Breeders’ Championship fund soars
Other prizes will be awarded down to tenth, in addition to €5,000 that will be allocated for the three best foals by a thoroughbred sire.
The Irish Horse Board said it hoped the increased prizemoney would encourage more people to show their mares and foals, especially at the qualifier stage.
A review of previous Dublin catalogues shows many of the foals that qualify for the breeders’ championship regularly come back and compete successfully in led classes and under saddle.
For many breeders, the competition offers a place to benchmark their stock against others and to determine the progress they are making with their breeding enterprise. It also offers breeders the opportunity to sell their produce out of the ring.
Statistics issued by the Irish Horse Board show the number of foals registered by thoroughbred sires has fallen from over 60% at the start of the 90s to 23% in 2004. A survey of RDS exhibitors in 2004 indicated the need for better quality in the animals being bred and the need to increase the numbers of animals bred along the traditional lines using thoroughbred sires.
The preliminary round of the breeders’ championship will take place tomorrow with the final on Friday.
The championship cup will be presented in memory of Lynn Aldridge, a former director general of the Irish Horse Board.
