ATTENDEES heard at its Annual General Meeting how limited funds hamper the work of the Traditional Irish Horse Association (TIHA). Noted breeders Bridget McGing and Susan Malee were the special guests last Sunday at the Portlaoise meeting.

The issue of Traditional Irish Horse (TIH) designation on passports was also referred to in chairman Kevin Noone’s opening address about an “active year” for the association, tasked with preserving traditional bloodlines.

Noting that limited funds are available to the TIHA, he asked for fund raising ideas or potential sponsor leads to be shared, so that the Association’s work could continue.

Noone also stated that the TIHA Council had engaged extensively with Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) throughout 2024 and early 2025, in relation to passport delays and some passports being issued without a full TIH designation.

He advised that HSI have confirmed they are putting a plan in place to recall, correct and reissue any incorrect TIH passports, at no expense to breeders and that this should be carried out before the end of March.

HSI Council member Samantha FitzSimons added that the Council had advised HSI that the TIHA and many other organisations are entirely dependent on IHR Online to verify the pedigrees of Traditional Irish Horses, Irish Draughts etc for show class entries and HSI responded that they are very conscious of this.

Following meetings last year with the Irish Horse Board (IHB), with the aim of market support for the TIH, both at home and abroad, the IHB asked the TIHA Council to submit a wishlist, which has been completed. A follow-up meeting with the IHB is scheduled for later this month.

The 2024 TIHA award recipients at Dublin Horse Show / Susan Finnerty

Shoestring budget

Continuing his address, Noone commented that one positive achievement was the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) commitment to include the TIH suffix on relevant horses in the future.

Another advance was that HSI have agreed to use Dr Emmeline Hill’s DNA research to potentially fill in small gaps in the pedigree of horses who are known or strongly suspected to be TIH. However, funding is a potential challenge.

The TIHA’s limited funds were made further evident when its treasurer Jim Cooke presented their independently-audited accounts for 2023. He noted that the main sources of income are membership fees [€7,959] and sponsorship [€3,000]. (The other income source was TIHA performance championship entry fees (€950)).

He added that the association was fortunate to receive funding via the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine (DAFM) Breeding Grant, which contributed to the costs of the performance championships, held at Mullingar Equestrian Centre. Westmeath County Council also provided some sponsorship for this event.

Council and TIHA Events Committee member Jennifer Haverty reviewed their various events throughout 2024, which included TIHA support, such as rugs and rosettes, at 23 shows, run by the Irish Shows Association, Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association, Association of Irish Riding Clubs, Dressage Ireland, Kildare Hunt Club and others.

The main ‘shop window’ events are their performance championships and the TIH working hunter class at Dublin Horse Show. Presentations were also made to various breeders at Dublin.

Sponsors such as Westmeath County Council and Loop Mobile were also gratefully acknowledged, while TIHA council members had also personally sponsored events, as mentioned in Haverty’s recent Breeders’ 10 feature.

Limitless goodwill and enthusiasm, however, securing the future of the Traditional Irish Horse on an annual budget of €11,909 is an outright uphill battle.

The full point

TWO TIH flagship breeders in Carrabeg Stud’s Susan Malee and vet Bridget McGing were the guest speakers at last Sunday’s AGM.

Susan bred and owns the aptly-named young TIH performance stallion Carrabeg The Full Irish (Ardcolum Duke x Flexible), who jumped clear in the Dublin five-year-old classes last year. He and rider Katharina Wildling were also selected for the second running of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions young horses championships at Valkenswaard last year.

“He just missed one place in qualifying for Dublin as a four-year-old. He’s just so careful and I’m going to give him time. That’s [time] the main thing, I think people do too much with them as young horses.

“We’ll do some jumping this year and we’re really jumping up the steps, but he certainly did the business last year.”

Bridget is another owner-breeder, in her case of the five-star event horse Masterpoint (Pointilliste x Kings Master), aimed for this year’s Badminton CCI5*-L. Ian Cassells also competes another of McGing’s home-breds: Inquisitor and the Irish pair recorded a top-10 place in the seven-year-old section of last year’s WBFSH young event horse championships at Le Lion d’Angers.

“I’m lucky enough to have two on the go at the moment in eventing. Eventing is my passion and I’m lucky enough again to have a very good rider in Ian. Masterpoint is now 12, he’s full progeny of Barbara Hatton’s Slyguff, as he’s by Pointilliste and out of a Kings Master mare. He has done extremely well all the way up from two-star and did his first five-star at the end of 2023.

“I really like the young event horse series. I only did the five-year-olds with any of them really, but I wouldn’t be completely against doing it at four, if you have a horse that’s ready for it.”

Limerick ladies

MICHAEL McEwan, one of the original members of the TIHA’s forerunner, was on hand to present his namesake perpetual trophy to Margaret Jeffares, who won the supreme traditional championship at Limerick Show last summer.

“Mike wasn’t with us in Limerick for the first year in a long time, so he came especially today,” said Council member and Limerick Show representative, Joan Bateman in her introduction.

McEwan praised the Council for their work, saying: “It’s been a hard road to hurl, I can assure you. I remember talking to Joe Walsh and the then early HSI. When you think back all those years and how the council has brought this association to what they’ve done now, we ought to be very grateful, because it’s all been very hard work and, I might say, on very little.

“There’s very little money behind it and they’ve done it through absolutely nothing. We owe a great debt for all the time and energy they put into it.”

It was the second year that Jeffares’ Ballykelly Jasmine (Gortfree Hero x Big Sink Hope) won the overall traditional title, while her Gibeon colt Ballykelly Take Five was the champion traditional foal at Limerick.

“We’re very humbled by the presentation, not expected at all. It’s really a great honour. I remember being at the very first [TIHA] meeting and, wow, has it come a long way. Everything is about commerce and everything is about selling your mare, selling your foal, so it’s about trying to add value and a premium.

“On a voluntary basis, you’re absolutely amazing to do this. Everybody’s busy in life, and it’s fantastic to see that there’s actually people that care, that have put themselves forward and out of their own pocket,” added Margaret.