Horse Board aims to improve genetic evaluation

IRISH Horse Board director general Nicholas Finnerty concedes that genetic evaluation is not perfect, because results from other countries cannot be included in the Irish system, but says the board is working with European-based organisations to gain access to competition data from abroad.

“At present we cannot get access to international competition data. We are working with the FEI and the WBFSH (International Equestrian Federation and the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses) to get access, but it is not there in accessible form,” he said. “We are a couple of years from achieving this”.

He says genetic evaluation should be used as “a tool” by breeders. “We want to educate breeders, and genetic evaluation does work,” he said.