LAUNCHED in Britain, France and Ireland in 1983 as a self-help measure to support the industry, largely through the sponsorship of two-year-old maiden races, the European Breeders’ Fund has since expanded to include Germany, Italy and Switzerland and supports all levels of racing throughout Europe.

The idea initially sprang from the Breeders’ Cup initiative, but the EBF is far wider reaching, Irish Stallion Farms EBF being Irish racing’s largest sponsor and pumping back funds into all levels of racing, particularly at grass roots level.

The governors of the EBF are much respected industry professionals with a keen understanding of the sport and they take great care to identify the areas in need of support each year from sponsorship.

“It’s very much a success story, but as a self-funding industry body it’s a victim of its own success, as it is often not noticed. We’ve become so used to seeing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF everywhere without really considering what it does for the industry,” says Harry McCalmont, who served for 12 years as chair and deputy chair of the EBF. “It’s an important part of the racing industry and if it were not here, would be sadly missed.”

A not-for-profit organisation, the EBF collects payment annually from stallion owners, the equivalent of an average nomination fee per stallion based on the number of mares covered and the fund goes directly into race sponsorship in the country from which the fees were received. Over 80% of two-year-old races in each member country are confined to EBF-eligible horses and there are also selected conditions races, novices and handicaps, with strong support for fillies in listed races and handicaps.

National Hunt racing also receives significant support, which includes a fillies and mares’ programme.

STALLION FUNDS

“The EBF is fulfilling the role it was founded to, collecting money from stallion farms and using the fund for the good of racing, a set of ideals it continues to live up to,” said current chairman, John O’Connor. “It was founded at a time when Irish prize money was very poor and was hugely important to the industry. Although prize money has gone up, so has the cost of having a horse in training, so it’s still very important.

“Due to the strength of the Irish stallion industry, the Irish Stallion Farms contribution is the strongest to the European Fund and has contributed in excess of €40 million. We’re very proud of our achievement and keen to build on the success. We continually look at elements that can improve the Irish bloodstock industry.”

One such element was the creation of Irish Champions Weekend. Harry McCalmont was instrumental, together with Joe Foley and John O’Connor, in founding Irish Champions Weekend, which closely complements the EBF, putting the idea to HRI. “The EBF sponsors four premier handicaps over the weekend, among the richest handicaps in Europe and they are very well supported. The EBF has done an excellent job in bringing in sponsors and encouraging co-sponsors and the more people who come on board the better, the industry needs as much prize money as it can,” McCalmont points out.

John O’Connor is naturally pleased with the success of Irish Champions Weekend, which shows what can be achieved when the whole industry pulls together through teamwork. “We at the EBF are delighted that an idea that emanated from us has come to fruition,” he says. “It got off to a strong start but no one is going to become complacent. It’s getting great support from Irish trainers and now from even further afield and we would like it to become an important fixture in the international calendar.”

AUCTION SERIES

The Irish EBF also lends its support to the second running of the two-year-old Auction Series, which this year carries increased prize money for the final race, from €75,000 to €100,000. The series has 19 qualifying races before the final at Naas on October 16th.

Eligible horses must have run in one of the qualifying races and be EBF eligible. The races are aimed at horses purchased as yearlings or two-year-olds at public auction for not more than €72,000, with allowances for fillies and for horses purchased at a lower auction price. The purpose of the series is to give a much needed lucrative opportunity to race a two-year-old for purchasers at the middle to lower end of the auction market.

To date, the least expensive of the winners has been Trevanna, a 10,500gns yearling, while the most expensive was €65,000 yearling Pandagreen, with seven of the 15 winners so far bought for €20,000 or less. With many of the smaller stables registering wins, it seems the EBF Auction Series is achieving its aim.

Nessa Joyce, manager of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund, says: “The governors of the Irish EBF are very supportive of this series and want to give purchasers of yearlings and two-year-olds under €72,000 an extremely valuable race to target in October at Naas Racecourse. “The progeny from an EBF-registered stallion are EBF eligible for life and this can be seen as an added appeal at the sales.”

Nessa Joyce is the public face of the EBF, continually at racemeetings and sales, meeting with those who directly benefit from the EBF’s work. “I want everyone in the industry to know that I’m always available to approach at the races, at the sales or over the phone, to answer any EBF queries they may have at anytime,” she says. “We receive important feedback from the governors and are constantly tweaking and looking for improvements that can be made. The main point is to ensure the money is going to the right places.”

John O’Connor emphasises: “Stallions of all prices contribute to the fund, so it’s important the progeny of those stallions are supported. We try to support the industry at times when the market is not strong and we are very ambitious about the Auction Series. We think we can build on it further and encourage people to come to Ireland to buy and race horses.”

The EBF has contributed over €100 million to the industry in total since its inception, of which Irish Stallion Farms has contributed over €40 million to Irish prize money.

In Ireland, more than 370 races are sponsored each year, both flat and National Hunt, to a value of over €1.7 million in 2016.