Breeding Schemes

The IHB operate schemes aimed at improving the quality of the Irish Sport Horse and Irish Draught Horse breeds.

Stallion Inspections:

The Irish Horse Board holds inspections of stallions in spring and autumn. Spring inspections are primarily for the selection of stallions for performance testing. Sport Horse stallions selected at spring inspections are provided with funding to compete in open competitions. Irish Draught stallions have the option of competing in open competition or to be tested in a Central Testing Centre.

Check List for Stallions:

Passport - All animals to be inspected must hold a passport and be entered in the Irish Horse Register at the time of application
DNA - reports must be submitted to the Irish Horse Board at the time of application. Please note that animals born after 2001 and registered in the Irish Horse Register as a foal are already DNA tested and are therefore not required to submit DNA reports
X-rays - All animals except ponies must be x-rayed by a veterinary surgeon on the Irish Horse Board panel prior to inspection
Veterinary Reports - A veterinary report forms part of the application and must be fully completed, stamped and signed by a veterinary surgeon
Application form - details of the applicant, pedigree of the animal and any performance history must be documented on official paper from the relevant organisation. Click here for a stallion inspection application form
Application Fee €190

In order to ensure the smooth running of stallion inspections we ask all applicants to submit all required documents and x-rays at the time of application.

Private Inspections may also be carried out at the discretion of the Irish Horse Board.

Elite Thoroughbred Stallion Approval Scheme 2007:

The aim of this new scheme is to encourage the use of top class Thoroughbred stallions in the sport horse breeding sector
Under the Elite Thoroughbred Stallion Approval Scheme, Thoroughbreds standing in Ireland that are not currently available to the Irish Sport Horse sector will be considered for approval under similar criteria to the criteria applied to stallions standing abroad for use through AI
Stallions must have a timeform rating of 110 or over to be eligible for approval under this scheme
Stallions approved under this scheme will be limited to a maximum of 20 coverings per year
Stallions meeting these criteria will be approved on the Irish Horse Register on application by the stallion owner
Click here for an application form

Nomination Scheme for Elite Mares:

Under this new scheme the IHB will provide funding to the owners of 'elite' mares to cover 50% of the stud fee up to a maximum of €2,500 per covering for mares that are covered by stallions approved under the Elite Thoroughbred Stallion Approval Scheme.

The aim of this scheme is to produce top class ISH stallions by quality TB sires. In order to encourage colt foals arising from this scheme to be brought forward for inspection for the ISH Colt Retention Scheme an additional payment of €250 will be awarded to owners who present their colt foals at inspection.

Minimum eligibility criteria for the scheme:

I. Irish Sport Horse mares that are registered in the Irish Horse Register with a breed code of ISH and must have studbook pedigree, i.e. both sire and dam recorded. Mares sired by stallions which are classified in Section 1 (S1)/Section 2 (S2) or Supplementary 1 (Supp 1)/Supplementary 2 (Supp 2) of the Irish Horse Register are not eligibe. Mares must have:

a) Competed at 1.40m in SJAI competitions or at a Grade B SJAI competition, or the equivalent in eventing or dressage;

or

b) Have an Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) of 120 or greater, for Showjumping or Athleticism or Overall Merit;

or

c) Progeny competing at International or Grand Prix level

II. Irish Draught Mares that are registered in the Irish Horse Register with a breed code of RID, ID or AID and have:

a)A Minimum of 50 SJAI points or the equivalent in eventing or dressage;

or

b) Have an Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) of 110 or greater for Showjumping or Athleticism or Overall Merit;

or

c) Progeny competing at International or Grand Prix level

III. Consideration will also be given to mares whose progeny have been highly placed in prestigious young horse competitions, e.g. RDS, Millstreet, FEHL, IHB Showjumping classes, Lanaken and Le Lion d’Angers.

Payment of 50% of the stud fee will be made when satisfactory evidence of payment of the fee is supplied to the Irish Horse Board, and, on registration of the foal in the Irish Horse Register.

Click here to download the application form and terms and conditions.

Colt Retention Scheme:

The Irish Draught and Irish Sport Horse colt inspections are held in the Autumn. These inspections are held all around the country to facilitate all applicants. The objective of the scheme is to inspect and identify colt foals and yearlings as prospective stallions within the Irish Horse Register. In doing so a grant is given to the owner of the successful colt to keep them entire for the year.

The colts are inspected on their conformation, movement, estimated breeding value (EBV) and pedigree. Colt yearlings are expected to lunge on both reins in walk, trot and canter. On passing inspections, Irish Draught colt foals and yearlings will receive a grant for €500 or €600 respectively, which will be received on representation as an entire colt twelve months after the first inspection. Irish Sport Horse colt foals and yearlings can receive a grant of up to €2,000 on representation as an entire colt twelve months after the first inspection.

Further information is outlined below. For terms & conditions and the application forms click here for Irish Draught colts and here for Irish Sport Horse colts.

Irish Sport Horse Colt Retention Scheme:

The establishment of a colt retention scheme for Irish Sport Horses was announced this year. Many quality young Irish Sport Horses are unavailable for breeding, as they have been gelded at a young age. The aim of this scheme is to encourage the retention of these quality young horses as entire colts until they are eligible for stallion performance testing. It is hoped that this scheme will result in the retention of the very best Irish Sport Horse colts for assessment as prospective stallions.

Under the Irish Sport Horse Colt Retention Scheme a number of ISH colts will be selected each year and grant assistance of €2,000 per annum will be awarded to the owners of these selected colts that are kept entire. Subject to passing an inspection, funding of €2,000 will be also be available at the yearling stage.

Inspections are be open for all Irish Sport Horse colts. A combination of genetic evaluation and inspection will be used in the selection of these colts. For an application form please click here.

Irish Draught Colt Retention Scheme:

In 2005 the Irish Horse Board announced the Irish Draught Colt Retention scheme, aimed at identifying and retaining top Irish Draught Horse colts as prospective stallions.
Irish Draught colts are inspected at regional centres. Colts must be out of a mare that is classified as RID in the Irish Horse Register and be by an RID stallion classified in the Irish Horse Register.
A grant of €500 for selected colt foals and €600 for selected yearling colts is awarded in respect of selected colts to encourage the retention of these colts as prospective stallions.
Inspections take place in the autumn of each year and application forms are available by clicking here

Inward Buyer Programme:

The Inward Buyer Programme has been in operation since 1996 with the aim of providing an incentive for foreign buyers to travel to Ireland to purchase Irish horses. Under this scheme, purchasers of horses at selected auction sales and international shows are offered refunds on their airfare, or equivalent for a ferry, to encourage the purchase of Irish horses. Click here for further information.

Breeding Schemes