AN expert panel of speakers drove home the importance of breeding for the future at Thursday’s Horse Sport Ireland International Breeding Conference in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, Co Kildare.

Ireland’s double WEG silver medal-winning eventer Padraig McCarthy and British eventing performance coach Chris Bartle were among the panelists and encouraged breeders to be brave and use Throroughbred stallions to get the ‘essential’ Thoroughbred blood needed for modern day eventing.

The day’s final speaker, Enniskerry author, breeder and coach William Micklem outlined his recipe for success, saying: “We need to delight in what we do, it’s possibly the most powerful incentive for work and both a very powerful sales tool and life enhancing.

“Add a few bucketloads of effort and most things are possible. What this wonderful gathering has shown us is that we need more than effort and delight, we need to stay enquiring and learn more quickly than our competitors.”

He regaled his audience with the many positives of Irish equestrianism, noting how current Irish show jumping, eventing and dressage heroes have near-replaced the golden oldies. “The talk has now well and truly moved on from the household names of the past, from Tommy Wade, Tommy Brennan, Eddie Macken and Eddie Boylan to a more modern group of superstars.”

Horseware, Dubarry, Tredstep, Gain, Connolly Red Mills and Devenish Nutrition and Irish racehorse trainer giants, academics, media, commentators, “the gem that is the industry-enhancing The Irish Field,” FEI officials, Equiratings, Alan Wade, Horse First’s Paddy Hughes, (“the Martin Luther King of the horse world”) and the Cooley success story were on Micklem’s list of Irish success stories and leaders.

“And we have the world’s best-selling bridle; the Micklem bridle!” he added with glee. Ireland’s reputation for treating “horses like horses”, turning them outdoors where they develop a fifth leg and native breeds such as the Irish Draught and Connemara (“the best and most under-rated pony breed in the world’), plus the traditional Irish horse were all part of the Irish unique selling point.

“We must reject coercive, bullying training, based on punishment. It’s a vital part of our unique selling point. In a world that is increasingly sensitive about what we do with horses, Ireland can also take the lead with humane equine practices and equine education.

“You’ve had a huge amount of information today but what I’m talking about is something more important; a good attitude of mind. They key is generosity to each other in order to allow and accelerate co-operative work,” he added.