THE year 2023 – a year of extremes, from the highlights and golden moments for breeders of top-ranked horses and medal winners to the frustration of facing passport delays and price hikes at the feedstore and diesel pumps.

From professional to grassroots breeders, the entire sector keeps Irish horse and pony breeding aloft and alive, as does the hope that one day they could breed that 1.60m or five-star winner.