular stallion O.B.O.S Quality 004 who covered 296 mares in 2013, to single-digit figures for others.

The low level of support for stallions that were approved at Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) inspections, since its new format was introduced six years ago, was the prime reason provided by Irish Horse Board chairman Jim Beecher for suspending inspections next spring.

The fact that both the new system graduates and majority of previously inspected stallions are covering a handful of mares in an overcrowded stallion market will be a key issue in the upcoming inspections review. And, as the foal register shows, there are other related issues to be faced by the sport horse industry.

Some 5,328 mares were covered by 766 stallions, which are listed under a complex range of 10 stallion categories and assorted breed codes, to produce 2014’s crop of 4,548 registered foals. This number has effectively halved since the artificial high of the Celtic Tiger breeding boom, when 10,794 mares produced 7,633 foals in 2008.

A total of 2,791 foals were registered with “unknown or partial pedigree” back then in 2008 and although this had proportionately dropped to 910 by last year, the ‘white passport’ option raises the question of are we seeing the true figures? Are some stallions covering a handful of mares or is the figure higher but masked by breeders opting instead for a white passport to obtain the mandatory equine identity document.

There is also the knock-on effect of less income for Horse Sport Ireland and the stallion owner with each unregistered foal and unpaid stud fee.

Standing a stallion isn’t necessarily regarded as a license to print money, as borne out by fewer ‘stallion potential’ advertisements for colt foals. The cost and time of producing a colt to fully approved status, particularly the performance element for sport horse candidates, followed by the situation of unpaid stud fees can be a baptism of fire for some owners.

“I might as well be out in the field picking potatoes as standing stallions,” said one owner who had successfully put a number of Irish Draught stallions through the inspection process. Support for Irish Draught stallions has declined considerably since peaking in 2007 when Registered Irish Draught (RID) stallions covered 1,319 RID mares.

Class 1 (C1) stallions, the current ‘First Division’ category for Irish Draughts, covered 268 C1 mares in 2013 to produce 229 foals. Adding all the Class 1, 2, 3 & 4 categories to Appendix and Grade Up animals brings the number of purebred Irish Draught foals born in 2014 to just 408.

Use of thoroughbred stallions (18.3%, up 2% from the previous year) continues to increase, however it’s unclear from the statistics as to how many traditional-bred foals, of thoroughbred, Irish Draught and Connemara origins are amongst the sporthorse foal numbers. The strongest current demand amongst traditional-breds and Irish Draughts appears to be for ridden horses. Selling them at this stage, normally benefits the producer more than the breeder who traditionally prefers to sells at the foal stage.

FOREIGN STALLIONS

The most commercial foal market is undoubtedly the show jumping sector and mainland Europe-based stallions are picking up increasing support from Irish breeders to fill the demand.

‘Foreign bred’ stallions crossed with Irish Sport Horse mares – 1,546 coverings resulting in 1,311 foals – produced by far the largest share of the 2014 foal crop. From a mere 1% market share 25 years ago, foreign-bred sires are now the most popular sire covering choice at 37.5%; followed by Irish Sport Horse (24.7%), thoroughbred (18.3%), Irish Draughts (15.9%) and Other (sires, usually Connemaras) at 3.6%.

Irish breeders intending to keep pace with their European neighbours used a range of high performance sires, typically through artificial insemination, including Diamand De Demilly, the new leading sire in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses show jumping rankings (four registered foals). The number of customers for overseas stallions is often in single digits also. The most support for non-Irish based stallions was unsurprisingly Kannan, sire of Molly Malone V and Nino Des Buissonnets, who produced 39 foals, while Flexible (see A ) is another sire gaining more support amongst Irish breeders.

Kannan’s sire Voltaire is one example of the old adage, ‘Horses make fools of men’ as the once-rejected stallion is one of several who later proved inspectors wrong. Valegro, Charlotte Dujardin’s phenomenal gold medal winner, was another turned down as a young colt before he was gelded.

Irish breeding lore too has several stallions that have later defied the inspectors’ opinions through their progeny. Dougie Douglas, who made €1.4 million at last week’s Goresbridge Supreme showjumpers sale, is by Ard VDL Douglas, the stallion at the centre of a High Court case back in 2007 over his S2 classification.

Cambalda, this year’s leading Irish-bred event horse in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses rankings, is another from the ‘blue book’ era. By the S1 sire Balda Beau and with an S2 damsire, these two are prominent examples of breeders indeed making their own decisions whether to use sires that have failed at inspections, had veterinary issues or incomplete pedigrees.

Again the latest foal register shows that certain non-approved sires have attracted more support than some approved stallions (the top-10 sires in each breed type will feature in a future article).

One advantage of the current scheme is it does allow sound stallions that may have failed at the initial inspection, an opportunity to later upgrade themselves either through their own or their progeny’s performance.

Striking a balance between the various viewpoints of Irish Sport Horse and Irish Draught stallion owners and breeders will be part of the HSI review, which will also encompass mare inspections. However other issues are also concerning breeders, including the belief that sales prices over the past 20 years have not kept pace with inflation or anecdotal accounts of broodmare culls as owners cut back or retire.

“The top end and bottom of the market look after themselves but the middleman is disappearing out of the game,” said one seasoned observer.

Reviews and inspections have their place, however its equally vital for the industry that customers are still waiting when a stallion makes it through an inspection process.