News

WSI Maintains Commitment to Mother Earth

Since 2020, WSI has maintained a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. Yesterday we purchased 100 tonnes of carbon offsets, which is double the offset purchased one year ago. This increase reflects our rapid growth in registrations and inspections.

WSI continues to plant 10 trees for every foal and older horse we register, and we award the E+ ("environment plus") predicate to every animal registered since 2023. In the coming days WSI will make a large purchase of trees to be planted.

Breeders and owners are encouraged to become involved in WSI's pro-environment activities. You can purchase the CL+ ("climate plus") predicate for your Irish Warmblood, Approved Stallion, or Approved Mare for a donation of €55. We will award the CL+ predicate to your animal and plant on their behalf 35 trees and purchase at least two tonnes of carbon offsets. This will go a long way to offset the carbon imprint of your horse during its lifetime.

You also can join other members of the Irish Warmblood community by making a donation, which will be used to purchase even more carbon offsets and trees. These donations will supplement, and not replace, WSI's own activities.

Along with other pro-environment activites embraced by WSI over the last four years, our homepage hosting service is now run on 100% green/renewable energy.

We believe WSI is the only studbook in the world with a pro-environment strategy that includes a commitment to being carbon negative. Please contact us if you'd like to get involved.

A Useful Tool for Decision-Making

World Breeding Championships at Lanaken

Only Irish Warmbloods and ISH can be selected for the Irish Team.

Beginning in 2025, only horses sired by an Approved/Recognised Stallions with 3 generations of recorded pedigree may be selected for the Irish Team.

If you want your horse to be eligible for selection in the future, use an Approved sire now.

Contact WSI's Breeding Director for more information: 087.827.4831

Want a truly hassle free experience registering a foal?

With WSI, you can use the telephone, email, snail mail, WhatsApp, SMS, or Facebook Messenger to contact us anytime.

Need a registration kit? If you are using warmblood genetics, and the sire and damsire of the youngster you wish to register are Approved by a WBFSH studbook, give us a ring or drop us a line : 087.222.9701 or admin@irish-warmblood.com

WSI: Faster, Better, Cheaper

A Reminder

National Breeding Services is a DAFM scheme. Under a contract competition, DAFM appointed HSI the NBS administrator for 2022-2026. HSI does the paperwork for NBS, and in return DAFM is allowed to pay HSI a fee for administering NBS. It’s DAFM money, not HSI’s money, that is dispensed to horse owners.

NBS is open to Irish Warmbloods.

If a scheme is open to ISH horses, the scheme is open to Irish Warmbloods.

If a sport competition is open to ISH horses, it is open to Irish Warmbloods.

Irish breeders and owners can thank the European Commission for the level playing field.

World Breeding Championships for Young Eventing Horses

WSI and HSI have released the Nomination Policy and Selection Policy for Lion d'Angers. WSI and HSI approved the policies, and the policies will be implemented by the Team Manager and Team Veterinarian.

Owners and riders of Irish Warmbloods who wish to nominate their horses for Lion d'Angers should write to nominations@irish-warmblood.com to begin the discussion. Horses may be resident in any country, and riders may be of any nationality.

Irish Warmblood ESI HAMSHIRE and Damien Griffin placed 4th yesterday in the Fingal County Show's GAIN Alltech National Grand Prix Sponsored by Joe Duffy Motors. Bred by Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud Ireland.

The WSI Stage 3 Stallion Malibu Of Heritage Z (Milton Z - N Gitana of Heritage Z x Nabab De Reve) placed 2nd in last Monday's Three Year-Old Loose Performance Qualifier at Warrington and qualified for the Dublin Horse Show.

Congratulations to owner/breeder Martina Romagnoli, Of Heritage Stud, Co. Waterford.

Congratulations to the breeders, riders, and owners on the following results at the Dublin Horse Show Qualifiers on Wednesday 26 June at Mullingar. These horses have qualified to go to the RDS on 14 - 18 August and represent the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland:

5-Year-Old Approved Mare Movie-Star and Robyn Griffin - 5th Place

5-Year-Old Stage 3 Stallion König and Andrew Hodgins - 8th Place

6-Year-Old Approved Mare Agana van't Vossenhof Z and Jamie Landers - 9th Place

6-Year-Old Approved Mare Bouvardia van Twelve Oaks and Rhy Williams - 10th Place

7-Year-Old Approved Stallion Mendoza VDL and Shane Dalton - 1st Place

7-Year-Old Approved Mare MBF Be Blue and Jason Higgins - 3rd Place

WBFSH Global Champions Trophy

Riders and Owners: Please note that the selection policy for Valkenswaard published today by HSI concerns only ISH Horses. WSI published its policy for Irish Warmbloods about six weeks ago

If you have an Irish Warmblood and are interested in the WBFSH Global Champions Trophy, please contact WSI.

Another Stage 1 Inspection Scheduled for Friday 19 April

Riders and Owners: Please note that the selection policy for Valkenswaard published today by HSI concerns only ISH Horses. WSI published its policy for Irish Warmbloods about six weeks ago

If you have an Irish Warmblood and are interested in the WBFSH Global Champions Trophy, please contact WSI.

Imported a Horse?

If you imported a warmblood horse into Ireland and have not sent the passport to WSI to finalise the importation by entering the horse into the DAFM Central Equine Database, you need to do so ASAP to comply with the law. This action also will make your horse eligible for certain DAFM National Breeding Services schemes.

If you already have "lodged" the passport by sending it to HSI, there is nothing stopping you and your imported horse from participating in WSI's Breeding Programme by registering foals and older horses, presenting mares and stallions for approval, becoming eligible to compete in the DAFM Studbook Series and RDS, etc.

Click here for the form to complete for importation of mares, stallions, and geldings.

Congratulations to the breeders, riders, and owners on the following results at the Dublin Horse Show Qualifiers on Wednesday 12 June at Barnadown. These horses have qualified to go to the RDS on 14 - 18 August and represent the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland:

5-Year-Old Stage 3 Stallion: Jad'Or du Lavoir (Diamant de Semilly x Canturo) and Susan Fitzpatrick

5-Year-Old WSI Approved Mare: Orange de Baugy (Dominator 2000 Z x Barbarian) and Abby Boland

7-Year-Old WSI Approved Mare: Mika (Insider VDL x Lyjanero) and Brendan Murphy

7-Year-Old WSI Approved Mare: Lady Blue du Pont Letot (Chacoon Blue x Qody de St Aubert) and Darragh Ryan

Another Irish Warmblood qualifying for the RDS Dublin Horse Show: Heathermore Joyce's Odyssey.

Congratulations to the rider Ellen Creed and the breeder Noel Kilroy. Sired by the WSI Approved Stallion Ulysses m2s (stallion owned by Aidan Browne), and out of the mare Aldatus Diamond.

WSI Breeding Advisory Board

Two members have been elected to the WSI Breeding Advisory Council in the Dressage direction. Tracy Lynch has been elected for a second term, which will run through May 2027. Emma-Rose Conroy is new to the Council, having been elected to a two-year term, which will run through May 2026.

Tracy is an active dressage breeder who uses top-class continental dressage genetics in her breeding programme at Emerald Dressage. She is the owner of Pompidou AF, the first dressage stallion to be approved in Ireland.

Emma-Rose is the owner of Rezy Lane Sporthorses (breeding horses and ponies), and a Specialist Equine Reproduction Veterinary Surgeon. Emma-Rose also uses outstanding dressage genetics in her breeding programme.

The WSI Breeding Advisory Council also includes the returning members:
Luke Cafolla, Leinster Stud, Showjumping Direction (through May 2026);

Martina Romagnoli, Of Heritage Stud, Showjumping Direction (through May 2026);

Fiona Hickey, Hickey Horses, Eventing Direction (though May 2025).

We are grateful for Luke, Martina, Fiona, Tracy, and Emma-Rose's participation, input, and counsel.

Parvati Wins GP

Yesterday the WSI Approved Mare Parvati AEG (Arezzo VDL - Sabrienne x Darco) won the Ballivor Grand Prix with Francis Derwin.

Nominations Open for Breeding Council

Nominations for two (2) seats on the WSI Breeding Council, in the DRESSAGE breeding direction, are sought from Members in Good Standing. If you've registered one or more dressage, showjumping, or eventing foals or older horses with WSI in the last two years, you are eligible to submit nominations, and to propose yourself. Nominations close on Tuesday.

Contact WSI by WhatsApp (087.222.9701) or email (nominations@irish-warmblood.com) to submit your nominations.

The Irish Warmblood mare Leave It With Me CAL m2s (Ulysses m2s - Bumblebee Rose m2s x Hornet Rose) placed 2nd yesterday in the Young Event Horse Series (YES) Qualifier at Tullylish.

Breeding Programme

European Union law requires each studbook to create an official "Breeding Programme", which documents its breeding goals, strategy, and geographic territory. The "Competent Authority" -- in Ireland, it's the DAFM -- must review and approve or reject the Breeding Programme. WSI takes its Breeding Programme very seriously, and we have done so since our founding in 2009.

WSI is the only sport horse studbook in Ireland that requires the sire and damsire of each registered equine to be Approved or a TB/AA/ShA.

WSI is the only sport horse studbook in Ireland whose Breeding Programme is approved not only by Ireland and Northern Ireland's competent authorities, but also by the French competent authority. (Yes, WSI lawfully registers foals born in France!)

And WSI is the only sport horse studbook in Ireland that does not include non-sport horse breeds, like Clydesdales, in its Breeding Programme.

You've been frustrated and disappointed long enough. Make the switch to WSI, and you and your Irish Warmblood will enjoy access to every restricted competition and the DAFM National Breeding Services Scheme, and the service you deserve.

Congratulations to the breeders, riders, and owners on the following results at the Dublin Horse Show Qualifiers on Wednesday. These horses have qualified to go to the RDS on 14 - 18 August and represent the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland:

4-Year-Old Irish Warmblood
L. Tango (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Harley VDL)
Breeder: Fergal Rice
Rider/Owner: Kerry Taggart
3rd Place

5-Year-Old WSI Approved Mare
Euphorbia V Twelve Oaks Z (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Bentley vd Heffinck)
Breeder: Gijbels Stables BVBA
Rider: Rhys Williams
Owner: Williams Sport Horses Ltd
2nd Place

6-Year-Old Irish Warmblood
Jump the Gun (I'm Special de Muze x Master Imp xx)
Breeder/Owner: Ann Connors
Rider: Nicholas Connors
1st Place

6-Year-Old WSI Approved Mare
Symphonie AEG (Inaico VDL x Arezzo VDL)
Breeder: Stal Aegten BVBA
Rider: Kerry Taggart
Owners: Sean Kelly & Kerry Taggart
7th Place

WBFSH GCT Questions & Answers

We have been receiving questions about nominations for selection for the WBFSH Studbooks Global Champions Trophy competition. Each WBFSH studbook can select horses registered by itself; it cannot select horses of a different breed. So WSI can select only Irish Warmbloods, and an Irish Warmblood can be selected only by WSI.

If you have a horse with a BWP passport, for example, only BWP can select the horse. And BWP can select only Belgian Warmbloods. BWP cannot select an sBs or a Z horse, for example.

Drop us a WhatsApp if you have further queries: 087.827.4831

Important Rule Change

Important Rule Change for WBFSH Studbook Global Champions Trophy at Valkenswaard 26-29 September:

“Riders may compete for more than one studbook, but may only represent one studbook in any one category."

Nomination Deadline: 25 May
https://bit.ly/2024_WSI-WBFSH_GCT_Funding

We already have begun to receive nomination forms. Nominate your 5 - 8 year old Irish Warmblood by 25 May.

DAFM Breeding Services Schemes

The DAFM Breeding Services schemes are open for applications, and Irish Warmbloods are eligible, of course. HSI gets paid by DAFM for doing the back-office administration of these schemes, so let us know if you run into any difficulties.

These are the Department's Schemes, not HSI's. WSI is monitoring HSI’s behaviour, and we have been corresponding with the Minister and the European Commission in recent weeks. We have seen no discrimination against Irish Warmbloods, just other important issues concerning HSI's administration have come to light that must be immediately addressed.

A much higher percentage of DAFM money for the sport horse, leisure horse, and hobby horse industries now goes to you, the breeder and owner, instead of to HSI thanks to WSI's successful State aid complaint to the European Commission. WSI recommends that you be careful about agreeing to turn over valuable genetic data and phenotype data from your horses to HSI. Sometimes the money isn't worth it.

Run out of patience...and time?

WSI registers foals, young horses, and older horses with warmblood genetics that are sired by Approved stallions and out of mares sired by Approved stallions.

It's never too late to switch to WSI, Ireland's studbook for warmblood sport horses that is focused on you and your success. If your animal qualifies for registration, we'll issue a green sport horse passport quickly and accurately.

WSI: Run by breeders, for breeders.

Irish Equine Centre: Free Testing of Sport Horse Foal Diarrhoea (Faeces) Samples

The Virology Unit at the Irish Equine Centre is offering free testing of sport horse foal diarrhoea (faeces) samples for rotavirus, coronavirus and adenovirus from April to October this year. Further information and a submission form are available at https://irishequinecentre.ie/submit-a-sample/

WSI highly recommends participation in this scheme if you have a sick foal. Unlike the DAFM schemes administered by HSI, this Irish Equine Centre scheme does not require you to hand over ownership of valuable genotype data and phenotype data to HSI for their own commercial exploitation.

Funding for Horse-Rider Combinations

DAFM has provided funding to WSI through its National Breeding Services Scheme for €500 for each selected horse – rider combination for the entry fee (€330) and nomination fee (€170) for the WBFSH Global Champion Trophy at Valkenswaard. Riders of selected Irish Warmblood horses that compete in the competition are required to pay the show organiser the combined €500 fee, and they will be reimbursed €500 by DAFM through WSI.

Here is the revised document that contains all the information needed by riders, owners, and breeders.

Nomination Deadline: 25 May

Issued by the Royal Dublin Society with approval by over 30 representatives of industry stakeholder organisations.

For Immediate Release: Industry Affiliates & Stakeholders meet to discuss concerns about Horse Sport Ireland

A meeting of Sport Horse & Leisure / Recreation Horse & Pony Affiliates & Stakeholders took place on Wednesday, the 24th of April, in the RDS. The meeting, facilitated by the RDS, was called to address widespread concern over the recent changes by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) to its Constitution and Memorandum and Articles, the impact these amendments have had to date, and could possibly have in the future. The meeting was attended by over 30 representatives from Affiliates and Stakeholder Bodies within the industry.

