ALISON Corbally, director of breeding with Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), opened the Irish Equine Reproductive Symposium by reflecting on the success of this year, she particularly noted the recent Lanaken success and that the Irish Studbook won the WBFSH leading studbook for eventing this year. She added: “This is a huge success and we should be shouting about it.” In relation to Lanaken, Corbally said: “It is truly amazing that we have won so many medals at Lanaken over the last two years.”

From here Corbally went on to explain the role which HSI plays within Irish breeding and how it plans to build on recent breeding success. She explained how breeding in HSI is divided into show jumping and eventing and that it is constantly looking to the future to how both sports are likely to change and develop.

She emphasised how HSI aims to support all breeders through a series of different measures, including encouraging the use of performance dam lines in all schemes, initiatives to encourage mares to compete and/or be assessed prior to breeding, to empower breeders through provisions of additional data such as genetic evaluation and in events which are supported by HSI, like the RDS championships and ISH series.

Genetic improvement

One of the main questions Corbally addressed at the conference was how do we speed up genetic improvement? Her answer involved a look back to some of the very first breeding schemes to be implemented in Ireland, particularly Irish Sport Horse Developments (ISHD).

It was under ISHD that embryo transfer was first introduced to Irish breeding and although the programme is not only in operation, Corbally highlighted what a success it was both in terms of bringing forward the genetic development of Irish horses and in terms of educating breeders.

HSI is currently offering an embryo transfer scheme to help encourage breeders to avail of the service. Embryo transfer opens up the option of breeding in a number of mares who might not otherwise be suitable. For instance it can work very well for competition mares and for older mares, it also adds the possibility of being able to get more than one foal per year.

However, Corbally did warn that although there are a number of positives to embryo transfer that it is not always suitable for some mares and each mare can react differently to it. She also emphasised how important the choice of stallion is.

Corbally urged all breeders to breed cleverly. She noted a lack of information as to what type of foal is produced using more foreign bloodlines. Embryo transfer can help to establish how foreign bloodline breed with Irish lines and it can also help with the preservation of bloodlines.

Recipient mares are a vital part of the process of embryo transfer, according to Corbally they should be treated with the same importance as the donor mare. They should also be a suitable type and be in good condition. She also highlighted the need to have the recipient mare available and ready.

In order to increase the chances of having a successful embryo transfer, Corbally said: “An experienced, capable and enthusiastic practitioner is essential.”

She then went on to detail a commercial breeding programme and how to incorporate embryo transfer into this programme.