IN what has now become a tradition, the final year Equine Science students in the University of Limerick made their presentations during Punchestown Racing Festival.

With 17 students presenting their projects on which they have worked during the previous academic year, and each student being subject to a barrage of searching questions from academic staff and invited guests, it makes for a very full day.

This course has been running since 1972 under the late Professor Desmond Baggot. It has produced many who have distinguished themselves in the equine industry.

Managers of both Naas and Fairyhouse racecourses are both alumni – Thomas Ryan and Peter Roe. Ballysheehan Stud is managed by Willie Brogan and Islanmore in Limerick by Nigel Anderton, both UL graduates.

In the show jumping world, Jessica Kurten, who reached World No 2 – the highest world standing ever achieved by an Irish show jumping rider, is also a UL graduate.

Earlier graduates Geoffrey and Sandra Mulchay are now very successful trainers and consignors, based in Kentucky.

Rachael Blackmore, another UL graduate, is by far and away Ireland’s leading professional lady jockey. With 34 wins this season and over €800,000 won, she holds 11th place in this year’s jockey list.

Over the four-year course, students have an option to learn equitation which takes place in Clonshire under instructors Soraya Morscher and Amy Fitzgerald. They study a large equine husbandry to nutrition, reproduction, physiology and health management.

After year one, they can opt to take the business route or continue down the science route. During their co-op year, they are sent to various equine enterprises such as Coolmore at home or in Kentucky, The Irish Equine Centre in Co Kildare or the major sales houses including Tattersalls and Goffs among others.

PROJECTS

Agnieszka Micor, originally from Poland, set the ball rolling with her study of the effect of age on fertility in thoroughbred mares. She found that foaling rates in a large cohort of mares fell from 77% for 10-year-old mares to 43% for 20-year-olds.

Limerick student Brigitte Murphy produced a very interesting study comparing thoroughbreds purchased at breeze-up sales as compared to those purchased at the conventional yearling sales. Surprisingly her results showed that those from yearling sales were consistently more successful and showed a considerably higher profit margin.

Lauren Harding investigated the effect of stallion inbreeding on progeny performance.

In the sport horse sector, two related studies from Jamie Reavey and Emma Page considered the effectiveness of anatomical bridles and the cantilevered BUA saddle. Using the most advanced digital imaging techniques, no significant differences were found on horse performance as compared to conventional bridle and saddle.

However the winning presentation was delivered by Ballybunion native Killian Costello on musculoskeletal limb injuries in both National Hunt and flat racehorses. He found the flat two-year-olds were almost twice as likely to suffer fracture injuries as compared to three-year-olds. Fracture injuries were seen to peak in the period July to September which would coincide with “good” ground conditions. For his presentation Killian received the Coolmore Medal and he hopes to study veterinary medicine in Budapest next year.

Second place went to Maureen Cunningham for her measurement of chewing activity in horses both on a restricted and ad lib diet.

Third place was divided between Mary Maxfield – for her study of the effect of chaff feeding on the metabolism of the horse – and Padraig Hartnett, who studied the chemical composition of both first and second crop hay.

The judging panel was headed up by Professor Tom Buckley, adjunct Professor of Microbiology, and Dr Ann Cullinane adjunct Professor of Virology at the Irish Equine Centre.

UL was represented by Dr Brigid Younge, course director and lecturer in nutrition, and Professor Sean Arkins who heads the Department of Equine Science. Sean, originally from Ennis, started his career as a practising veterinary surgeon before being awarded a PhD from the University of Illinois.

The day was generously sponsored by Coolmore Stud, Connolly’s Red Mills, Gain Equine Nutrition, The Irish Equine Centre, Horse Racing Ireland and Mike Hynan Coaches.