THE Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA) National Breeding and Racing Awards 2020 took place on Saturday night. The Virtual Ceremony, which was delivered across all ITBA social media channels, was hosted by Leo Powell with awards being released every 10 minutes.
The evening commenced with an opening address by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who despite his extremely busy schedule, took the time to acknowledge the success of the Irish Thoroughbred Industry and its importance to Ireland from both an economic and cultural perspective.
This year’s Hall of Fame inductee is the Irish National Stud. This is in recognition of the Irish National Stud’s invaluable contribution to the Irish Thoroughbred industry over many decades and for the contribution it continues to make; from the stallions it stands, to its world-renowned Thoroughbred breeding course and the impact the stud makes as a national tourist attraction. On behalf of the Irish State, Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue accepted this most deserving award.
President Michael D Higgins wrote a personal message on the Irish National Stud in recognition of its national importance. The message can be viewed on www.itba.ie
The Wild Geese Award 2020 went to the richly deserving Gordon Cunningham of Curragmore Stud in New Zealand. Gordon has flown the Irish flag with great pride for over two decades in the Southern Hemisphere. He has taken the time to welcome and nurture many young and emerging Irish breeders, who made their way to New Zealand over the years.
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