The meeting considered Horse Sport Ireland’s amended Constitution and agreed that these amendments did not:
- Increase stakeholder engagement
- Improve accountability to the Industry
- Engage stakeholders in strategic planning
- Increase resources for the Industry
- Rebalance Board focus on the Industry rather than on the Horse Sport Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee

It was agreed that the significant modifications to the role of “Affiliates” in the new Constitution has direct implications on the representation of the grassroots of the industry. These changes will affect how the grassroot perspective is incorporated into the governance and the strategic decision-making processes of Horse Sport Ireland and will ultimately impact on how it serves the Industry.

The Affiliates and Stakeholders present agreed that there are a series of shared challenges for the industry, across social, educational, economic, high-performance and breeding programmes. A service led organisation that addresses those shared industry challenges, which it was noted was the original concept behind Horse Sport Ireland, received widespread support. Such a unifying organisation could enhance the impact of the affiliates who are industry facing, and ensure the industry reaches its full potential. HSI, it was determined, has fallen well short of achieving this unifying position, and its recent constitutional amendments, taken without reference or input from industry stakeholders, ensures it is no longer required to consider the needs of affiliates.

The meeting called for an overarching body which provides accountability to the industry, increases stakeholder engagement, uses industry resources efficiently and engages stakeholders in strategic planning. Consensus was quickly reached in terms of the required structure; it should be answerable to the affiliates, hold an Annual General Meeting where its Executive and Directors report to the affiliates, have a Board of Directors largely populated by representatives of the Affiliate organisations. The role of the Government Departments who control the funding of programmes was recognised as a necessary part of the governance structure, and therefore it was concluded that the Ministries for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, should have one appointment each on its Board of Directors, with the Northern Ireland Sports Forum taking another.

The meeting concluded that the next step must be to request a meeting with both the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Charlie McConalogue, TD and the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Ms Catherine Martin, TD, and the Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Mr Thomas Byrne, TD to address the matter of Horse Sport Ireland, and its failures in serving the industry.

AFFILIATES AND STAKEHOLDER BODIES REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING Royal Dublin Society, Showjumping Ireland, Eventing Ireland, Dressage Ireland, Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society Ltd., Northern Irish Horse Board, Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, Equestrian Competition & Venues Owners Alliance, Association of Irish Riding Clubs, Connemara Pony Breeders Society, Irish Pony Society, Irish Shows Association, Para Equestrian Ireland, and the Army Equitation School.

Every Day is Earth Day at WSI

For the past four years, WSI has been committed to be a Climate Positive and Carbon Negative organisation.

Every animal we register has 10 trees planted in its name and is awarded the E+ predicate for being Environment Positive. The predicate appears in the horse's passport. WSI pays for the trees.

Breeders can purchase the CL+ predicate for their animal. This signifies that the equine is Climate Positive at the time of registration. For a payment of €55 to WSI, we offset 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide and plant 35 trees on behalf of your foal or older horse. The CL+ predicate appears in the horse's passport.

WSI itself buys carbon offsets equal to two times our annual estimated carbon production.

Through Stripe Climate, WSI donates 1% of all debit/credit card purchases to help fund innovate "carbon capture" techologies.

And WSI switched to LED lighting and green electricity, and has substantially reduced air travel.

We believe WSI is the first and only studbook organisation to make a commitment to be Climate Positive and Environment Positive. We hope you join us by donating to WSI and/or by purchasing the CL+ predicate when you register your equine. Every euro donated is added to WSI's own funding for Mother Earth.

WBFSH Studbooks Global Champions Trophy

Here is all the information you need to nominate your Irish Warmblood for the WBFSH Studbooks Global Champions Trophy. The nomination deadline is 25 May.

Click here the link to download the pdf.

WSI Passports

+ Zero Backlog
+ Current Turnaround 4-6 Weeks
+ Updates via WhatsApp on Passport Status
+ Committed to Customer Service
+ Never Summoned to the Oireachtas or Investigated
+ No Price Increases in 2024
+ We don't make promises we cannot deliver

Minister McConalogue has forced Horse Sport Ireland to reverse course from the attempt to disrupt the DAFM Studbook Series for HSI's own financial and organisational benefit.

WSI will write to the Minister today and seek assurances that HSI will not be compensated under the DAFM National Breeding Services Scheme for any costs incurred during their attempted coup of this national competition, correctly administered and governed by the Governing Body of Showjumping, SJI.

WSI will specifically seek assurances that any funds that must be paid by HSI to clipmyhorse for the now-abandoned streaming agreement will not be reimbursed by DAFM, and HSI will not receive a 34% payment on these and any other expenses expended in pursuit of their damaging agenda.

WSI also once again will call on the Minister to break up HSI so it has one function in the industry: to administer FEI sport in the same way the old Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) did.

WBFSH Studbook Global Champions Trophy

The WBFSH Studbook Global Champions Trophy will be held from 26 - 29 September 2024 at the Longines Tops International Arena at Valkenswaard.

The competitions are:
5-Year-Olds: 1.25 m.
6-Year-Olds: 1.35 m.
7-Year-Olds: 1.40 m.
8-Year-Olds: 1.45 m.
Stallions 9 Year-Old and Older: 1.50 m.

Only Irish Warmbloods selected by WSI can compete. Irish Warmblood stallions 9-years-old and older must be Approved for breeding by WSI or another WBFSH warmblood studbook (not a registry) to be selected by WSI.

WSI can select teams of a maximum of 6 horses, and a minimum of 3 horses, per age group.

If there are not enough suitable horses to form a team in an age group, WSI can select 1 or 2 horses to compete in that age group on the basis of an individual classification. These horses will compete in the first and second qualifiers, and then compete in the consolation final.

At the same time as the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy, a series of CSI2* classes will take place at Valkenswaard:

CSI2* Small Tour (1.35m)
CSI2* Medium Tour (1.40m)
CSI2* Big Tour (1.45m) (qualifier for the GP)
CSI2* GRAND PRIX Big Tour (1.45m)

These classes are not part of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy, and therefore are not subject to WSI selections.

Note: According to the WBFSH entry rules, 5-year-olds that are competing at the FEI-WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships are not eligible to compete in the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy.

WSI will publish eligibility and entry criteria in the near future. In the meantime, please contact WSI if you are interested in having your horse-rider combination considered for selection.

DAFM Studbook Series - Showjumping

In the interests of WSI members and, we believe, the wider showjumping community, WSI sent Minister McConalogue an email on Saturday with opinions on why HSI may be disrupting the DAFM Studbook Series for its own financial and organisational benefit.

WSI calls on the Minister to disclose if his officials have agreed to this damage to and disruption of the Series, or if HSI, the administrator of the DAFM National Breeding Services Scheme, is acting on its own and without approval by DAFM.

WSI also calls on the Minister to prevent HSI from introducing unilateral changes to the Series through the DAFM National Breeding Services Scheme that benefit HSI but cause harm to Showjumping Ireland (the membership body that is the National Governing Body for Showjumping), and the owners, breeders, riders, and venue owners who are members of SJI.

You can share your thoughts with Minister McConalogue by writing to minister@agriculture.gov.ie

Has the Stallion Been Tested for WFFS1 Mutation?

A reminder to breeders: Only use a stallion if it has been tested for the WFFS1 mutation. We are seeing stallions brought into Ireland and standing in Ireland without their WFFS1 status being disclosed. Don't get caught out with an aborted foal or a foal that has to be euthanised, especially if you have not tested your mare yet. If the stallion is advertised and his WFFS1 status is not published, ask the stallion owner to disclose the stallion's WFFS1 status to you. If the stallion's status is unknown, he could be a carrier.

In Germany, every stallion must be tested and the result disclosed to breeders. That is not the case in Ireland.

Every WSI Approved Stallion, Recognised Stallion, Approved Mare, and Studbook Mare has been tested for the mutation. And at the time of registration, WSI tests every filly.

Contact WSI if you'd like to have your mare tested or if you have any questions. The "gold standard" is to have your mare tested, and to only use stallions that are non-carriers.

Sport Mare Inspections

Remember that if you require a professional inspection of your sport mare with inspectors who know both top sport and top breeding, contact WSI. We are the studbook of choice for professionals with top-quality mares.

Drop us a WhatsApp message on 087.222.9701.

Assurances from the Minister

Following complaints by WSI to the DAFM Minister that HSI was branding events and projects funded by DAFM's National Breeding Services scheme as HSI events and projects (for example, HSI Stallion Showcase, HSI Studbook Series, etc.), DAFM communicated the following to WSI yesterday:

"Department officials have informed HSI for 2024 that the various initiatives should not be prefixed with 'HSI' to avoid any perception that the funding is being provided by HSI rather than DAFM."

Today WSI alerted the Minister to continuing violations of this policy on HSI's homepage (specifically the Stallion Showcase and the two Studbook Series), and WSI requested that his officials demand immediate compliance by HSI.

Recently WSI also complained to the Minister that HSI has secured sponsorships for DAFM-funded events and possibly pocketed the proceeds. DAFM communicated the following to WSI yesterday:

"Where there is receipt of additional non-public funding for an initiative, this is deducted from the initiative overall cost and the activity must not reflect any anti-competitive practices."

WSI has now requested to the Minister that he demand all non-public funding (i.e., sponsorship funding) solicited by HSI for National Breeding Services events and projects for 2022, 2023, and 2024 be paid to DAFM.

Please alert WSI if you see HSI branding its name on events and projects paid by the DAFM National Breeding Services scheme, or if you become aware of HSI selling sponsorships associated with events or projects funded by the National Breeding Services scheme. Without constant vigilance and the threat of new illegal State aid complaints, things will not change for the better. Together we can make Naas a tidy town and stop anti-competitive practices in our industry.

Stage 1 Stallion Inspection Results

8 of 15 warmblood stallions successfully completed Stage 1 during inspections on 8-9 March at CoilOg Equestrian Centre.

One stallion over-reached a few days ago, and was unable to be presented. He will be inspected in the coming days after he has recovered.

All stallions must pass an evaluation of pedigree and damline before they may attend Stage 1.

The successful stallions will complete the Stage 2 veterinary and health examinations at Troytown Equine Hospital between 15 March and 15 April.

Foreign-born stallions that pass Stage 2 and register for the WSI Performance Test will be certified by WSI to compete in the 2024 DAFM Studbook Series and 2024 RDS Showjumping Qualifiers and Championship.

The Performance Test will be held on 15-17 October at CoilOg.

Learn about the WSI Stallion Approval System by watching our video (funded by the DAFM Equine Technical Support Scheme in 2023).

Partial funding for WSI’s Stallion Approval System is provided by the Department of Agriculture’s Equine Technical Support Scheme.

March & April Are Good Times

Before your 2024 foals start arriving, now is a good time to register your older horses that are not yet registered, and to upgrade your white-book horses to Registered Equines.

The same criteria as for foals for registration by WSI applies: the horse must be sired by a WBFSH-Approved Stallion or a TB/AA/ShA, and the damsire must be a WBFSH-Approved Stallion or a TB/AA/ShA.

Once registered, the horse will be eligible to compete in the DAFM Studbook Series, World Breeding Championships, WBFSH Global Nations Cup at Valkenswaard, RDS, etc.

We offer the same efficient and competitively-priced service for Older Horse Registration and for Upgrade to Registered Equine as we do for your foals. The links to the application forms are below, and if you have any questions you can always reach us by email (admin@irish-warmblood.com) and by phone and WhatsApp (+353872229701).

Click to download forms:

Registered Equine Form

Attention Owners of Irish Warmblood Mares

Irish Warmblood mares that fulfil WSI's requirements to be a "Studbook Mare" or "Approved Mare" fulfil certain requirements for various DAFM-funded schemes.

Contact WSI for further information. WhatsApp 087.222.9701.

WSI Passports

+ Zero Backlog
+ Current Turnaround 5-6 Weeks
+ Updates via WhatsApp on Passport Status
+ Committed to Customer Service
+ Never Summoned to the Oireachtas

WSI Recognised Stallion is Elite

The WSI Recognised Stallion Qannando B. & V. (Kannan x Emerald van 't Ruytershof) has been designated an Elite Stallion by the BWP Studbook. Congratulations to his owner/breeder Valentijn De Bock and his deceased co-breeder and -owner Bart Van Poucke. Qannando was recognised by WSI in April 2022.

Inspection of Foreign-Born Sport Mares

Approved Mares can compete on the RDS Young Showjumper Qualifiers and Championship and the DAFM Studbook Series.

Contact WSI to confirm eligibility.

WSI Publishes Stallion Approval Guide 2024

Everything you need to know about WSI's Stallion Approval System is contained in our Stallion Approval Guide 2024, published today. Whether you are a stallion owner, rider, breeder, or potential purchaser, download the Guide and learn all about WSI's system.

And for even more insight into WSI's system, please watch our video.

Funding for the WSI Stallion Approval System and video has been provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Equine Technical Support Scheme.

2023 In Review

2023 was another momentous year for WSI breeders and Irish Warmblood horses with a number of significant milestones.

More than 20 horses represented WSI in the RDS Qualifiers. Fourteen horses qualified for the 2023 Dublin Horse Show in showjumping or eventing: Amaretto T, Dora the Explorer, Ringa v/h Kampagnehof, CBI Invictus (WSI) (breeder: Carroll Brothers Ireland), MBF Be Blue, Mendoza VDL, Capetown VDB Z, Jump The Gun (WSI) (breeder: Ann Connors), Silverteal Indigo (WSI) (breeder: Paschal McCarthy), ESI Lucius, Royal Majestic D’or, MBF Maxwill , As You Want Z, and CBI Joker (WSI) (breeder: Carroll Brothers Ireland).

The first Irish Warmbloods went to the World Breeding Championships in Showjumping in Lanaken, Belgium. Silverteal Indigo and Jump The Gun both placed second in their Consolation Finals. Silverteal Indigo is a 6-year old mare bred by Paschal McCarthy, and ridden by Patrick Hickey. Jump the Gun is a 5-year old gelding bred by Ann Connors, ridden by Nicholas Connors.

