Equine

Table of Contents

Irish National Stud Company Limited

The Irish National Stud Co. Ltd keeps a range of top class stallions with a view to making quality bloodlines available to the thoroughbred horse industry in Ireland. The Japanese Gardens and St Fiachra’s Garden, both of which are located on the grounds of the Stud, plus the opportunity for visitors to view the horses standing at the Stud have proven to be a major tourist attraction through the years. The Stud also engages in farming activities and trains people for employment in the bloodstock sector.

Purebred Equine Stud-Book

A stud-book is any book, register, ﬁle or data medium which is maintained by a recognised organisation, and in which equines are entered or registered with reference to all their known ascendants. The operation of a stud book is regulated by S.I. No. 207/2014 European Union (Identiﬁcation of Equidae) Regulations 2014 (as amended).
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is the Competent Authority for granting approvals under this legislation subject to the applicant having complied with the criteria for approval.
The current list of approved equine studbooks are listed at: www.agriculture.gov.ie/ farmingsectors/animalbreeding/approvedestablishmentsintheveterinaryﬁeld/approvedequine studbooks

Horse Registration

Under Control on Places where Horses are Kept Regulations 2014 (S. I. No. 113 of 2014), all equine premises must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Equidae keepers should note that failure to register, as required by S. I. No. 113 of 2014, may leave them liable to prosecution under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013.

Any person who acquires ownership of an equine, must notify the agency that issued the original passport (PIO) within 30 days of the transaction.

European Commission Regulation No. 504/2008 sets out the system for the identiﬁcation for equidae and is binding on all Member States of the European Union.
All keepers of horses, passport issuing bodies and veterinary practitioners are obliged to comply with the provisions of this Regulation. It requires that all equines must be identiﬁed properly within six months of the date of their birth or by 31st December in the calendar year of their birth, whichever date occurs later. The system for identifying equidae is comprised of three elements:
• An equine passport;
• A microchip implanted in the equine by a veterinary practitioner to create an unequivocal link between the passport and the equine; and

• The assignment of a unique equine life number to the equine in the database of the approved passport issuing organisation.

Any equine being moved between premises must be accompanied by the passport issued in respect of that particular animal, with the exception of foals at foot.
The Department maintains a database comprising the passport details of all equines identiﬁed by the Passport Issuing Organisations approved by the Minister.
The equine identiﬁcation legislation is complemented by mandatory requirements for the registration of premises where equines are kept and in case of change of ownership of an equine, notiﬁcation to the Passport Issuing Organisation which issued the passport is required.

Equines cannot be considered for slaughter for human consumption unless they have a passport that is compliant with current veterinary requirements.

Bodies

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is the governing body for the sport horse industry and is responsible for devising and implementing strategies for the development and promotion of an internationally competitive Irish sport horse industry, covering breeding, sport and leisure activities. It maintains the Irish Horse Register, which incorporates the Irish Sport Horse Studbook and the Irish Draught Horse Studbook.

The Board of Directors of HSI includes representatives from the International Equestrian Federation, sport/leisure organisations and the Irish Horse Board (IHB). An independent chairman is nominated by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in consultation with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The Irish Horse Board Co-operative Society Ltd, was established in 1993. It acts as an advisory sub Board within Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) on issues relating to stud book and breeding policy.

Grant Aid

Grant aid is provided to equine organisations for projects approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, aimed at supporting improvements in quality equine breeding and also in the infrastructure within which the thoroughbred and non-thorough- bred horse sectors operate.

Aid focuses on:
• Quality non-thoroughbred horse production – work on the formulation of genetic indices for stallions, blood sampling/DNA testing to verify pedigree, up-grading of equine registration systems and for the promotion and marketing of non-thoroughbred horses;
• Quality thoroughbred horse production – initiatives in the areas of education, training and promotion in respect of equine health and husbandry, stud management and safety, nutrition and quality breeding;
• Research into equine diseases and breeding and the capital cost of buildings and equipment to facilitate the delivery of enhanced diagnostic and ancillary services at the Irish Equine Centre;
• Data collection and analysis leading to the generation of information to underpin improvements in the genetic quality in the non-thoroughbred sector. Support for
education and training opportunities to satisfy the needs of new entrants and those
already involved in the equine and related industries.

