Showcase for best Irish produce at the prestigious Breeders’ Cup
Quality beef produced from cattle fed on the best grass in Europe and thoroughbred horses bred on limestone soil in a temperate climate are two of Ireland’s globally recognised treasures.
It is not surprising, therefore, that they should come together at the prestigious Breeders’ Cup, which takes place in Los Angeles later this week.
The 2016 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 13 Grade I races and purses of $28m (€25.5m), is scheduled to be held for a record ninth time at Santa Anita Park, LA, this coming Friday and Saturday.
Ireland has produced more Breeders’ Cup winners (26) than any other country outside of the US.
Aidan O’Brien is third on the list of leading trainers at the meeting, while Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith are fourth in the category of successful owners.
The Breeders’ Cup, inaugurated in 1984 and staged at a different venue each year, is being held for the ninth time at Santa Anita, a left-handed dirt track.
However, on Thursday night, the eve of the first day’s racing, a sixth annual international culinary event, A Taste of the World, will be held at the historic film studios of Warner Brothers.
It is a highly anticipated entertainment events surrounding the Breeders’ Cup with participating owners, breeders and trainers from around the world in attendance. Throughout the Hollywood glamour-themed evening, guests will be able to choose dishes from 15 countries while listening to live entertainment from a Neil Diamond tribute band.
“Taste of the World has always been a highlight of the Breeders’ Cup because it brings stars of the culinary industry together with the stars of horseracing,” said Craig Fravel, president and chief executive.
“The Hollywood glamour and spectacular setting of Warner Brothers Studios will make this a truly special evening, and it reinforces the Breeders’ Cup’s commitment to combine world-class horseracing and the best in hospitality and entertainment.”
This is the sixth occasion that Good Food Ireland has been asked to represent this country at the culinary showcase.
This year’s event will be extra special because, for the first time, Irish beef will be served. This follows the opening of market access to the US in January 2015. Ireland was in fact the first EU member state to gain access to the US market for beef.
Agriculture, Food, and Marine Minister Michael Creed recently underlined the importance of the US market for Ireland in the Dáil. He said seven plants are now approved to export. By the end of December 2015, some 1,800 tonnes of beef, with an estimated value of €14m, had been exported from Ireland to the US.
This is an exceptionally strong start to this trade considering the first exports only went in March 2015 and some of the plants were only approved for export in September of the same year.
“That amount looks likely to be surpassed in 2016, as by the end of June almost 1,200 tonnes had been exported,” said Mr Creed.
He added that he was delighted to announce over the summer a decision of the US authorities to extend their approval for Irish beef to include manufacturing beef/beef intended for grinding.
“This marks the culmination of over a year of intensive work between my department and its US counterparts on a range of technical matters,” said Mr Creed.
“This decision by the US on our enhanced access is a huge endorsement of Irish beef and our production and regulatory systems.
“This recent extension of our access in the US has the capability to be a significant boost to the sector over a period of time.”
Mr Creed said US consumption of beef is at 11m tonnes. About 1m tonnes of it is imported.
“The potential prize for Irish operators is therefore, subject to the variables already outlined, very significant, particularly in circumstances where grass- fed, hormone-free beef is gaining traction in the market place,” he said.
Mr Creed said Ireland’s access to the US complements the other market outlets secured in recent years, the development of which is a key element of the Food Wise 2025 strategy.
Fourteen markets for Irish beef have been opened since 2011, he told Fianna Fáil spokesman Charlie McConalogue in reply to a Dáil question.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s involvement in the Taste of the World at the Breeders Cup is co-ordinated by Good Food Ireland and supported by Bord Bia and Dawn Meats.
Award-winning Irish chefs Ed Cooney, of the Merrion Hotel, Dublin, and Martin Shanahan, of Fishy Fishy, Kinsale, Co Cork, will prepare 1,500 servings of grass-fed, quality-assured fillet of Irish beef.
Paul Nolan of Dawn Meats described the event as a terrific opportunity to introduce premium grass- fed Irish beef to such a discerning US and international audience.
“The Taste of the World attracts global media coverage and we are hopeful that this exposure will help us build brand awareness and recognition in this new export market,” he said.
Leading international chefs representing the cuisines of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Britain, the US, Venezuela, and Ireland will take part.
Good Food Ireland founder Margaret Jeffares said she was delighted Bord Bia and Dawn Meats have partnered with it to facilitate this high-profile showcase for Irish beef.
She will tell those attending the Kentucky event that the weather and landscape in Ireland combine to create the perfect setting for producing and training top- class racing thoroughbreds, just as they do for producing top class food.