In 2023, WSI implemented several important changes in the stallion approval system based on sport horse welfare, best practice, breeder feedback, and scientific advances. Now that the overall reliability of the genetic test for OC is approximately three times greater than the reliability of x-rays (45% versus 15%), WSI began using the DNA-OC test as a selection criterion to complement x-rays as part of the veterinary exam. WSI also changed the minimum age for stallion inspection from two to three years of age, out of a concern for horse welfare. Stage 3, WSI’s 3-Day Performance Test, was held in October at CoilOg EC. Throughout the 2023 approval process, WSI worked with BlueSilk Productions to produce a video that gives an inside look on the Stallion Approval System, taking the viewer through all of the stages of the process and including interviews with riders, owners, WSI Inspectors, and the Chair of the WSI Veterinary Committee. The video was funded by the DAFM ETS Scheme. If you haven’t seen the video,

In 2023, WSI approved four showjumping stallions: Mayweather (WSI) (birth name Legend of Heritage), Nova Scotia VDL, Ponthargos, and Unicum-H ; and Ireland’s first Approved Dressage Stallion: Pompidou AF. All of the Approved Stallions scored highly on athleticism, rideability, elasticity, balance, basic gaits, and character/temperament. As part of our genomic selection programme, they all were tested for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (OC), and all were awarded the D-OC predicate after passing the test. None of the stallions are carriers of the WFFS1 mutation.

Unless the RDS and HSI change their rules, foreign-bred Approved Stallions, and foreign-bred stallions that pass WSI Stage 1 and Stage 2 in 2024, will be eligible to compete in the 2024 Dublin Horse Show Showjumping Qualifiers and Final and the 2024 DAFM Studbook Series. If you own a showjumping, eventing, or dressage stallion and would like to put him forward for Stage 1, please contact WSI.

WSI also awarded Recognized Stallion status to two stallions: Milton Z and United Way. Milton Z is a Zangersheide stallion (Mylord Carthago x Sandro Boy x Cruyff). United Way is a Holsteiner stallion (Uriko x Concerto II x Lord).

WSI awarded Approved Mare status to 17 well-bred and athletic mares, and one of these mares also earned the “Premium Approved Mare” predicate: Josie de Vilvert. Inspectors were impressed with all of the mares’ athleticism, pedigrees, damlines, and conformation. All WSI Approved Mares have full five-generation pedigrees, have Approved Sires or TB sires in their ancestry, descend from damlines that have produced multiple international (FEI) horses, and have been tested for Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1). Unless the RDS and HSI change their rules, all foreign-bred Approved Mares will be eligible to compete in the 2024 Dublin Horse Show showjumping qualifiers and 2024 DAFM Studbook Series.

WSI maintained its "Carbon Negative & Climate Positive" policy by removing from the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than we created in 2023. Every animal registered in 2023 received the E+ predicate in its passport in recognition of the 10 trees purchased by WSI on behalf of that animal. In addition, several foals also were granted the CL+ predicate in recognition of their owners contributing €55 per foal to WSI to pay for the purchase of carbon credits and trees in the foal’s name. WSI also supported high quality international carbon reduction projects by purchasing carbon offsets, mostly in developing countries, that were independently certified as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthy environment. In June WSI purchased 1,000 trees for planting and 50 tonnes of carbon credits from Ecologi. Funds for this investment in the environment come from our members. And breeders who pay by debit or credit card have a donation of 1% made on their behalf by WSI to Stripe Climate, which focuses on carbon removal technologies. If you’d like to offset some of the carbon created by your breeding activities, please contact WSI so you can join our Climate Positive programme. Donations start at just €15.

Dates Announced for Stage 1 Stallion Inspections 2024

Stage 1 Stallion Inspections: 8 - 9 March 2024

Application deadline: 1 February

Locations: Kildare and Kilkenny

Breeding Directions: Dressage, Eventing, Showjumping

Fee: €150 for Irish Warmbloods; €250 for other breeds

Stallions that are Irish Warmblood, other warmblood, or pure-blood (TB, Anglo-Arab, or Shagya Arab) born in 2021 or earlier are invited to participatate.

WSI's system has been called rigourous, fair, transparent, and educational by owners and riders participating in the process. That's why WSI is Ireland's top choice for warmblood stallions.

Click on this link below to download an application form:

And if you have not seen our Stallion Approval System video yet, please visit:

WSI Inspector Elected to KWPN Board of Directors

Congratulations to WSI Stallion Inspection Committee member and inspector Cor Loeffen on his election to the Board of Directors of the KWPN. Cor's election came soon after his maximum term as Chair of the KWPN Stallion Commission (Showjumping) concluded.

Due to WSI and KWPN regulations, Cor is unable to continue to serve on inspection committees. We thank Cor for all the contributions he has made to WSI since 2016, and we wish him continued success in his new role.

WSI will announce a new member of the Stallion Inspection Committee in the coming weeks.

Get An Inside Look

Get an inside look into WSI’s Stallion Approval System by watching our new video.

The video takes the viewer through the WSI system, including our breeding goals and values, and the process of becoming a WSI Approved Stallion.

The video was funded by the Department of Agriculture’s Equine Technical Support Scheme.

It’s gone very wintry …. WSI Breeders have an hat-vantage!

Ireland’s First Approved Stallion for Dressage

Pompidou AF (Desperado x Florencio I), Ireland's first Approved Stallion for dressage breeding and sport, is pictured here with Ross O'Hare of Dunbyrne Stud, Pompidou's trainer and rider, for owner Emerald Dressage.

WSI APPROVED STALLION

Unicum-H

Birth Year: 2020
Colour: Grey
Sire: President
Dam: Jewel Vita-H
Damsire: Cicero Z
Breed: BWP
Breeding Direction: Showjumping & Eventing
Sport Direction: Showjumping
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1, E+. BWP Approved 2023.
Breeder: Victor Hermans
Owners: Ennisnag Stud & Westbury Stables

WSI APPROVED STALLION

Nova Scotia VDL

Birth Year: 2018
Colour: Brown
Sire: Emerald van ’t Ruytershof
Dam: Isapardi VDL
Damsire: Corland
Breed: KWPN
Breeding Direction: Showjumping & Eventing
Sport Direction: Showjumping
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1, E+
Breeder: VDL Stud
Owner: Casey O’Connor

WSI APPROVED STALLION

Ponthargos

Birth Year: 2020
Colour: Dark Brown
Sire: Conthargos
Dam: Gold AlveM
Damsire: Canturano I
Breed: KWPN
Breeding Direction: Showjumping & Eventing
Sport Direction: Showjumping
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1, E+
Breeder: J. Vrenken
Owner: Trade Horse Ltd.

WSI APPROVED STALLION

Pompidou AF

Birth Year: 2020
Colour: Bay
Sire: Desperado
Dam: Gina
Damsire: Florencio I
Breed: KWPN
Breeding Direction: Dressage
Sport Direction: Dressage
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1, E+
Breeder: L. Van Aaken
Co-Breeder: Addie Franssen
Owner: Jack Lynch Emerald Dressage

WSI APPROVED STALLION

Mayweather (Legend of Heritage)

Birth Year: 2020
Colour: Bay
Sire: Aganix du Seigneur
Dam: A.Grupo Prom Geneve Z
Damsire: Air Jordan
Breed: WSI
Breeding Direction: Showjumping & Eventing
Sport Direction: Showjumping
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1, E+
Breeder: Of Heritage Stud
Owner: Tim Brennan

Five Stallions Approved by WSI

Following a three-stage process that began in April and ended on 19 October at the conclusion of the 3-Day Performance Test, the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland is pleased to announce that five stallions have been designated Approved Stallions. Four are showjumping-bred stallions, and one is dressage-bred (Ireland's first). The stallions are:

Mayweather / Legend of Heritage (Aganix du Seigneur x Air Jordan x Corrado I)

Nova Scotia VDL (Emerald van ’t Ruytershof x Corland x Kannan)

Pompidou AF (Desperado x Florencio I x Houston)

Ponthargos (Conthargos x Canturano I x Burggraaf)

Unicum - H (President x Cicero Z x Flyinge Electro)

Stage 1 and Stage 3 of WSI’s Stallion Inspection System received financial support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Equine Technical Support Scheme.

Get a Human Everytime

What do we hear too often when we answer the phone at the WSI office?

”Oh, I didn’t know I’d get a human!”

At WSI we are committed to customer service and the efficient registration of foals and horses and the production of passports. Our phone lines do not close for training or annual leave schedules, or even for Bank Holidays. Our WhatsApp account is always online and available to answer your questions or solve your problems. This means WSI breeders receive their passports in weeks, not months (or years).

Register your warmblood foal or horse with WSI and join the growing community of progressive breeders who have their sights set on the future.

Ring Dawn: 087.222.9701

Register Your Foal With Ireland’s Only Warmblood Studbook

Irish Warmbloods Perform Well at WBC

The Irish Warmblood showjumpers Silverteal Indigo and Jump The Gun both placed second in their respective Consolation Final at the 2023 World Breeding Championships at Lanaken. Congratulations to the breeders, owners, and riders.

SILVERTEAL INDIGO: 6-year-old mare by Emerald van 't Ruytershof and out of Dunroe Rafi by Lux Z. Bred and owned by Paschal McCarthy. Ridden by Patrick Hickey.

JUMP THE GUN: 5-year-old gelding by I'm Special de Muze and out of Just Jump by Master Imp xx. Bred and owned by Ann Connors. Ridden by Nicholas Connors.

Breeders Have a Choice

If your foal has warmblood genetics and is sired by an Approved stallion, and its dam is sired by an Approved stallion, you have a choice: WSI.

Registration Application:

2023 Foal Application

Older Horse Application

With every registration you get free parentage verification, free naming, free WFFS1 status for fillies, free use of a suffix or prefix, 10 trees planted for free on behalf of your horse, and expert service. And we answer the phone and reply to emails and WhatsApp messages.

Contact Dawn on 087.222.9701

All Stallions for Performance Test Pass Genetic Tests

WSI is pleased to announce that all 10 stallions registered for the WSI Stallion Performance Test in October have passed two important genetic screens. The first is for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (bone chips), and the second is for Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1). The stallions that pass the Performance Test will receive the D-OC and D-WFFS1 predicates.

Note: In addition to passing the OC test, the 10 stallions also passed a panel of 32 radiographs and complete clinical exams.

Two Irish Warmbloods Selected for WBC

The Irish Warmblood showjumpers Silverteal Indigo and Jump The Gun will represent WSI at the 2023 World Breeding Championships at Lanaken. Best of luck to all involved.

SILVERTEAL INDIGO: 6-year-old mare by Emerald van 't Ruytershof and out of Dunroe Rafi by Lux Z. Bred and owned by Paschal McCarthy. Ridden by Patrick Hickey.

JUMP THE GUN: 5-year-old gelding by I'm Special de Muze and out of Just Jump by Master Imp xx. Bred and owned by Ann Connors. Ridden by Nicholas Connors.

Lagger of Heritage Selected for Fences Auction

The 2020 Irish Warmblood colt Lagger of Heritage (Cartani x Lord Z) has been selected for the Fences Auction. He will come under the hammer on Wednesday 30 August.

Bred by WSI Breeding Council member Martina Romagnoli, Lagger of Heritage has earned the D-OC and D-WFFS1 predicates from WSI.

Lagger of Heritage's dam is a 1.40 m. showjumper, and her dam is a full-sister of Jos Lansink's famous showjumping mare Valentina van 't Heike.

WSI Horses Perform Well at RDS

WSI horses and affiliated stallions and mares performed very well at the Dublin Horse Show on 9 - 13 August.

WSI Remains Open During Week of Dublin Horse Show

During the Dublin Horse Show, the week of August 7th – 12th, the WSI office remains open. If you have a studbook question, or send in registration kits before you go to Dublin, we are here working for you. Same schedule, same great service.

Photo: Dora The Explorer, WSI Approved Mare, competing at the RDS in 2022. Abbie Sweetnam and Dora The Explorer (7-years-old) have qualified to compete again in this year’s Dublin Horse Show.

Question?

If you have a studbook question, or want to send in your registration kits before you go to the Dublin Horse Show, our office is open the week of August 7th – 13th.

WSI Files High Court Suit Against Irish Shows Association

Do You Have Warmblood Foals to Register?

Have foals to register? Want them to be eligible to compete at the RDS, DAFM Studbook Series, and other competitions? Want access to DAFM breeding schemes? Want advisors who've bred many FEI horses? Want value-for-money and excellent customer service? Want to name them for free? Want to have your filly's WFFS1 status determined for free?

Reminder

A reminder to the owners and riders of the 13 showjumping geldings, mares, and stallions that will represent WSI at the Dublin Horse Show:

Entries for the 2023 RDS Dublin Horse Show will close at 5:00 pm on Monday 10 July. All entries must be submitted online via the following link.

One Stallion Passes Stage 1 - Dressage

One of the dressage stallions assessed at the Stage 1 - Dressage inspections on 26 June passed Stage 1. The stallion has advanced to the Stage 2 Health Exams & Tests, which must be completed by 28 July.

The Stage 1 - Dressage inspection received partial financial support from the DAFM Equine Technical Support Scheme.

Horses Representing WSI at RDS

Thirteen showjumping horses have qualified to represent WSI at the Dublin Horse Show in August:

7-Year-Old

Dora the Explorer and Abbie Sweetnam

6-Year-Old

As You Want Z and Darragh Ryan
MBF Maxwill and Jason Higgins
ESI Lucius and Harrie Wood
Ringa v/h Kampagnehof and Jake Hunter
CBI Invictus and Shane Goggins
Silverteal Indigo and Patrick Hickey
Mendoza VDL and Harry Wood
MBF Be Blue and Jason Higgins
Royal Majestic d’Or and Darragh Ryan

5-Year-Old

Jump the Gun and Nicholas Connors
Amaretto T and Kerry Taggart

4-Year-Old

Cape Town VDB Z and Damien Griffin

Dates Confirmed for 2023 Performance Test

WSI's Stallion Performance Test will be held from 17 - 19 October. Ten stallions are expected to participate.

Complete details about the WSI Performance Test are available in the Stallion Approval Guide 2023.

The 2023 Performance Test will receive partial financial support from the DAFM Equine Technical Support Scheme.

Breeders Get More With WSI

Snowflakes in the Summer

You may have noticed something new on WSI’s homepage: a snowflake image at the bottom of the page. Click on the "Enabled" button to activate the Snowflake service and you will help internet users in authoritarian and dictatorial countries bypass government censorship of the internet.

