Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) are delighted to launch an x-ray screening scheme for breeders/owners of performance stallions aged 5 years old and older. This scheme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is open to stallions who are registered/endorsed in a DAFM approved studbook and meet specific performance requirements. Breeders/owners will have the opportunity to apply to participate in the x-ray screening scheme by completing an online application. Following receipt of a valid application which is subsequently approved, HSI will cover the cost of the screening (up to €350 total ex vat) and notify the selected HSI approved veterinarian.
Ponies are also eligible to receive funding under the scheme but must also meet the performance criteria and be registered/endorsed in a DAFM Approved Pony Studbook.
This scheme has three objectives:
1. Provide breeders with an accessible x-ray screening programme for their own personal use (benchmarking their breeding herd/sales, etc)
2. Document the prevalence osteo-abnormalities the degree of bony changes in the breeding herd of actively covering stallions.
3. Use the data as a benchmark for bony changes in the Irish herd and disseminate this information in a scientific journal/scientific conference(s)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Stallions must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- Be at least 5 years old or older
- Be registered/endorsed in a DAFM approved studbook.
- Provide verified results demonstrating the Showjumping performance criteria outlined below or equivalent in eventing or dressage:
Sport Horses:
Four double clear rounds at 1.40m CSI2* or higher.
Or
Six clear rounds in one round Table A speed classes at 1.45m at CSI2* or higher
Or
The appropriate age-related performance equivalent.
Ponies:
Four double clear rounds at 1.05m or higher (148cms).
Four double clear rounds at 95cm or higher (138cms).
Four double clear rounds at 85cm or higher (128cms).
Where a sport horse or pony sire does not meet the performance criteria record of their own, they must have sired two progeny who have achieved the performance outlined above.
Irish Draught and Connemara stallions applying for the scheme must achieve the following:
Be the offspring of a Class 1 sire AND dam.
The sires of applicant stallions must have an Approved/Preliminary Approved or Recognised/Preliminary Recognised classification or equivalent in a WBFSH member/DAFM-Approved studbook.
Prior to completion of x-rays the applicant is required to provide:
- Evidence of WBFSH/DAFM stallion classification.
- Evidence of verified performance where necessary.
- Evidence of ownership of the animal
- Applicants must not have presented for (any) studbook inspection or submitted x-rays to HSI in the past
- Applicants must be resident on the island of Ireland (inc. Northern Ireland).
- Applicants must be the registered owner of the animal at the point of application.
- Where the applicant is the authorised keeper of the animal, they must also submit signed evidence of owner’s approval of the stallion’s inclusion in the scheme.
· Applicants may apply for up to two stallions
· Animals must be registered/endorsed in a DAFM-approved studbook.
· All applications must be submitted before the 21st of October 2022 where all screenings must be completed and returned to HSI before the 31st of October 2022.
· This scheme operates on a first come first served basis up to the maximum allocation facilitated by the existing budget allocation. Horse Sport Ireland reserves the right to close the scheme ahead of the advertised deadline.
· Horse Sport Ireland reserve the right to change, amend or update scheme terms and conditions. In the event of same, existing applicants will be notified.
· Horse Sport Ireland reserves the right to use performance equivalents and will consider breeding values from other studbooks on a case-by-case basis
· Horse Sport Ireland reserves the right to reject any application.
· HSI will pay the approved veterinarian directly and receive each animals’ x-rays directly from the clinic.
· The veterinarian will not provide any ‘live’ interpretation of the x-rays to the applicant on the day of screening.
· X-rays will be interpreted by HSI expert x-ray panel.
· Applicants will receive a digital copy of the X-rays & interpretation directly from HSI.
· All x-ray images will be retained by HSI for research purposes. This research will not publish any identifiable features of the animals/owners/breeders who participated in the scheme.
· Horse Sport Ireland will provide the results of this scheme, where relevant, to the studbook of origin of the equine in question.
· Drawdown of funding is subject to the completion of scheme feedback
· This screening is for the purpose of documenting the incidence of a variety of orthopaedic conditions; these x-rays do not provide recommendation for subsequent suitability for sale.