EU Movement

Import/Export to/from EU Member States

Horses must be accompanied by their passport and an Intra Community Health Certiﬁcate, which has been signed by an Oﬃcial Veterinarian of the country of export and which complies with Council Directive 90/426/EEC as amended. Applications made to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an oﬃcial health certiﬁcate must be accompanied by a health certiﬁcate issued by the exporter’s private Veterinary Practitioner and a copy of the passport and marking sheet from the passport.

Horses will be required to undergo a veterinary inspection by an Oﬃcial Veterinarian at the port/airport of departure.
Certain categories of horse, whose health status can be guaranteed by a body designated under the Tripartite Agreement (TPA) agreed between Ireland, France and United Kingdom, may travel to/from France from/to UK & Ireland under a DOCOM (a document generated by the TPA body under the TRACES system). All other horses going to France must have oﬃcial certiﬁcation issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. No health certiﬁcation is required for registered horses moving between Ireland and Britain.

Non-EU Movement

Import from Non-EU Member States

Prospective importers must apply to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an import licence. Horses must be accompanied by their passport and a health certiﬁcate which complies with the provisions of Commission Decision 93/197/EEC as amended. Upon ﬁrst entry to the EU, the horses will be required to undergo border inspection checks. Importers are required to give 24 hours advance notice to the Border Inspection Post of choice.

Export to Non-EU Member States

Horse exports to non-EU Member States must be accompanied by their passport, an export licence and an oﬃcial health certiﬁcate, both issued by this Department and which complies with the conditions set out by the accepting country. Applications made to the Department for an oﬃcial health certiﬁcate must be accompanied by a health certiﬁcate issued by the exporter’s private Veterinary Practitioner along with a copy of the passport and the marking sheet from the passport. Horses will be required to undergo a veterinary inspection by an Oﬃcial Veterinarian at the port/airport of departure.

Border Inspection Posts (BIP)

All consignments of live animals from third countries must be checked at a Border Inspection Post (BIP) on arrival on the territory of the EU. Animals other than equines or ungulates* cannot be imported directly into Ireland but must undergo veterinary checks at a BIP approved for this category of animal (category “O”) in another EU Member State, see list at: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/bips/bips_contact_en.htm

This does not apply to equines. Equines including horses can be checked at Dublin or Shannon airports, ungulates may be checked at Shannon airport. Pets other than equines do not require BIP checks but are subject to other rules i.e. PETS scheme.
(*cloven hoofed animals, for example, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer etc.)

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI)

Horse Racing Ireland was established on 18 December 2001 under the provisions of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 to replace the Irish Horseracing Authority including its Racecourses, Tote and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing subsidiaries and to incorporate certain administrative functions of the Irish Turf Club. It is thus charged with the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.

Functions:
• Development and promotion of Irish horseracing; 14
• Promotion of the Irish thoroughbred horse;
• Allocation of race ﬁxtures, programmes and prize money;
• Negotiation of sale of media and data rights;
• Operation of a totalisator at race meetings;
• Representation of Irish racing internationally;
• Development of authorised racecourses;
• Operation of racecourses that are owned by HRI;
• Control of the operations of authorised bookmakers;
• Financial and other support to assist the industry’s training and educational needs;
• Stakeholding of prize fund including entry fees and sponsorship;
• Guaranteeing the cost of integrity services;
• Overall administration of Irish racing other than those functions speciﬁed in legislation to be carried out by the Racing Regulatory Body;
• Registration of horse identiﬁcation, names, owners, colours and acceptance of entries and declarations;
• Compilation and publication of the racing calendar and form book;
• Provision and maintenance of mobile track equipment, including starting stalls, photo ﬁnish and camera patrol equipment.