You can also download the Snowflake extension and add it to your browser so you can support freedom even when you are not visiting WSI’s homepage. Download the extension on each of your browsers. The extension is available for Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and Tor.

In the last 24 hours, for example, Snowflakes enabled on one of WSI's computers, using various browsers, have helped a dozen individuals circumvent censorship.

For more information, go to:
https://snowflake.torproject.org/

World Environment Day

This week WSI purchased 1,000 trees for planting and 50 tonnes of carbon credits. Funds for this investment in the environment came from WSI, contributions from our members, and purchases of the new Climate Positive (CL+) predicate by breeders registering their Irish Warmblood foals.

If you'd like to contribute to WSI's efforts to be climate and environment positive, make a contribution when purchasing a service from WSI or purchase the CL+ predicate when registering a foal. And if you pay by debit or credit card, 1% of your payment will be donated by WSI to Stripe Climate's carbon removal programme.

DAFM Breeding Initiatives

This morning WSI received a query from a prominent breeder who is making the switch to Ireland's only warmblood studbook, the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland. The question was about eligibility of Irish Warmbloods for the Embryo Transfer scheme. Here is a slighly expanded version of our reply:

The ET scheme, and all other breeding-related schemes, are DAFM Breeding Initiatives funded by the Department of Agriculture. HSI is simply the agent that administers the programme on behalf of DAFM.

Due to the successful complaint WSI filed with the European Commission’s DG-Competition, which resulted in the cessation of the €35 million in illegal State aid the Department was giving HSI, the State-sponsored and -funded illegal discrimination against WSI has ended. DG-Competition also required that DAFM let out to public tender, at least once every four years, contracts for administration of DAFM-owned studbooks, and administration of breeding services schemes (e.g., schemes like the ET scheme) and marketing and promotion schemes. All schemes must be non-discriminatory against WSI in their eligibility criteria and administration.

So these are not HSI schemes for the ISH Studbook. These are schemes open to all Irish-bred horses, funded, approved, and regulated by DAFM, for which HSI will serve as administrator for the next three years. The entire non-Thoroughbred sector can thank the European Commission and DG-Competition for forcing this change.

As HSI is the Department’s agent for all these schemes, you apply through HSI. If you have even the slightest hint of trouble or any indication that HSI is treating you differently because you are an Irish Warmblood breeder, please let WSI know immediately and we will deal with DAFM to resolve HSI’s mal-administration. WSI has the relevant official's number on speed dial.

DG-Competition has asked WSI to keep an eye out for any new illegal State aid paid by DAFM to HSI, and WSI will report to them any irregularities that are not resolved quickly by DAFM.

Please let us know if you have any questions about the above or problems with any DAFM scheme adminstrated by the agents in Naas.

The Irish Warmblood Passport: Guaranteed Green

Since WSI was founded in 2009, Irish Warmbloods have been issued only true "green books." All of our passports have full recorded pedigrees and sires and damsires that are Approved stallions.

If you buy an Irish Warmblood, you are guaranteed a horse with a full pedigree with no unapproved stallions, and parentage that's been verified through DNA analysis.

And since 2020, WSI has been committed to being climate positive. Ten trees are planted for every horse WSI registers.

Register your foal with WSI - or buy an Irish Warmblood - and get the Green Guarantee.

Have a Warmblood Foal?

If you have a warmblood foal, register it in Ireland's only warmblood studbook, the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland.

Your horse will be eligible to compete in showjumping, eventing, and dressage competitions in Ireland and abroad, and to participate in every DAFM-funded equine scheme.

WSI knows warmbloods.

Application Form: https://bit.ly/Foal_Registration

Sport Mare Inspections for Studbook Series & RDS

Warmblood Sport Mares inspected and approved for breeding by WSI are entered into the Irish Warmblood population and can represent WSI in the Studbook Series and RDS young horse showjumping championships. In recent weeks, WSI has approved mares from the Belgian Sport Horse, Belgian Warmblood, Holsteiner, Danish Warmblood, KWPN, Oldenburg International, Selle Francais, Swedish Warmblood, and Zangersheide studbooks.

Riders and owners value an expert and transparent inspection that protects the welfare of the mare and is done by inspectors who know warmbloods and sport. That's why WSI is the first choice.

Contact WSI today by phone/WhatsApp (087.222.9701) or email (admin@irish-warmblood.com). Inspections can be done at a time and place of your convenience.

WSI: Warmbloods are not foreign to us.

Application form: https://bit.ly/Sport_Mare_Inspection

Lanaken 2023

WSI and HSI have not finalised yet the eligibility criteria for nomination and selection for the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses. Please note that participation in the Showjumping Studbook Series is a requirement for nomination and selection for Lanaken.

All Irish Warmbloods, along with all foreign-bred WSI Approved Mares, WSI Approved Stallions, and stallions that have passed Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the 2023 WSI Stallion Inspection System, are eligible to compete in the Showjumping Studbook Series and the Eventing Studbook Series.

Expressions of Interest

Expressions of interest are open for the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses – Le Lion d’Angers 19-22 October 2023

WSI and HSI have not finalised yet the eligibility criteria for nomination and selection for these Championships. Please note that participation in the upcoming Eventing Studbook Series is a requirement for nomination and selection.

Breeders, riders, and owners who wish to be informed by HSI of developments can register their interest here.

Studbook Eventing Series

After reaching an agreement with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, HSI has published the 2023 Criteria for the Studbook Eventing Series. Please note that all Irish Warmbloods, along with all foreign-bred WSI Approved Mares, WSI Approved Stallions, and stallions that have passed Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the 2023 WSI Stallion Inspection System, are eligible to compete in the Eventing Studbook Series and the Showjumping Studbook Series.

Our New Look

The Irish Warmblood passport cover has a new look: A cover that that's designed to depict our forward-looking values and our commitment to excellence.

• 2009: First and only sport horse studbook in Ireland to allow only Approved Stallions or TBs as sires and damsires, and to focus exclusively on Warmblood horses.
• 2016: First and only sport horse studbook in Ireland to use genomic testing to calculate a breeding value (the first test is for the genes associated with osteochondrosis, and is part of our collaboration with the KWPN).
• 2018: First and only sport horse studbook in the world to test foals, Approved Mares, Studbook Mares, and Approved Stallions for the Fragile Foal mutation.
• 2020: First and only sport horse studbook in the world to commit to carbon negative status in response to the carbon "hoofprint" that breeding and sport leave on the environment. This is achieved through carbon offsets, tree planting, carbon removal, green energy, and energy-efficient lighting and business practices.
• 2023: First and only sport horse studbook in the world to award a predicate (CL+) to every horse whose owner or breeder buys through WSI 2 tonnes of carbon offsets and 100 trees to express a "climate positive" commitment.
• 2023: First and only sport horse studbook in the world to award a predicate (E+) to every registered foal. This is to document that WSI purchased 10 trees to be planted on behalf of the foal to advance WSI's "environment positive" commitment.
• 2023: First and only sport horse studbook in Ireland to make a 3-day performance test part of our stallion inspection system.

Choose WSI: Warmbloods are not foreign to us.

Photo: Passport cover designed by Copper Reed Studios and funded through DAFM's 2023 Equine Technical Support scheme.

Stage 1 for Dressage Stallions

Stage 1 inspections for dressage stallions will be held on Monday 26 June. If you would like to discuss presenting a stallion, please contact WSI. Late entries may be possible.

Further information on the inspection system can be found in the WSI Stallion Guide: https://bit.ly/SAG2023

WSI Stallion Inspections receive partial funding from DAFM’s Equine Technical Support Scheme.

Studbook Series Launch

On Thursday, the 2023 HSI Studbook Series - Showjumping was launched by Minister of Agriculture Charlie McConalogue at Cian O'Connor's Karlswood Stables. Read about the event in the Irish Independent newspaper.

Photo: The Irish Warmblood CUSHLAS FRYDAY, rider Robyn Moran, Minister Charlie McConalogue, breeder John Patrick Finlay, and owner Vera Griffin. The international showjumper Cushlas Fryday is a 2014 gelding sired by the WSI Approved Stallion Hector van d'Abdijhoeve and out of the WSI Approved Mare Une Ardente de Vie (by Apache d'Adriers).

Update on WSI's Participation in Genomic Profile Scheme

Until now, WSI has declined to participate in the DAFM-funded Genomic Profile Scheme because the ownership, control, and use of the DNA data have not been specified in writing. WSI could not participate if there were any possibility that the interests of our breeders, owners of Irish Warmbloods, stallion owners, and the Irish Warmblood breed could be compromised, or if the data could be seized by a competitor organisation for its own commercial purposes.

WSI is pleased to report that DAFM has responded well to our requests for clarity and balance between the interests of horse owners, studbooks, and the public good. With these written clarifications now in place, WSI will participate in the Genomic Profile Scheme.

WSI will be in contact with foal, mare, and stallion owners to request fresh hair samples to create genomic profiles. WSI will provide a contract that the horse owner will be asked to sign as part of the hair submission process. The contract with WSI will protect the interests of the horse owner and the Irish Warmblood community and breed, and incorporate several reasonable clauses required by DAFM to protect the public interest.

The clarification of ownership, control, and use of genomic profiles produced under the Scheme is another victory for Irish breeders, stallion owners, and studbooks.

Stage 1 Stallion Inspection Results

Eight stallions passed Stage 1 of the WSI Stallion Inspections: Three 3-year-olds; one 4-year-old; one 5-year-old; and three 6-year-olds.

These stallions will undergo Stage 2 health examinations, and DNA and genomic tests, before 30 April. Stallions that pass Stage 2 will go to the 3-day Stallion Performance Test in October.

An additional Stage 1 inspection day will be held in June. Three dressage stallions and one showjumping stallion are registered for that inspection.

18 Stallions Registered for Stage 1

Eighteen stallions are registered for Stage 1 Stallion Inspections.

The number in each breeding direction is:

Dressage: 3
Showjumping: 13
Dual Purpose (Showjumping & Eventing): 2

Every stallion fulfills WSI’s criteria for inspection: 5-generation pedigree with no missing ancestors, no unapproved stallions, and no Irish Draught or other non-sport horse genetics. (Thoroughbreds, Anglo-Arab, and Shagya Arab genetics are allowed.) The dam-line must have produced at least several FEI horses, unless it is a Thoroughbred damline. Pony stallions, and stallions with ponies in the pedigree, are not eligible to be inspected for approval.

Stage 1 Inspections are scheduled for 6 - 8 April.

WSI Stallion Inspections receive partial funding from DAFM’s Equine Technical Support Scheme.

First CL+ Predicate Awarded

WSI has awarded the first Climate Positive predicate, CL+, to New York Minute m2s (United Way - Dragonfly m2s x Desir du Chateau).

The CL+ predicate was awarded after the breeders paid €55 to WSI to purchase 2 tonnes of carbon offsets and plant 100 trees in the name of New York Minute m2s. The Climate Plus predicate means that some of the equine’s carbon hoofprint throughout its life will be mitigated.

First CL+ Predicate Awarded

WSI has awarded the first Climate Positive predicate, CL+, to New York Minute m2s (United Way - Dragonfly m2s x Desir du Chateau).

The CL+ predicate was awarded after the breeders paid €55 to WSI to purchase 2 tonnes of carbon offsets and plant 100 trees in the name of New York Minute m2s. The Climate Plus predicate means that some of the equine’s carbon hoofprint throughout its life will be mitigated.

United Way Named a Recognised Stallion

WSI has named the Holsteiner stallion United Way (Uriko x Concerto II x Lord) a Recognised Stallion.

Details about the stallion can be found here.

15 Stallions Registered for Stage 1

Fifteen stallions are registered for Stage 1 Stallion Inspections.

The number in each breeding direction is:

Dressage: 3
Showjumping: 10
Dual Purpose (Showjumping & Eventing): 2

Every stallion fulfills WSI’s criteria for inspection: 5-generation pedigree with no missing ancestors, no unapproved stallions, and no Irish Draught or other non-sport horse genetics. (Thoroughbreds, Anglo-Arab, and Shagya Arab genetics are allowed.) The dam-line must have produced at least several FEI horses, unless it is a Thoroughbred damline. Pony stallions, and stallions with ponies in the pedigree, are not eligible to be inspected for approval.

Stage 1 Inspections are scheduled for 6 - 8 April.

WSI Introduces Two New Features on Predicates

First, breeders and owners concerned about climate change can now purchase a Climate Positive predicate -- CL+ -- for your foal or older horse. For a small payment, WSI will purchase on behalf of your horse 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide offsets and 100 trees. The CL+ predicate will be printed in your horse's passport on the cover page, pedigree page, and zootechnical certificate. WSI's online database also will show the predicate. By this action, breeders can show their commitment to mitigate the impacts of their horse breeding activities on the climate.

100% of the fee for the predicate will be spent on carbon offsets and trees on behalf of your horse, and these contributions will complement, and not replace or reduce, WSI's own climate positive activities.

Second, WSI has begun printing in our passports a guide to predicates. See the photo with this post.

Join WSI's Commitment to a Green Future

WSI's in its fourth year of working to be the world's first net carbon negative studbook. You can join our effort by donating to WSI's Environment Programme. 100% of every donation is spent on purchasing carbon offsets and planting trees, and by investing in carbon removal technology through Stripe Climate.

€25 offsets 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide

€30 purchases and plants 100 trees

€100 or more is invested in a Climate Positive package of offsets, trees, and carbon removal technology

Donating is easy. Just click on one of the links above.

Dates for RDS Qualifiers

All Irish Warmbloods are eligible to compete in these classes.

Foreign-bred mares and stallions Approved by WSI are eligible to compete.

Foreign-bred stallions that pass Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the 2023 WSI Stallion Inspections are eligible to compete.

Contact WSI for further information. WSI is holding mare and stallion inspections between now and the end of June.

The playing field is a lot more level today.

DAFM's illegal State aid to HSI has stopped, thanks to the European Commission. The Studbook Series has been pried open, thanks to the EC and WSI's complaint to Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. And the over 230 competitions each year closed to Irish Warmbloods by the Irish Shows Association are now open to our horses, breeders, and owners. More work needs to be done, but the momentum is with WSI.

While the Irish Horse Board has been freed from its capture by HSI, WSI continues its collaboration with the KWPN, which benefits every Irish Warmblood breeder.

We will not rest while Ireland is the only country in the world where the national federation runs studbooks, is in competition with member-controlled breed societies, and abuses its dominant positions.

