NATIONAL Hunt breeder Frank Motherway has welcomed Horse Racing Ireland’s decision to award sales vouchers of up to €5,000 to the breeders of Grade 1, 2 and 3 races this season, starting at Down Royal’s Festival of Racing at the end of this month.

The HRI National Hunt Breeders Recognition Scheme will run until the corresponding fixture in 2027.

Breeders of Irish-bred winners of these graded races will be awarded with a voucher redeemable against future purchases of breeding stock or National Hunt stallion nominations. Foal Levy non-compliance will disqualify a breeder from the award.

The breeder of a Grade 1 winner will receive a voucher to the value of €5,000. A €3,000 voucher will go to the breeders of Grade 2 winners with a €2,000 voucher awarded to Grade 3 winning breeders.

A total of 113 races will be in the scheme at 16 racecourses throughout the country.

Motherway, a member of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s NH Committee, has long campaigned for breeders of big race winners to be recognised and rewarded. “Our committee has been pushing for this for about three years and it is very satisfying to get it over the line. I’ve had a lot of calls and texts about it, as have other ITBA committee members,” he said.

“The biggest expense breeders have is stallion nominations but it was not practical to issue vouchers for that, so the sales voucher option was the next best thing. It will incentivise breeders to buy replacement stock and hopefully add a bit of positivity to the sector ahead of the foal sales.”

It’s understood that funding for the new scheme was made possible by the discontinuation of the scheme which offered similar vouchers to the owners of Irish-bred winners of selected NH races. While popular on the flat, the ‘IRE Incentive’ is believed to have had little traction over jumps.

HRI chief executive Suzanne Eade said: “National Hunt breeding has been central to the success of Irish racing for generations. While we are very proud of this heritage, we need to ensure that it is recognised and incentivised at a time when Irish breeders face the twin challenges of thinning foal crops and increased competition.

“Breeders of very good horses should be motivated to keep doing what they do best. We believe the HRI National Hunt Breeders Recognition Scheme will assist those behind the stars of the sport.”