President Michael D. Higgins sent a message to Irish thoroughbred breeders via last weekend’s awards night. He said: “The industry is of course more than mere economic activity, and it should not be the sole means by which we judge the value of the horse-breeding industry and everything in relation to training and preparation that is so well-lodged to our culture and our communities. The horse, and everything to do with matters equine, have a special place in Irish life and culture. A love of horses, their breeding and training, are an integral our Ireland’s identity and of our reputation abroad.”