WSI does not expect you to join in our struggle. But we hope you move your breeding activities to the WSI umbrella so you can enjoy all the benefits we can offer you and your breeding programme.

Seeking an Expert Assessment of Your Mare?

WSI offers Irish breeders skilled inspections of their mares, both broodmares and sport mares. The assessments are done by skilled inspectors who are also breeders, and they have decades of experience. And having a mare designed a WSI Approved Mare means that she has a status recognised around the world: A full 5-generation pedigree with no missing ancestors or unapproved stallions, a damline that has produced FEI horses (except for TB mares or TB damlines), no Irish Draught or other non-sport horse genetics in the pedigree, and an athlete through and through. And if you mare is a foreign-bred warmblood, earning the status of WSI Approved Mare makes her eligible to compete in the RDS young showjumper qualifiers and championship, and in the Studbook Series.

WSI can send inspectors to your yard, or we can organise inspections for a formal breeding group or an informal group of breeders.

Contact Dawn for more information on 087.222.9701 by phone or WhatsApp. The application form can be downloaded here.

WSI is Climate Positive

As part of our ongoing commitment to maintain the world's first carbon-negative studbook organisation, this year WSI added "carbon removal" to our toolbox. WSI donates to Stripe Climate 1% of all payments processed for us by Stripe. They use that money to sequester and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Carbon credits, tree planting, energy efficiency, green renewable energy, and carbon removal are all part of WSI's commitment to being Climate Positive. Today €2.50 was contributed through this transaction with a WSI breeder to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and create a better future for all.

12 Stallions Registered for Stage 1

WSI has 12 stallions registered for the Stage 1 Stallion Inspections on April 6 - 8 in Kildare and Kilkenny. The breeding directions are dressage (3 stallions), dual-purpose eventing and showjumping (1 stallion with a thoroughbred sire and dam), and showjumping (8 stallions). They range in age from 3 to 14.

If you have a very promising stallion that was born in 2020 or earlier, give us a ring. There is a 10% surcharge for late entries, which can be accepted until 28 February. WSI often inspects the most warmblood stallions in Ireland with bona fide pedigrees and damlines. All our stallions have complete pedigrees with no missing or unapproved ancestors. And all the warmbloods have performance bloodlines.

The WSI inspection team, composed of WSI and KWPN inspectors, is very experienced in evaluating young stallions. With WSI, you don't have to wait until your stallion is nine or ten years old to be approved -- we can see the quality now.

Photo: The Stage 1 inspection form used by WSI inspectors. This form is also used in the Stage 3 Performance Test, along with the linear profile form we've been using since 2016.

Calling Eventing Stallions

For an eventing stallion, WSI likes to see warmblood, Thoroughbred, Shagya Arab, and Anglo-Arab/Arab blood. If you have a stallion that could contribute to WSI's eventing breeding direction, apply for a Stage 1 Inspection by February 1st.

Photo: Grand Marnier and Declan Cullen in Boekelo CCIO4*-L Nations Cup 2021

Experience Matters

WSI's inspectors have decades of experience assessing stallions, and our rules permit young stallions with exceptional traits to be approved while they are still young.

A good example is Mendoza VDL (Harley VDL x Cardento). His approval was announced on 30 May 2022. Two weeks later, he won a Qualifier for the Dublin Horse Show. Two months later, he placed second in the Studbook Series Final. And a further one month later, Mendoza VDL placed third in the Dublin Horse Show 5-Year-Old Championship.

The deadline for submitting applications for Stage 1 Inspections is February 1st, a week from today. You can download the application form here and download the Stallion Approval Guide here.

Why Do Stallion Approvals Matter and Who Benefits?

For the Stallion Owner

The value of a Stallion Inspection and Approval for a stallion owner is six-fold. First, in Stage 1 of the process, the stallion owner is offered an objective, independent, and expert evaluation of the horse’s characteristics and potential as a sire. Second, in Stage 2 of the process, the stallion owner gains an objective, independent, and expert evaluation of the horse’s health through the clinical veterinary exam, radiographs, and venereal disease screening. The stallion owner knows the horse’s parentage has been confirmed through DNA analysis, the horse’s Fragile Foal carrier status has been determined, and the horse’s DNA-OC breeding value has been calculated to see if he carries the genes associated with OCD (if not already done). Third, in Stage 3 of the process, the 3-Day Performance Test, the stallion owner gains an objective, independent, and expert evaluation of the stallion’s athleticism and potential as a sport horse. Fourth, a stallion owner is assured that WSI will stand behind the Approved Stallion, promote him, and encourage breeders to use the stallion in their breeding programmes. Our inspectors actively use WSI approved stallions in their own breeding programmes, and they can speak with direct experience about what traits a particular stallion transmits to his progeny. (Under our Rules, inspectors are required to pay published stud fees and may not accept free services). Fifth, the stallion can compete in the “FEI Zangersheide Sires of the World” competition in Lanaken. Sixth, because of our collaboration with the KWPN, a WSI Approved Stallion can enrol directly in the KWPN stallion test. After a check of his radiographs by the University of Utrecht, he is eligible to be approved by the KWPN without having to go through the two-stage selection process in the Netherlands before the stallion test.

For the Breeder

The value of a rigorous and transparent Stallion Inspection system is that the breeder is given a great deal of information about a WSI Approved Stallion. The inspection scores are public. A breeder knows with a WSI Approved Stallion that they are using in their breeding programme a stallion that has passed the medical, radiological, and genetic exams and performance test, thus ensuring a stallion that is sound in mind and body, and has the likelihood of producing offspring that can have a long sport career. A WSI Approved Stallion has a full pedigree with no missing ancestors and no unapproved stallions, so his progeny can be used in sport and breeding throughout the world. He has a damline that has produced multiple international horses. With a WSI Approved Stallion, breeders know they are getting a stallion that is modern and athletic, with a very good canter, and is balanced, elastic, and rideable. A WSI Approved Stallion has demonstrated the potential to compete in international sport.

For the Studbook

For a Studbook, the value of Stallion Inspections is the identification of genetics that concentrate the desired characteristics in the Irish Warmblood population. We find stallions that are a good fit with the breeding mares – building on the strengths of those mares. Stallion Inspections are a key component of the WSI selection system, and are the bedrock of WSI’s continual improvement goal. One measure of a Studbook’s success is how many horses it registers or approves each year. A better measure is what percent of those horses compete in sport. According to our analysis done in 2022, approximately 80% of stallions that were six years or younger when approved by WSI, and are still alive, went on to compete in international (FEI) showjumping competitions up to 1.60 m. or in international eventing competitions up to 4*-L.

Applications for Stage 1 Stallion Inspection close on February 1st. If you have a promising stallion, apply today.

Photo: WSI Approved Stallion BRAVOUR VDL (Brantzau x Cassini I), bred by Wiepke van de Lageweg and owned by Andrew Hughes & VDL Stud. Bravour VDL as a four-year old placed third in the Irish Breeders Classic. He was approved in 2022, and stands at stud with Andrew Hughes and Niall Hughes at Ennisnag Stud Ireland.

Welcome Aboard

WSI is pleased to see that Horse Sport Ireland is launching a research collaboration with the British Equestrian Federation on environmental sustainability. The research project is funded by DAFM and Sport England.

Tom Reed, WSI's Breeding Director, called on the FEI and national federations to take action in his 2021 article published by Horse International magazine. You can download the article here.

WSI is now in its fourth year of action to address climate warming and environmental protection. We welcome HSI's first steps on this path, and we encourage HSI to take immediate action to reduce its carbon footprint.

Rather than waiting for what will inevitably become a multi-year research project with scores of recommendations, many of which are already well-known best practices, HSI could follow WSI's lead by acting now. Purchase carbon offsets. Plant trees. Investing in energy-saving technology. Use renewable energy. Donate a percentage of revenue to Stripe Climate to fund permanent carbon removal technologies.

By taking action now, HSI will have increased legitimacy when speaking to equestrian industry constituencies about environmental sustainability.

WSI Helps You Keep Up-To-Date with Legal Requirements – QUICKLY!

Irish and European law have many requirements for horse owners and keepers. One is that the seller must give the passport to the buyer at the time of sale. Both parties must keep a record of the transaction. The new owner is required to register transfer of ownership with the DAFM-approved PIO that issued the original passport. This allows the PIO to update the Studbook database, the DAFM’s Central Equine Database, and the passport to reflect the new ownership. All these updates are required by law within 30 days of the purchase.

Importations are another event that are covered by Irish law. If you import a warmblood into Ireland with a non-WSI passport, you are required to “lodge” the passport with an appropriate PIO. And for warmbloods, that’s WSI. This lodgement allows WSI to update the Irish Central Equine Database to include your ownership, your Equine Registered Premises Number, and your warmblood’s food chain status. Notification and lodgement of the passport are required within 30 days of the horse arriving in Ireland.

Often a horse’s information may need to be updated. If your Irish Warmblood has been removed from the food chain by your veterinarian, if a veterinarian has implanted a second transponder (microchip), if your Irish Warmblood has changed colour, or if your horse has died, the law requires you to notify WSI. WSI will then update the Studbook Database and the DAFM’s Central Equine Database. Updates to the passport are required to be made within 30 days of the event.

WSI urges owners to keep up-to-date with all legal requirements, and we keep our prices low to make it affordable. The fee to change ownership is free for WSI paying members, and €40 for non-paid members. Lodging the passport of an imported warmblood is €50. Updating an Irish Warmblood’s information is €40. Because all of these activities involve WSI handling, checking, and updating the passport, we must receive the passport from you. A postage fee is charged to return the passport to you by Registered Post.

We guarantee quick turnaround of your horse’s passport, typically returning it to you in 2-3 days.

Any questions? Ring or WhatsApp Dawn at +353872229701.

What Makes WSI Approved Mares Distinct?

All WSI Approved Mares* have a distinct characteristic: They descend from damlines that have produced at least several international athletes. The showjumping damlines have offspring that have competed at 1.45 m. and above. The eventing damlines have offspring that have competed at 3* and above. The dressage damlines have offspring that have competed at PSG and above.

These days breeders have access to most stallions anywhere in the world. The way WSI and our breeders, owners, and riders have created genetic improvement is through the selection of mares that have proven athleticism in their damlines.

Here is a good multi-generational example, courtesy of a top producer of young showjumpers, County Fermanagh’s Kerry Taggart.

Symphonie AEG (Inaico VDL x Arezzo VDL, Breeder: BVBA Stal Aegtenas) was presented by Kerry for inspection early in 2022, and the mare was designated a WSI Approved Mare. Later in the year, Symphonie AEG placed 4th in the Cavan 4-Year-Old Championship with Kerry in the saddle.

Symphonie’s dam, Parvati AEG (Arezzo VDL x Darco, Breeder: BVBA Stal Aegtenas), was presented by Kerry for inspection early in 2019, and the mare was designated a WSI Approved Mare. Later that year, Parvati AEG won in Cavan’s August show and was 3rd in the Cavan Indoor Championship with Kerry in the saddle. Parvati AEG is now competing successful in 1.35 m. CSI classes with Francis Derwin.

Sabrienne, the grand-dam of Symphonie AEG and dam of Parvati AEG, was herself a 1.40 m showjumper. She produced five progeny that competed 1.35 – 1.45 m.

If you have a promising young foreign-bred mare, contact WSI to discuss an inspection. If you need help sourcing one, we can put you in contact with Kerry or one of the other professional riders or Irish Warmblood breeders who produce their athletes within WSI’s system.

*Except Thoroughbreds

Photos: WSI Approved Mare SYMPHONIE AEG (Inaico VDL x Arezzo VDL, Breeder: BVBA Stal Aegtenas) and her dam, WSI Approved Mare PARVATI AEG (Arezzo VDL x Darco, Breeder: BVBA Stal Aegtenas).

ABCDs of Breeding

How do Irish Warmblood breeders compete successfully with continental European breeders?

WSI breeders all use:

Approved Sires and Approved Damsires;

Bloodlines that include a full pedigree with no missing ancestors or unapproved stallions;

Characteristics such as athleticism, balance, suppleness, and rideability, irrespective of whether they are breeding showjumping, eventing, or dressage horses; and

Damlines that have proven to produce international athletes.

Join WSI today.

100% Guarantee

Every foal and older horse registered by WSI -- 100% -- is sired by an approved stallion and has a dam that is sired by an approved stallion. The Irish Warmblood population closely resembles the genetic excellence found in the sport horse populations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Due to recent actions by the European Commission's DG-Competition on behalf of WSI breeders and owners, and breeders and owners throughout the EU, the playing field in Ireland is now much more level. HSI no longer holds competitions restricted to Irish Sport Horses. The ISH studbook's operating expenses are no longer paid by DAFM. Irish Shows Association, an affiliate of HSI, no longer holds competitions restricted to Irish Sport Horses. The Irish Horse Board, an affiliate of HSI, is no longer under the thumb of HSI.

And more positive changes will happen in the coming months and years as WSI (the only member-based sport horse breed association in Ireland) builds on these successes. If you are breeding with warmblood genetics, join breeders who've made the switch to WSI.

WSI Joins Stripe Climate

Since 2020, WSI has been committed to creating our industry's first carbon-negative breed association. We've purchased carbon offsets, planted trees, used electricity from renewable/green sources, and invested in energy-saving equipment and business practices.

It's now time for the next step: We are now pleased to announce that WSI has joined Stripe Climate. Beginning today, WSI will donate 1% of its revenue processed through Stripe to help fund carbon removal technologies.

With Stripe Climate, 100% of WSI's contributions are spent on carbon removal. Carbon removal projects are sourced and vetted by Frontier, Stripe's in-house team of science and commercial experts.

On many of our forms, you are given the option to make a voluntary contribution to WSI's climate positive programme. Please consider doing so the next time you purchase a service from WSI, and reduce your "carbon hoofprint" even more.

More information on WSI's Stripe Climate membership may be found here.

Sport Mare Inspection: What to Expect

The inspection will take 45 - 60 minutes, and will be done in a relaxed and respectful manner for both the mare and rider.

The inspector will observe the mare and assess her conformation, movement, and athleticism. They will record scores on the inspection form along with observations. The inspector will discuss her training and development with the rider.

If the mare is going to be used in breeding this year, the inspector will offer stallion and husbandry suggestions, upon request. Hopefully the inspector will offer an insight or two that's useful to the rider.

