Jones voted Star of the Month

CONGRATULATIONS to Co Clare breeder Sean Jones who was voted the Gain Equine Nutrition Star of the Month for October. Sean bred the wonderful View Point, who was the supreme champion at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham under Robert Walker on the horse’s very last time in the show ring before his retirement. Well done Sean!

NIHB nominations sought for awards

THE Northern Ireland Horse Board, which is based at The Meadows Equestrian Centre outside Lurgan, is seeking nominations for its Breeder Awards 2022.

Awards will be presented at next year’s annual general meeting to the breeder of the leading horse in show jumping, eventing, dressage and showing and to the breeder of the leading Irish Draught and leading pony. To be considered for an award, a horse/pony must have been bred in Northern Ireland and must have competed this year.

Now open, the nomination period closes on Friday, December 30th. See the NIHB Facebook page for further details.

Clydesdale Foal Show date

TONY Bull of the Arclid Stud in Cheshire has been announced as judge for the Co Londonderry Horse Breeding Society’s 54th Clydesdale Foal Show which takes place on Saturday, December 10th within the grounds of Ballymena Livestock Market.

Despite its name, the show, which commences at 10.30am, will not only offer championships for senior and junior foals but there will be classes for horses of all ages, culminating in the overall show championship.

Following this, there will be a young handlers’ competition (10 to 18-year-olds) sponsored, as usual, by Wendy Holmes of Bratwell Clydesdales.

TIHA AGM highlights

DR. Emmeline Hill’s interview with William Micklem about DNA mapping and the role environment plays in rearing horses and “The Evaluation of Young Horses’ presentation by 2018 WEG team silver medallist Sam Watson were the centrepiece of last Sunday’s AGM of the Traditional Irish Horse Association (TIHA).

Chairman Kevin Noone, who reviewed the association’s 2022 activities also introduced the Stallion Stud Voucher Scheme, one of the voluntary group’s main fund-raising means. A report on the AGM will appear in next week’s issue.

Leading sires’ rankings

CHACCO-Blue, Diarado and Johnson are the leading show jumping, eventing and dressage stallions in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) sire rankings, released this week. O.B.O.S Quality 004 (third), Camiro de Haar Z (eighth) and VDL Arkansas (10th) feature in the eventing stallion top-10 due to their Irish-born offspring and Luidam (52nd) is the highest of the Irish-based stallions in this year’s show jumping sire rankings. Full analysis in next week’s issue.

Veterinary prescriptions extension announced

THE Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, announced an extension of the transition period for the implementation of a requirement for a veterinary prescription to dispense anti-parasitic medicines and the introduction of mandatory electronic prescriptions which was scheduled for December 1st.

An extension is in place for the current deferral for the requirement for a veterinary prescription for antiparasitic products and the introduction of the new electronic National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS) until the legislative process in the Oireachtas regarding the Veterinary Medicinal Products Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill has been completed. The Department will announce an implementation date once the legislative process is finalised.

Mullingar Equestrian dates

MULLINGAR Equestrian Centre continues to host its Sportsman un-registered league and upcoming dates are November 27th, December 3rd, 10th and 17th. Mullingar EC will be hosting its Christmas Show on December 27th next while Monday, January 2nd is the date for their New Year Derby Show. All are most welcome.

No slaughter imports

DEPUTY Paul Murphy TD (Dublin South West, RISE), tabled a question in the Dail, asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Ireland imports any live horses for slaughter in Ireland.

In reply, Minister McConalogue said: “The movements of horses imported into Ireland from third countries (non-EU Member States) and from other EU Member States are traced using TRACES, the European Commission’s platform for sanitary and phytosanitary certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the EU and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products.

“TRACES data from January 2019 to present reviewed by my Department indicate that no third country imports of horses, asses, mules and hinnies for slaughter to Ireland or intra-trade (i.e. between EU countries) movements of horses, asses, mules and hinnies for slaughter to Ireland have taken place.

The Deputy will be aware that imports and intra-trade movements of animals and products of animal origin are, in the first instance, driven by the demands of the market,” concluded the Minister.