A winter of discontent?

I’m a bit confounded this week.

I’m having trouble understanding Horse Sport Ireland’s (HSI) judicial review over the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) awarding of the tender for marketing services for the sport horse sector to the Irish Horse Board (IHB) (a tender previously held by HSI).

Although HSI has retained the tenders for the studbooks and National Breeding Services, on Friday they issued a statement to The Irish Field to confirm their action.

“Horse Sport Ireland confirms that judicial review proceedings have been commenced to challenge the decision of the DAFM regarding the provision of marketing services for the sport horse sector.

“Regrettably, Horse Sport Ireland has been left with no alternative to initiate this action given the concerns arising in respect of the evaluation process run by the Department. As this matter is now before the courts, HSI can make no further comment.”

The legal action halts any tender process and means that until resolved (which can take significant time), HSI will continue with all services including marketing and IHB cannot take up their tender.

Studbook fees

It also looks likely that breeders’ studbook fees could fund the judicial proceedings.

The decision has caused ripples amongst breeders, many of whom turned to social media to ask questions and to express a mounting feeling that governing bodies are losing sight of them.

Call me soppy but can’t these services simply be shared and everyone cracks on for the greater good of our breeders? Clearly not.

As Isabel Hurley succinctly put it in her editorial column in The Irish Field on Saturday, “…the only real loser in all of this will be the Irish Sport Horse industry, as this is going to be a drain on endless amounts of time and money.”

As winter sets in, it remains to be seen how discontent it becomes for breeders.

The heart of it

Meanwhile on farms across Ireland, breeders continue their work.

As well as the two successful sales at Cavan Equestrian Centre and Goresbridge, which are detailed opposite, it’s also important to mention Mayo Roscommon Breeders Group’s (MRBG) hugely positive auction last Saturday.

The MRBG grassroots group formed in 2019 and their auctions are now regarded widely as ‘the foal sale for the breeder, by the breeder’.

Last weekend the group held a very buoyant Edition Five of their Breeders Select Foal Sale in association with The Irish Horse Centre.

Held at Glenmaddy Equestrian Centre in Galway, the hammer fell on top lot number 124 for €12,500. The handsome black bay colt by Jardonnay VDL out of Manhattan’s Little Angel by Manhattan was bred by Des McDonnell.

Well bought for €11,500 and second highest price of the night was Josephine Killalea’s smart filly by super sire Aganix du Seigneur out of CBI Dreamland by Indoctro.