At the end of the inspection, you will be told if she has passed and is designated a WSI Approved Mare. If DNA testing has not been completed by the inspection date, her approval will be contingent upon the completion of the testing.

WSI will then notify operators of restricted competitions (e.g., Dublin Horse Show, Studbook Series, and SJI) that the mare is eligible to compete. And WSI will send the completed inspection form to the rider and owner.

Photos: Spartacus Stables’ WSI Approved Mares DORA THE EXPLORER (Dibadu L x Cornet Obolensky) and PINAKI VAN DEN DAEL (I Am Moerhoeve's Star x Eros Platiere) and Abbie Sweetnam at the 2022 Dublin Horse Show

Sport Mare Inspection Process

WSI does not hold a general inspection day for sport mares because we recognise that every young mare is at a different stage in her education and development, and she might not be ready to be inspected on the chosen date. Instead a WSI Inspector will see the mare at your yard or a nearby equestrian centre when she is ready to be assessed. Inspectors also can assess your mare at a show where she will be competing.

We are currently in discussions with owners and riders about scheduling sport mare inspections in Enniskillen and Thurles in the next two months, so let us know if these locations are convenient for you or please propose a venue or your own yard, if that is more convenient.

You will show the mare under saddle and jumping a course at the height and width of your choosing that is appropriate for her age and level of development. If your mare is newly under saddle, the inspection will be augmented with video you have taken earlier of the mare loose-jumping. Our goal is to see the mare’s natural athleticism while having a confidence-building experience as part of her education.

All WSI Approved Mares are eligible to compete in restricted classes such as the Dublin Horse Show’s young showjumping horse qualifiers and Championship, and the Studbook Series. You also can receive, upon request, expert advice on breeding your mare, if you plan to take embryos from her while she is in sport.

For any questions, please contact Dawn on WhatsApp at 087.222.9701

Photo: WSI Approved Mare MIKA (Insider VDL x Lyjanero) and Michelle Kenny of River Lodge Equestrian competing at the 2022 World Breeding Championships at Lanaken.

Transfer of Ownership

EU and Irish legislation require the new owner of a horse to notify the breed society that issued the passport within 30 days of the transfer of ownership. WSI will update the Irish Warmblood's file in DAFM's Central Equine Database, and you will be able to complete the annual equine census and access DAFM-funded grant schemes, sport registrations, etc.

Download the form and submit it with the WSI passport.

If you are a paid member of WSI, there is no fee for this service. You'll pay only for registered post.

Transfers of ownership are processed within two or three business days, and we'll return the passport to you quickly.

Questions: Give Dawn a call on 087.222.9701 / +353.87.222.9701

Obama De La Liniere Declared “Elite”

Today the WSI Approved Stallion Obama De La Liniere (Marius Claudius x Figo de Muze) was declared an Elite Stallion by the Belgian Warmblood Studbook (BWP).

Obama De La Liniere was born in 2014, and was approved by WSI in 2017 following an inspection in Belgium by three WSI inspectors.

Photo: Copyright Belgian Warmblood Studbook

Save €15 by using WSI Approved Stallions & WSI Recognised Stallions

Irish Warmblood breeders can use most warmblood stallions approved by a warmblood studbook that is a member of the WBFSH. And if you use a WSI Approved Stallion or WSI Recognised Stallion, the foal registration fee is reduced by €15.

Contact WSI to register your foal or older youngster, and to confirm that the sire and damsire meet our criteria.

Do You Have a Warmblood Foal?

WSI provides fast and efficient service to breeders of warmbloods not only in Ireland but also in many other countries in Europe and North America. As a full member of the WBFSH, your Irish Warmbloods are eligible to be selected for the World Breeding Championships in showjumping, eventing, and dressage. And if your Irish Wamblood is in Ireland, your horse is eligible to compete in the Studbook Series and the Dublin Horse Show.

Contact WSI and let us know the age of your animal and its sire and damsire, and we'll email you an application form. Or download a form here.

Apply Today for Stage 1

Stallion owners already have begun submitting applications for Stage 1 Stallion inspections on 27 - 31 March. The application deadline is 1 February.

If you have a Warmblood, Thoroughbred, Anglo Arab, or Shagya Arab stallion, submit your application today.

Download: bit.ly/Stallion_Inspection

A Reminder for Horse Importers

If you import a horse into Ireland, you are required by legislation to “lodge” the horse’s passport with an Irish Passport Issuing Organisation. This facilitates the inclusion of the horse into the Irish Central Equine Database. 

The PIO is required to inspect the passport to ensure it is a valid identification document, to ascertain the horse’s food chain status, and to attach the horse to your Registered Equine Premises Number. The lodgement also allows you to successfully complete your DAFM Equine Census.

WSI can quickly complete the lodgement process and return the passport to you by registered post within one week of receipt. Our Importation of a Horse into Ireland form is here.

If you have any questions, contact Dawn at 087.222.9701.

Photo credit: Irish Ferries

Stallion Approval Guide 2023

WSI is pleased to share the Stallion Approval Guide 2023 with stallion owners, breeders, and owners. Please click here to download the Guide, which explains our process and provides a complete description of the new Stage 3 Performance Test.

If you own a showjumping, eventing, or dressage stallion and would like to put him forward for Stage 1 Inspection on 27 - 31 March, please read the Guide, download an Application Form, and contact WSI if you have any questions.

WSI’s stallion approval process is noted for its success in spotting young talent, transparency, expertise, stability, and incorporation of scientific advances.

As a Full Member of the WBFSH, WSI Approved Stallions are eligible to sire foals for registration not only in Ireland but also in many studbooks throughout the world.

Please contact WSI to discuss your questions.

Year in Review 2022

2022 was a notable year for WSI breeders and Irish Warmblood horses with a number of significant breakthroughs taking place.

• The Studbook Series was opened to Irish Warmbloods (and all horses registered in DAFM-approved studbooks), and WSI informed DG-Competition in Brussels of this welcomed development.
• Every breeding scheme funded by the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) and currently administered by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) became compliant with EU State aid law and is permanently open to Irish Warmbloods and our breeders .
• The Irish Shows Association opened almost all of its formerly restricted classes to Irish Warmbloods, and WSI soon will inform that Irish Competition & Consumer Protection Commission of this welcome development.
• DAFM must comply with European state aid law and Irish public procurement processes when dispensing aid to the sport horse sector. The Department can no longer subsidise HSI’s studbook business. This means a much larger percentage of money given to the sector each year will be earmarked to actually help sport horse breeders instead of being consumed by the national federation.
• Two Irish Warmbloods were purchased by the Army Equitation School and campaigned by Army riders. Since WSI Rules did not allow them to change the horses’ registered names, the Army requested a Commercial Name be added to their WSI passport and they asked to keep the breeder’s prefix with the Commercial Name: DDC Hera Star (Commercial Name DDC Ard Rua) and CBI Jameson (Commercial Name CBI Slieve Bloom) were bred by Derek Conway and the Carroll Brothers Ireland, respectively..
• The first Irish Warmblood went to the World Breeding Champions in Eventing in Lion d’Angers, France. Competing under the FEI name Tik Tok, Ballinamurra Hercules was ridden by the two-time Olympian and Team Bronze medallist Caroline Powell. The 2016 gelding was bred by Claire Wood, and was selected by the New Zealand Federation to represent NZ and WSI.
• WSI maintained its "Carbon Negative" policy by removing from the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than we created in 2022. WSI supported high quality international carbon reduction projects by purchasing carbon offsets, mostly in developing countries, that were independently certified as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthy environment. The Studbook took further action by donating funds to plant ten trees for every one foal registered by WSI. If you’d like to offset some of the carbon created by your breeding activities, please contact WSI so you can join our programme.

In addition to these notable developments, normal Studbook work continued apace. WSI awarded Approved Mare status to seven well-bred and athletic mares, and two of these mares also earned the “Premium Approved Mare” predicate. One of the Premium Approved Mares, Amaretto T, finished 3rd in the Balmoral Championship for 4-year old horses. Inspectors were impressed with all of the mares’ pedigrees, conformation, and athleticism. All WSI Approved Mares have full five-generation pedigrees, have Approved Sires or TB sires in their ancestry, descend from damlines that have produced multiple international (FEI) horses, and have been tested for Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1). Unless the RDS and HSI change their rules, foreign-bred Approved Mares will be eligible to compete in the 2023 Dublin Horse Show showjumping qualifiers and 2023 Studbook Series.

In 2022 WSI approved five showjumping stallions: Bravour VDL, Cassanova PB Z, ESI Romeo, and Mendoza VDL (all available at Ennisnag Stud) and Gestalt m2s. Displaying his athleticism, Mendoza VDL finished third in the Dublin Horse Show Five-Year Old Championship and second in the HSI Studbook Series Final. All of the newly-approved stallions have elastic, balanced, and ground-covering canters and scored highly on rideability, jumping scope, and technique. As part of our genomic selection programme, they all were tested for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (OC), and all were awarded the D-OC predicate after passing the test. None of the stallions are carriers of the WFFS1 mutation. 

For 2023, WSI has implemented several important changes in the stallion approval system based on horse welfare, best practice, breeder feedback, and scientific advances. Stallions now must be at least 3-years-old, using the January 1st convention, to participate. Stage 1 will continue as in earlier years. Stage 2 is now the veterinary, genomic, and genetic testing. Now that the overall reliability of the genetic test for OC is approximately three times greater than the reliability of x-rays, WSI has begun using the DNA-OC test as a selection criterion and require fewer x-rays as part of the veterinary exam. (Stallion owners can still request the full panel of approximately 36 x-rays, if they wish.) Stage 3 is now a 3-Day Performance Test.

2023 Stallion Approvals

Stage 1 Stallion Inspections are scheduled for 27 - 31 March, Stage 2 must be completed by 30 April, and the Performance Test will be held in October.

Unless the RDS and HSI change their rules, foreign-bred stallions that pass Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be eligible to compete in the 2023 Dublin Horse Show Showjumping Qualifiers and Final and 2023 Studbook Series.

The 2023 Stallion Approval Guide will be published soon. If you own a showjumping, eventing, or dressage stallion and would like to put him forward for Stage 1, please read the Guide, download an Application Form, and contact WSI if you have any questions.

Annual General Meeting

Through the Annual General Meeting, WSI sought approval from our Active Members for one change to the Studbook Rules concerning the Fragile Foal Syndrome testing programme.

Since May 2018, WSI has determined the WFFS1 status of every foal, Approved Stallion, Approved Mare, and Studbook Mare. Over the last 4.5 years, only two Irish Warmbloods foals have been identified as carriers of the genetic mutation, and WSI was aware that they had either a dam or sire who also carried the mutation.

Given the very low incidence of the WFFS1 mutation in the Irish Warmblood population, and the awareness of our breeders when making breeding decisions, we believe the testing should be more targeted. Since most colts are gelded and not used for breeding, WSI recommend to our Active Members that colts be exempted from mandatory testing at the time of registration.

WSI's Breeding Director sought advice from the WSI Breeding Council before this recommendation was made. The Council members unanimously agreed to exclude colts from mandatory testing beginning in 2023. This proposed change to Studbook Rules was adopted unanimously by our Members. All Approved Stallions, Approved Mares, Studbook Mares and filly foals will continue to be tested, but colt foals will not be tested. This decision does not preclude any breeder of a colt from requesting the test. It can be arranged with WSI to have it done at the same time as the parentage verification DNA test at an extra cost.

A Reminder to Breeders

A reminder that any passport issued by WSI before the youngster is 365 days old is covered by our basic Foal Registation fee. WSI does not charge more to register a foal simply because the calendar says the date is after October 1st or January 1st.

EU and Irish legislation require foals to be registered before they are 365 days old. WSI's registration fee is fixed during this entire period.

Registration costs increase for a passport issued after the youngster is 365 days old.

Make My Day

At an inspection today at the Tipperary Equestrian Centre, WSI approved for breeding and sport the 2017 Make My Day (by Cornet Obolensky and out of Escortinne by Heartbreaker).

This mare, bred by C. Viscaal in the Netherlands, is owned by M. Boland and is ridden by Abby Boland.

Make My Day has been designated a WSI Premium Mare based on her conformation and outstanding athleticism.

Photo: Make My Day and Abby Boland competing recently in Cavan.

WSI Statement on HSI and DAFM

Calls for questions to be answered about HSI’s mission and role in industry

Horse Sport Ireland’s Constitution requires the Board of Directors to have exactly nine members, and grants the Minister of Agriculture the right to appoint five of the nine directors, including the Chairman. The recent resignation of HSI’s entire Board of Directors led the Minister to appoint three individuals as Interim Directors plus one as interim Chairman. Barring a change to the Constitution, each of the four Advisory Councils is empowered to select one individual to serve as a director.

Now that the Minister has made four interim appointments of highly experienced business and governance experts, fundamental questions about the mission of HSI, and the role the Department of Agriculture plays in executing that mission, should be considered.

Is it appropriate that a Minister appoints members to the Board of Directors of a company that is not owned by the Government? Is it appropriate that a Minister is allowed to appoint the majority of members to that Board? And whereas arguments might be made that Board appointments may be appropriate when dealing with charitable organisations, are ministerial appointments appropriate when the company in question is neither a semi-state body nor a charity and, very importantly, has substantial commercial operations that place it in direct competition with other companies in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and throughout the European Union?

Is it appropriate that a Minister makes Board appointments to a company that has issued proceedings in the High Court against the Minister and his Department? Will the Minister’s newly appointed Directors be required to recuse themselves from Board deliberations concerning HSI’s legal action against DAFM? And if the new Directors do not recuse themselves, and vote to terminate the legal action, how can the public be assured that the Minister’s appointees have acted in the interest of HSI, which they are required to do under company law, and not in the interest of the Department or the Minister who appointed them?

On 4 May 2022, during the public procurement process, why did the Minister express support in Dáil Éireann for HSI’s ability to deliver “the best service to the sport horse industry as a whole” at the time the company had a backlog of 1,200 unprocessed equine passport applications, as reported in The Irish Field, and reportedly had its authority to issue passports suspended for several weeks by his officials for failure to comply with new EU legislation governing equine identification documents?

How does the Minister justify awarding a contract to HSI that provides €4.4 million per year to deliver “Breeding Services” when this contract provides for a 34% overhead payment (€1.5 million) per year to HSI? Why are these services not provided by breed societies via the long-standing Equine Technical Support Scheme, which does not permit any type of overhead payment?

