TWO years ago the Irish National Stud was honoured with an historic visit by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and on Thursday the stud again played host to the Duchess. The Duchess has been a frequent visitor to Ireland over the years and it was particularly pertinent to welcome her to the Irish National Stud almost exactly six years after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Royal visit coincided with the first of what is hoped will become an annual seminar on horse welfare in Ireland, and many of the guests welcoming the Duchess are active in the field of welfare, charity and care of animals, including veterinary surgeons and racehorse owners and trainers. The speakers at the seminar were introduced to the Duchess, as were the 25 resident stud management students, who hail from nine different countries, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada and India.