• Rural Development
  • Home
  • News & Events
  • Contacts
  • Options Programme
  • Business Start Up
  • Diversification Ideas
  • Rural Tourism
  • Deer
  • Organic Farming
  • Goats
  • Artisan Food
  • Equine
  • Poultry
  • Factsheets
  • Links

You are here: Rural Development home >> Equine >> The Irish Sport Horse Industry

 

The Irish Sport Horse Industry

The number of sport horses in Ireland is growing, with an estimated national population of 110,000 animals as at December 2005. This equates to 27.5 sport horses per thousand people and makes Ireland the most densely sport horse populated country in Europe. This is not surprising in view of the country’s longstanding equine tradition and points to the special importance of this sector to the Irish nation. Sport horses include riding horses and ponies of all breeds and types intended for use in recreational and competitive activities other than racing. The sport horse industry includes all individuals, organisations and businesses involved with the breeding, production and use of sport horses.

A study conducted by Karen Hennessy and Katherine Quinn of UCD found that participation in the industry is widespread and active, with an estimated 53,000 people regularly involved. Equine organisations and businesses are important to the rural fabric and facilitate the development of a network of close family, friendship and organisational connections. In 2005 sport and leisure equestrian sectors had approximately 10,000 and 15,500 registered participants respectively, with predicted growth of 24% by 2010. The Irish Sport Horse Studbook is the largest sport horse breed in Ireland, registering 7,440 foals in 2007. This represents around 70% of all studbook-registered sport horses and ponies in Ireland. This makes the Irish Sport Horse Studbook the fourth largest sport horse studbook in Europe surpassed in numbers only by the Dutch Warmblood (KWPN), the Hannoverian and the Selle Francais.

Of the conservative estimated 110,000 sport horses approximately 60,500 (55%) are breeding and young stock. It is estimated that approximately 27 % are broodmares (approx 29,700). Accurate measurement of the number of studbook – registered sport horse broodmares in Ireland is not possible because, although all are registered as foals and many breeds inspect young mares, the sale, export and death of broodmares are not recorded.

Reference: Profile of the Irish Sport Horse Industry – Katherine Quinn and Karen Hennessy

 

Irish Thoroughbred Industry - Five Year Trend

 

The past five years have seen an expansion in all sections of the thoroughbred and racing industry from 2003 to 2007.
 

* Includes Tote, on-course bookmakers and on-course SP shops

** Includes co-mingling out

*** Estimate

 

Source: – Horse Racing Ireland Fact Book 2007