Why did the Minister select HSI as the winner of four public procurement competitions when the company has both recent and historical failings in governance, management, accountability, and transparency? Why did the Minister’s officials strike a deal with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition that compelled the Department to immediately cease providing unauthorised State aid to HSI, which totalled €29.7 million between 2008 and 2021? Why did the European Commission require the Revenue Commissioners to enforce a court ruling, and thereby require HSI to charge VAT on its commercial sales? Why does HSI refuse to allow the two competitor sport horse studbooks on the island of Ireland to affiliate with it? Why did HSI refuse for ten years to allow other Irish-bred sport horses to compete in the HSI Studbook Series? Why did HSI fail to file multiple lobbying reports with the Register of Lobbying, despite engaging in extensive lobbying efforts to secure more funding for the company, until a complaint was filed with the regulator? Why did HSI reportedly not follow long-established procurement processes in its quest to acquire use of Greenogue Equestrian Centre as a new headquarters?

Should HSI engage in commercial activities in direct competition with approved breed societies operating in the sector? Should the Department continue to subsidise the studbooks that HSI manages and provide unfair advantages for the Minister’s studbooks through 34% overhead payments on the public procurement contract for Breeding Services? 

The new Board would benefit from looking at the German Federation, which successfully brought together sport and breeding many years ago while avoiding conflicts of interest, distortion of the market for studbook services, and anti-competitive practices. Collegial cooperation is obtained from every German sport horse studbook because the German FN does not manage studbooks, it does not compete against approved breed societies in the marketplace, and it does not preferentially advantage any studbook over the others.

WSI hopes that the interim Chairman, who developed the implementation plan that led to the creation of HSI , and his fellow Interim Directors will evaluate critically whether the Department’s model for HSI and the sport horse and leisure horse industries has achieved its goals. Has the deep integration between a government department and an umbrella body, which brings together sport and breeding in an unsustainable manner, been in the best interests of the industry and the public?

WSI Breeders & Owners

A reminder that Irish Warmbloods are eligible to participate in every Breeding Scheme operated by Horse Sport Ireland on behalf of DAFM. 

If you run into obstacles, please contact WSI for assistance. 

Mendoza VDL 3rd in RDS Championship

Mendoza VDL (Harley VDL x Cardento) and Harry William Wood placed 3rd in the Dublin Horse Show 5-Year-Old Championship.

Mendoza is owned by Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud and VDL Stud, and he was bred by VDL Stud.

Mendoza is a WSI Approved Stallion.

WSI Continues Commitment to Climate Positive Action

So far in 2022 WSI has offset 20 tones of carbon dioxide and planted 500 trees.

Mendoza VDL Places 2nd in Studbook Series Final at Tattersalls.

WSI Approved Stallion Mendoza VDL (Harley VDL x Cardento) and Harry William Wood placed 2nd today in the HSI Studbook Series Final at the Tattersalls Ward Union Show. Fresh semen is available from Ennisnag Stud.

Cassanova PB Z Places 3rd in Championship

WSI Approved Stallion Cassanova PB Z (Cornet Obolensky x Quaprice Bois Margot) and Harry William Wood recently placed 3rd in the 4-Year-Old Hughes Horse Stud Championship. Fresh semen is available from Ennisnag Stud.

Amaretto T Places 3rd at Balmoral National Championship

WSI Approved Premium Mare Amaretto T (Apardi x Quick Star x Calvados) placed 3rd in the National Balmoral Championship for 4-Year-Olds. Congratulations to rider Kerry Taggart, owner Victoria Loane, and breeder T. van Tilburg.

CBI Slieve Bloom Qualifies for Dublin Horse Show

Congratulations to Carroll Brothers Ireland, breeders of CBI Slieve Bloom (Douglas x Colestus). This Irish Warmblood showjumper, owned by the Minister of Defence and ridden by Lt. Adam Benson-Byrne, qualified today for the Dublin Horse Show 4-Year-Old Championship.

Mendoza VDL Wins Dublin Qualifier

Congratulations to Ennisnag Stud on Mendoza VDL and Harry Wood winning the 5-Year-Old Qualifier for the Dublin Horse Show. Mendoza VDL is a WSI Approved Stallion. Contact Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud on 087.857.5427 for semen.

WSI Approves 5 Stallions

Thirteen stallions began the stallion approval process in the showjumping direction, and seven were invited to attend the inspection held on 21-22 March 2022. WSI is pleased to announce that five have received the coveted designation of “WSI Approved Stallion” after passing the inspection of conformation, movement, and jumping traits along with the 5-stage veterinary examination, thirty radiographs, and laboratory tests for infectious diseases. All five passed the genomic test for the genes associated with osteochondrosis, and they all are certified as non-carriers of the WFFS1 genetic mutation.

The stallions are highly recommended to breeders who want to produce modern foals with traits required for showjumping sport as it evolves over the next two decades.

In alphabetical order, the Approved Stallions are:

Bravour VDL
Sire: Brantzau VDL
Dam: Bevita (by Cassini I)
Birth Year: 2017
Height: 171
Colour: Brown
Breeder: Wiepke van de Lageweg
Owner: Andrew Hughes and VDL Stud
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1
Inspectors: Ari Hamoen (KWPN), Thomas Reed, Wim Versteeg (KWPN), Claire Wood
Insights: Nice conformation. Beautiful front. Friendly eye. Well-muscled neck. Well-developed
withers. Powerful canter with good balance. As a four-year old he came in third in the Irish Breeders Classic.
Semen Availability: Contact Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud on 087.857.5427

Cassanova PB Z
Sire: Cornet Obolensky
Dam: Quanora Z (by Quaprice Bois Margot)
Birth Year: 2018
Height: 165 cm
Colour: Grey
Breeder: Peter Bastiaansen
Owner: Andrew Hughes
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1
Inspectors: Ari Hamoen (KWPN), Thomas Reed, Wim Versteeg (KWPN), Claire Wood
Insights: Well-developed. Nice head. Good neck. Well-developed withers. Canter is well-balanced, powerful, and with a long stride. Good takeoff. Very careful and scopey. Good body use and technique.
Semen Availability: Contact Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud on 087.857.5427

ESI Romeo
Sire: Eldorado van de Zeshoek
Dam: SSH Coolgirl (by Colman)
Birth Year: 2018
Height: 167 cm
Colour: Bay
Breeder: Ennisnag Stud
Owner: Andrew Hughes
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1
Inspectors: Ari Hamoen (KWPN), Thomas Reed, Wim Versteeg (KWPN), Claire Wood
Insights: Well developed, rectangular type. Canter has a good stride and is well-balanced with good posture. Very good take-off. Very good technique in foreleg with good reflexes. Very careful and seems to have a lot of scope.
Semen Availability: Contact Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud on 087.857.5427

Gestalt m2s
Sire: Cabrio van de Heffinck
Dam: Violetta Bella m2s (by Ekstein)
Birth Year: 2015
Height: 167 cm
Colour: Bay
Breeder: Morningside Stud
Owner: Morningside Stud
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1
Inspectors: Ari Hamoen (KWPN), Wim Versteeg (KWPN), Claire Wood
Insights: Nice type. Good withers. Good back and loins. Jumps very well. Good take-off. Nice foreleg technique. Good body use. Athletic, with scope, very careful, and with a very good attitude. Good rideability.
Semen Availability: Not available in 2022.

Mendoza VDL
Sire: Harley VDL
Dam: B Dame VDL (by Cardento)
Birth Year: 2017
Height: 167
Colour: Dark Brown
Breeder: VDL Stud
Owner: Andrew Hughes and VDL Stud
Predicates: D-OC, D-WFFS1
Inspectors: Ari Hamoen (KWPN), Thomas Reed, Wim Versteeg (KWPN), Claire Wood
Insights: Nice type. Rectangular. Good back and loins. Canter is well-balanced and powerful. Seems to have a lot of scope. He is very careful.
Semen Availability: Contact Andrew Hughes of Ennisnag Stud on 087.857.5427

The 2022 Stallion Inspections received partial funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The funding complies with European Union State aid regulations.

WSI Report 96

In WSI Report 96, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we present Qannando B. & V., recently named a WSI Recognised Stallion.Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 95

In WSI Report 95, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we present Milton Z, recently named a WSI Recognised Stallion. Download the file for easy reading.

Stallion Inspections Coming Soon

We are pleased to announce dates for the 2022 Stallion Inspections. They will be held on 21 March in Kilkenny and 22 March in Kildare. Stallions in the breeding directions of Showjumping and Eventing will be evaluated.

Upon request, WSI will schedule inspections for Dressage stallions in the autumn.

The WSI Stallion Committee (Showjumping and Eventing) members are Cor Loeffen (KWPN), Thomas Reed (Chairman), Wim Versteeg (KWPN), and Claire Wood.

We ask owners to apply for the March inspections by the end of January so the stallions can undergo the mandatory clinical and radiographic examinations, screening for venereal diseases, and DNA and genomic testing before the inspections are held. The Stallion Approval Guide 2022 may be downloaded via https://bit.ly/SAG2022 The Guide contains useful information about the stallion approval process and the application form.

Please contact the Studbook Administrator, Dawn, with queries on 087.222.9701.

WSI Report 94

In WSI Report 94, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we discuss the results of the 2021 General Assembly and announce dates for the stallion inspections. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI's ad appears in the 2021 issue of L'Année Hippique.

WSI Can Help You Complete the Equine Census 2021

If you have warmblood geldings, mares, or stallions imported into Ireland (or horses registered by a non-Irish passport issuing organisation or studbook) and they have not yet been entered into Ireland's Central Equine Database, you must do so before you can complete the Equine Census 2021. WSI can help you by entering your horses into the Central Equine Database.

WSI delivers very quick turn-around. Complete the application form and send it with the passport today. WSI will enter your horse in the DAFM Central Equine Database, and post the passport back to you by registered mail with tracking and insurance. And all this is guaranteed to happen within two business days of WSI receiving the passport from you.

For more information ring 087.222.9701 or download the application form.

WSI Report 93

In WSI Report 93, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we discuss WSI's stallion inspection system. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 92

In WSI Report 92, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we discuss WSI's tentative plans for 2022. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 91

In WSI Report 91, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we reveal a new WSI "green" initiative, and share the sad news of the passing of our dear friend Mandy Driesch. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 90

In WSI Report 90, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we discuss WSI's commitment to reversing climate change and introduce you to an Irish Warmblood police horse in the United Kingdom. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Maintains Our Climate Positive Commitment

WSI’s ongoing commitment to the environment has been sustained by remaining “carbon negative” in 2021. “Carbon negative“ means that WSI goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions by actually removing from the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than we create.

Following our initial purchase of carbon credits in 2020, WSI once again has purchased from Carbon Footprint Ltd offsets equal to more than four times WSI’s estimated carbon production. So for every tonne of carbon WSI’s activities produce our offset programme removes over four tonnes of carbon.

The offsets WSI purchased are used to support high quality international carbon reduction projects, mostly in developing countries, that are independently certified as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthy environment.

When WSI was founded in 2009 our application to the Department of Agriculture included processes to achieve, as much as possible, a paperless digital office. In 2020 WSI changed its electricity supplier to one that uses 100% renewable/green energy such as wind and solar, and we recently renewed that decision. Our ongoing commitment to being a carbon negative/climate positive organisation takes WSI further down the path of corporate responsibility.

RDS Rule Changes

RDS has revised its rules and has returned to its policy for the last number of years foreign-bred stallions and mares. The new rules state:

"The 4, 5 & 6 year old classes are restricted to animals registered as being bred on the island of Ireland, and to those entire animals (stallions and mares) bred outside of Ireland, that are registered and approved / preliminary approved or selected for breeding in an Irish Studbook (approved by the Department of Agriculture)."

WSI Approved Stallions and WSI Approved Mares that are foreign-bred are once again eligible to compete in these RDS classes.

2021 Stallion Inspections Not Proceeding

WSI has decided that holding Stallion Inspections in March is not in the interest of riders and handlers, stallion owners, venue owners, inspectors, and the public. Especially with the new virus mutations circulating in Ireland, even closed-door/non-public inspections are risky. WSI will hold inspections later on in the year when conditions permit. Owners of the twelve (12) stallions that have begun our process have been consulted and agree with the decision. If you have a stallion suitable for inspection by WSI we invite you to contact us on 087.222.9701 or admin@irish-warmblood.com

2021 Stallion Inspections

WSI Stallion Inspections will be held during the first two weeks of March. To enhance safety of all participants in this time of COVID-19, WSI has waived Stage 1 inspections and instead has implemented a voluntary Stallion Assessment by Video procedure. WSI inspectors will assess your stallion based on video you submit and provide guidance about his suitability to be presented to Stage 2/Stage 3 inspection in March. The Video Assessment is voluntary and is designed to provide advice and guidance to stallion owners. You are not required to submit your stallion to the Video Assessment to participate in the March inspections. There is a fee for the assessment.

Here are links to download an application for Video Assessment and instructions on what to include in the video:

Please ring the WSI office on 087.222.9701 if you'd like more information about WSI's stallion approval process.

2020 Year in Review

We started 2020 on a very difficult note with the sudden passing of our friend and colleague Arnold Kootstra. Many WSI breeders met Arnold in his role as mare and foal inspector on WSI’s Mare Inspection Committee. Many more breeders in the wider sport horse community met Arnold as a trainer in events we held across the country. As the anniversary of Arnold’s death approaches we remember him and wish comfort to his wife Elise.

Later in January the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced a global health emergency because of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The next day WSI announced the suspension of all events. When the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic on 12 March, WSI affirmed that no events would be held until further notice. These decisions went beyond the public health restrictions imposed by the Irish government, but they were made to ensure the well-being of the Irish Warmblood community.

While mare and stallion inspections could not be held at equestrian centres, WSI inspectors performed video assessments of mares that resulted in valuable feedback and the granting of Approved Mare status to well-bred and athletic mares. We also offered guidance to owners of a dozen stallions based on videos of their stallion’s conformation, movement, loose-jumping, and jumping under saddle. Based on this guidance several stallions were gelded, several are not proceeding with the Approval process, and others are being prepared for 2021 stallion inspections by undergoing clinical and radiographic exams, genetic and genomic testing, and training under saddle. The 2021 stallion inspections are scheduled for the first two weeks of March, depending on public health restrictions in place at that time and WSI’s own assessment of what is required to keep stallion owners, their helpers, and our Dutch and Irish inspectors safe and healthy. Please contact WSI if you own a stallion and would like to avail of the same informal guidance as we approach the spring inspections.

