Madam,

I recently posted on Facebook suggesting the suffix ‘ISH’ and the breed description ‘Irish Sport Horse’ were being used incorrectly and thus were diluting the unique selling point that has been hard-won by the Irish breeders.

Sadly, the Chinese whispers started, and the actual breeding of the horses took over the discussion. My point was not ‘how’ a horse is bred (and a lot are of non-traditional extraction) but ‘where’.

There are horses (I research only those in the eventing world) that are described, and registered with their governing bodies, as one or the other when they are clearly not. I saw one recently that declared its country of birth as the USA, but its breed as Irish Sport Horse. This is wrong and misleading. The Irish breeders are rightly proud of their product and like producers in the Champagne district of France, zealously guard the ‘brand name’.

The time has surely come to do the same as Champagne has done, for the Irish Sport Horse and make it a designated name and breed code, only to be used by horses bred in Ireland and registered on the Irish Horse Register.

Being bred in Ireland brings a great deal to the table, more than just the parents, a lot of Irishness goes into the breeding and nurturing and that is reflected in the value of the product. It is my belief, and I know many agree with me, that we must protect their product, reputation and their name.

There is, of course, another argument to be had and that is about the traditions of Irish Horse breeding. It is well-known that I feel very strongly about the TIH and that it should be respected as a separate breed code and not an ‘add-on’ – but that is for another day. Every journey starts with small steps.

Yours,

Charlie Ripman