THE road to the World Championships for young horses began last Friday (April 22) as Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) launched the 2022 HSI Studbook Series at the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown in Dublin.
For the first time, the competition is open to horses from all Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)-approved studbooks and, with €80,000 in prize money on offer, HSI are expecting a strong entry as crowds return for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSI Studbook Series provides a platform for younger horses to compete and develop in classes for five, six and seven-year-olds and offers them an opportunity to progress towards competing at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, in the autumn.
Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D. joined HSI Chief Executive Denis Duggan, Interim Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development Sonja Egan, and HSI Board Chairman Joe Reynolds to announce the 2022 series, which began at the weekend and runs until late July, culminating in the finals taking place at Tattersalls in Co. Meath.
Minister McConalogue said: “I am very pleased to be here to help kick off this year’s Studbook Series, which has a major role to play in supporting and promoting equine breeding success through the industry as these young horses learn the ropes through competition.
“It is extremely important that we showcase these young horses, their breeders, riders and owners because they are the bedrock for the industry as we look to create champions of the future, but also that those connected to them have their time to shine in the limelight.
“My Department is delighted to work alongside Horse Sport Ireland to help develop the sector and industry through initiatives like the Studbook Series. With the crowds back in as normal to watch these stars of the future, it really promises to be an exciting event.”
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