The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association is the representative body for thoroughbred breeders in Ireland. It is a 32 county; voluntary Association divided into six active regions. The ITBA and its members have for over 50 years effectively promoted the interests of the breeding sector in every aspect of its operation, both at national and international level, with particular emphasis on education and the improvement of stock quality, disease prevention and control, financial and sales matters. Through the ITBA breeders are represented on the following bodies/committees: Horse Racing Ireland Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Irish Equine Centre Robert J. Goff and Company plc Department of Agriculture’s Liaison Committee on Equine Diseases International Breeders’ Association European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association University of Limerick – Equine Studies International Cataloguing Standards Committee H.R.I. Foal levy Committee International Collating Centre International Committee that revises the Codes of Practice annually U.K. Animal Health Trust/industries infectious diseases committee The ITBA is a nominating body to the Agricultural Panel of Seanad Eireann with the right to nominate two candidates. Summary of Achievements so far • Involvement in the establishment of the Irish Equine Centre – the most important insurance policy for Breeders’ in Ireland and a recognised leader in its field. • The introduction of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund. • Introduction of suffix for all Irish – breds. • Successfully hosted the International Breeders’ meeting (which meets every 18 months to discuss matters of common interest) in 1994 and 2001. • Our veterinary Consultant, Mr. Kenneth Strickland, MRCVS, monitors and advises breeders on the disease situation at home and abroad and is involved with the annual production of the Codes of Practice. • Over the years the ITBA has established a very good working relationship with government departments and we are fortunate that successive governments have always been available to our industry to assist and advise on matters of concern. • Allocation of over EUR17 million contained in the National Development Plan, proposed and negotiated by the ITBA, to assist thoroughbred breeders in farm development, research and education. • Through the Foal Levy Committee, the ITBA initiated the Irish Breeders Foal Levy Stakes of EUR200,000. (Inaugural running October 2002). A similar race is being organised for the National Hunt sector. The ITBA supported the development of a Breeders’ Prizes Scheme worth EUR100,000 per annum. • The Irish breeding industry is fortunate to have such a healthy racing programme to test its stock. However while the number of fixtures scheduled has risen each year, there has been a greater expansion in the number of horses in training. As Ireland is an exporting nation, if horses are to be exported it is essential that a race programme, catering for all classes of horses is provided, thus enabling trainers to get their horses rated and so classified, and more readily marketed overseas. As a result, the Council of the ITBA made a submission to H.R.I. in June with suggestions which the Association feels will help to remedy this situation. • The creation of the Bewleys Hotels & European Breeders Fund National Hunt Fillies Scheme of EUR100,000 plus. During the 2002 Punchestown Festival the ITBA acknowledged the importance of National Hunt fillies as the future of our breeding industry with the launch of a scheme, which will incorporate the richest bumper in the world. This scheme is the culmination of work carried out by the ITBA National Hunt Committee and is a restructuring of the European Breeders Fund Premier National Hunt Fillies Scheme created in 1998. The new scheme will be sponsored by Bewleys Hotels is supported by the European Breeders Fund, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, Goffs and Tattersalls (Ireland). Future Projects to include: In the main our members depend for their livelihoods on their bloodstock activities and this has always ensured a proactive and focused approach by the ITBA. We will continue to promote the interests of all breeders, whether full or part time, by helping to maintain Ireland’s disease free status and by maintaining vigilance in animal health matters. For some years it has been very clear that the European Union is having an increasingly influential effect on the day to day running of thoroughbred industries in E.U. Member States. To illustrate this point, in early February 2002 the E.U. Commission Directorate General for Health & Consumer Protection (including responsibility for Animal Health & Welfare) published a ‘Compendium of E.U. Legislation on Equidae’ demonstrating that, commencing on 26th June 1990, the E.U. has passed no fewer than 126 legislative acts that impact on every aspect of the life of horses of all types. (Lynch, C., 2002) The case of the Veterinary Medicines Directives highlights how serious this impact can be on the Thoroughbred industry. The Veterinary Committee of the ITBA will continue to work with Avril Doyle, MEP and Veterinary Ireland for a satisfactory solution to the Veterinary Medicines question in Europe. The ITBA maintains a watching brief and through our consultants in Europe, monitors all farm related legislation and any other happenings in Brussels that will have implications for our industry.