WHEN Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) embarked on the Microsatellite (MS) to Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) DNA transition journey in 2022, the ambition was clear: to transform how equine genetics are understood and managed in the Irish sport horse population using the existing, straightforward hair sample submitted during the registration process. Although MS testing served breeders well for many years, its limitations became increasingly clear, particularly during the delays breeders experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Traditional MS parentage testing relies on approximately 17 markers, whereas SNP technology assesses almost 80,000 genetic markers. This additional data supports much greater accuracy in parentage verification but also offers sophisticated research and development into the equine genome. The transition project, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) through National Breeding Services (NBS), promised faster and more accurate insights that would benefit breeders, studbooks, and the national herd. It has certainly felt like both a long and short three and a half years!