WSI’s pro-active WFFS1 policy continues to be the most comprehensive testing and surveillance programme of any studbook in the world. We are pleased to report that the genetic mutation has not been found in the Irish Warmblood population. In the future, if a breeder with a non-carrier mare were to use a stallion that is a carrier, there is a fifty percent (50%) chance that the resulting foal will be a carrier. So it is possible that, in the future, a carrier will be born into the WSI population. But our comprehensive policy of determining the Fragile Foal status of every foal means that breeders (and purchasers of Irish Warmbloods) can make informed decisions.

WSI's genomic selection program continued in 2020 with more stallions, mares, and young horses being tested for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (OC). DAFM provided partial funding that allowed WSI to offer a free genomic test to every testable foal registered in 2020. Ninety-five percent (95%) of foals passed the test and were awarded the D-OC predicate. These results surpassed our long-term pass rate of 92% for stallions, mares, and young horses. And having the D-WFFS1 and D-OC predicates printed in the foal’s passport and zootechnical certificate is a valuable signal to purchasers of the foal’s genetic health. All of the free tests have been used, but please contact WSI if you'd like to order the DNA-OC test for your Irish Warmblood horse or your Approved Mare or Studbook Mare.

The results of our WFFS1 testing and OC testing show that the Irish Warmblood population is very healthy, and that our breeders and our breeding programme produce healthy horses suitable for high level sport and breeding.

In June we believe WSI became the first studbook in the world to become carbon negative. “Carbon negative“ means that WSI goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions by actually removing from the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than we create. WSI purchased from Carbon Footprint Ltd offsets equal to more than four times WSI’s estimated carbon production. So for every tonne of carbon WSI’s activities produce our offset programme removes over four tonnes of carbon. The offsets WSI purchased were used to support high quality international carbon reduction projects, mostly in developing countries, that are independently certified as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthy environment. We further reduced carbon emissions by investing in LED lighting, which uses a lot less energy, and by ensuring that all the electricity we purchase is sourced from 100% renewable generation such as wind and solar.

Finally, thank you for providing us with bright spots this year by sending us photos of your foals and updates on your young horses and horses in sport. In these challenging times horses remain a constant reminder that hope and caring for others (human and equine) endure. We hope to see you at a WSI event in 2021.

WSI Report 89: Year In Review

In WSI Report 89, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we review WSI's activities in 2020. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 88: Mandy Driesch Interview

In WSI Report 88, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we interview Irish Warmblood breeder Mandy Driesch. Download the file for easy reading.

Congratulations to JP Finlay

Congratulations to the breeder, John Peter Finlay, on the sale of this Irish Warmblood to the UK through the Monart Sale.

Derrycastle Houdina at Gold for Gold Auction

A very promising 4-year-old Irish Warmblood gelding, Derrycastle Houdini, is offered through Go for Gold on 7-8 December. Click the link to watch him in action.

WSI Report 87: Luke Cafolla Interview

In WSI Report 87, appearing soon in Horse International magazine, we interview Irish Warmblood breeder Luke Cafolla. Download the file for easy reading.

WSI Report 86

Derrycastle I Survived (Cevin Z x Lux Z) has been selected for the Cavan Elite Performance Sale on Tuesday 18 August. Certainly one for sport!

WSI Report 86

WSI Report 86 will be published in the next issue of Horse International magazine. You can read the report now by downloading it here.

The WSI community can subscribe to Horse International and L'Annee Hippique at a substantial discount to the regular price. Contact WSI today to find out more information.

Free Osteochondrosis Testing For Irish Warmblood Foals

In 2020 WSI is offering Irish Warmblood foals free testing for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (OC).

WSI began its genomic testing program in 2016 following the launch of our partnership with the KWPN, which developed the test following decades of phenotype data collection and genetic research. Until now WSI’s genomic testing program focused on Approved Stallions, Approved Mares, and Studbook Mares. This year the testing program will focus on foals.

Every foal that passes the genomic test will be awarded the D-OC predicate, and this predicate will be published on the foal’s passport, zootechnical certificate, and in databases such as Horsetelex and WSI’s online database. The predicate is a sign to purchasers that the foal is less likely than average to carry the genes that cause heritable disease process leading to the development of defective cartilage and bone in foals and young horses. For foals being purchased for breeding, the predicate is important because it is evidence that the animal is less likely than average to produce progeny that suffer from diseases caused by heritable OC. For foals that will become geldings and future sport horses, the predicate is a sign that the foal is less likely than average to develop heritable OC, which may require surgical interventions later in the foal’s life.

Funding for the OC testing program for foals is provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and WSI under a program certified by the European Commission as being in compliance with EU State Aid legislation.

Please contact WSI for full terms and conditions of the Foal OC Testing Program. Every Irish Warmblood foal will be considered for testing, but the foal must meet technical requirements based on the proximity of its pedigree to KWPN’s reference population. The decision about eligibility is made by the KWPN’s geneticist. This means that while most foals bred for the showjumping and dressage directions will meet the technical requirements, some foals bred for the eventing direction may be unable to be tested because of the presence of Thoroughbred, Anglo-Arab, and half-bred stallions and mares in their pedigrees.

WSI Events and COVID-19

Eleven stallions entered WSI’s stallion approval process in 2020, which means that once again WSI is the most popular sport horse studbook for Irish stallion owners. But stallion inspections will not be concluded this year, and the stallions owners agree with WSI’s decision.

Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, WSI planned to hold Stage 2 and Stage 3 Stallion Inspections and the Irish Warmblood Festival and Foal Championship in October. But on 31 January, following the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) announcement that the novel Coronavirus constituted a global health emergency, WSI announced that no events would be held until further notice. On 12 March, following the WSO’s designation that COVID-19 had created a pandemic, WSI affirmed its decision that no events would be held until further notice.

After careful consideration WSI has decided that it is in the interest of public health and our members, breeders, horse owners, volunteers, and inspectors that no events be held in 2020. WSI hopes to conduct stallion inspections sometime in the period February – March of 2021. This plan will permit approval decisions to be made before the 2021 breeding season begins.

Stallion inspection applications will be re-opened at the end of this year if public health conditions allow. In the meantime stallions that have entered the process will undergo the required genomic, genetic, and veterinary tests and examinations in the coming months.

WSI hopes to hold the next Irish Warmblood Festival and Foal Championship in the autumn of 2021.

DAFM Flyer on Equine Identification

The Department of Agriculture has published a new information leaflet for equine owners and keepers that they’ve asked WSI to share.

Please note that in February 2020 DAFM instituted the "requirement that, as part of standard passport issuing processes, Passport Issuing Organisations [must] validate the Equine Registered Premises Number on the central database prior to issuance of any identification document." This means you'll want to ensure that your premises is approved by DAFM for equines.

We're happy to help with any questions you have regarding registering foals and older horses, changes of ownership, adding imported horses to the AIM system, etc. Contact Dawn at 087.222.9701

WSI Expands Free DNA-OC Testing Program

WSI is expanding its offer of free genomic tests based on the very good response to our announcement. An additional ten (10) foals can be tested at no cost to the foal owners, for a total of 60 foals. Download a foal registation form today, save €150, and be part of Ireland's genomic revolution:

WSI Increases Climate Positive Commitment

WSI’s ongoing commitment to the environment was further affirmed today by becoming “carbon negative”.

“Carbon negative“ means that WSI goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions by actually removing from the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than we create.

WSI has purchased from Carbon Footprint Ltd offsets equal to more than four times WSI’s estimated carbon production. So for every tonne of carbon WSI’s activities produce our offset programme removes over four tonnes of carbon.

The offsets WSI purchased will be used to support high quality international carbon reduction projects, mostly in developing countries, that are independently certified as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthy environment.

When WSI was founded in 2009 our application to the Department of Agriculture included processes to achieve, as much as possible, a paperless digital office. Today’s commitment to being a carbon negative/climate positive organisation takes WSI further down the path of corporate responsibility.

More recently WSI changed its electricity supplier to one that uses 100% renewable/green energy such as wind and solar.

WSI Report 85

WSI’s latest report will appear soon in the next issue of Horse International.

In this report we compare HSI’s recently announced WFFS1 testing scheme with WSI’s 24-month-old comprehensive programme. You will want to know the differences.

Subscribe through WSI for big savings on a subscription that includes both Horse International and L’Année Hippique.

Breeding Council (Showjumping) Election Result

We've tallied the votes and we can announce that Luke Cafolla has been re-elected to the Breeding Council (Showjumping). Thank you to both Luke and Jess Stallard for their active participation and involvement with WSI.

Our commitment to breeders and their goals of producing athletic and healthy horses is affirmed this year with an offer of a free genomic test for registered foals (a savings of €150). All foals that pass the test receive the D-OC predicate in their passports and zootechnical certificates. Please see the WSI Facebook page for more information.

Contact Dawn with any questions or for a Foal Registration Application form (also available here).

First 50 Foals Receive Free Genetic Testing for Osteochondrosis (OC)

OC has welfare implications for horses that experience lameness, osteoarthritis, and the need to undergo surgery and rehabilitation. It has unexpected economic implications for breeders and owners due to asymptomatic bone chips identified in pre-purchase radiographic examinations that result in cancelled sales or re-negotiated purchase prices. OC has sport implications as the careers of promising horses are cut short and the investments made in their training are lost.

WSI is the only studbook in Ireland and along with our partner, the KWPN, one of only two in the world that has an OC testing program. The genes associated with OC are heritable, and the testing WSI conducts is an integral part of the studbook’s genomic selection program.

All foals that pass the test receive the D-OC predicate in their passports and zootechnical certificates.

To participate in the programme:

- Foal born in 2020

- Foal registered with WSI by 1 October 2020

- Foal testable based on ancestry as compared to the reference population (eligibility to be determined by the KWPN’s geneticist).

Save €150 and contact WSI today for a foal registration kit: 087.222.9701 or admin@irish-warmblood.com

The 2020 Foal OC Testing Programme is funded by DAFM and WSI.

Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1) Testing Programmes

Review of WSI’s Mare Inspections by Video

Having had mares inspected by WSI in the past I decided to get some of my young mares inspected. The inspections were carried out via video due to the current restrictions.

Videoing the mares was a very simple process as WSI provided really good instructions of what they needed to assess the mares.

I got my mares’ results back quite quickly and found WSI very efficient in dealing with questions and queries regarding the process.

It can difficult to objectively judge your own horses without being biased or overly critical and so the scores provide a very clear view on the mares strengths and weaknesses in everything from their conformation, movement and jump.

As well as looking at the mare herself, her breeding and performance of relatives is looked at and analysed in order to provide a good picture of the mare and the direction she should be bred in in the future. As this can be a difficult task having expert advice is extremely useful particularly for a young breeder like myself!

Overall I've found it's an excellent way to find out my young mares strengths and weak points and get valuable advice for my breeding/training program.

Jess Stallard
Danville House Farm
Kilkenny

WSI Breeders: Embryo Transfer Scheme 2020

The DAFM embryo transfer scheme is open to Irish Warmblood mares, foreign mares approved by WSI, and embryos to be registered by WSI. WSI has already registered foals produced with funding from this DAFM-funded scheme.

Please contact WSI if you encounter any difficulties accessing this scheme as an Irish Warmblood breeder.

WSI Breeders: Thoroughbred Percentage Scheme 2020

WSI breeders are eligible for grants of €300 per foal to the first 200 breeders who register 2020 Irish Warmblood foals with more than 70% Thoroughbred blood. Payment will be made in 2020 to the breeders of qualifying foals upon registration of the foal(s) by 30 October. Up to four (4) foals may be grant-aided per breeder.

The dam of the foal must be an Approved Mare. If your mare has not yet been inspected for approval by WSI, our inspectors are conducting Mare Inspections by Video. Contact Dawn on 087.222.9701 or admin@irish-warmblood.com for further information.

The announcement states that applications open on 1 May but the online application service appears to be active now. So if you are interested WSI suggests you apply and register your foal with WSI as soon as possible. It appears that you can apply for the grant before the foal is born. The scheme is appropriate for the eventing breeding direction.

If you encounter any difficulties accessing this scheme as an Irish Warmblood breeder please contact WSI immediately.

Read WSI Report 84 in this issue of Horse International.

WFFS1 and OC Testing

WSI continues to offer tests for Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1) and the genes associated with Osteochondrosis (OC). Now is a good time to consider having all your broodmares tested for the mutated gene associated with WFFS1 and for the genes that produce heritable Osteochondrosis. Please contact WSI for further information.

Online & Telephone Breeding Advice

WSI usually offers both on-farm and online/telephone breeding advice to mare owners, but at this time we can offer only online/telephone advice. Please contact WSI if you would like to find out how you can speak to a breeding expert and seek advice on any part of your breeding and sport program. We have experts from Ireland, continental Europe, and North America at your disposal to discuss your breeding program and answer your questions.

Mare & Foal Inspections

Photo: Jibba Jabba m2s (by Brantzau) and her dam Dolce Primavera m2s (Casall x Coronado)

Due to travel restrictions it is not possible for WSI inspectors to travel to equestrian centres or farms to conduct inspections of broodmares, foals, young horses, and sport mares. Breeders may have their broodmares, foals, and youngsters inspected by submitting video to WSI that conforms to our requirements.

Video can be submitted of the horse standing and then moving in the walk, trot, and canter. Broodmares and youngsters may be jumped loose, if horse welfare permits. Sport mares also may be inspected through a video submission. In this case the same conformation and movement video is required along with video of the mare jumping a course of fences appropriate for her age and level of development in sport.

Contact WSI for the specific video requirements. Video may be taken on a smart phone and submitted via email or WhatsApp or WeTransfer.

Mares that fulfil WSI's requirements for pedigree, damline, DNA, etc., and pass the inspection, will be designated Approved Mares.

Passport Operations

Photo: LSS Jovellana (sired by the WSI Recognised Stallion Cornet Obolensky and out of the WSI Approved Mare Tosca by Cassini I), bred by Luke Cafolla.

WSI’s foal and older horse registration and passport operations are not impacted by the coronavirus and restrictions on movement. Breeders may continue to send in marking charts and DNA samples whenever their vets are able to do their required tasks. Every foal issued a passport by WSI has its parentage confirmed and its Fragile Foal Syndrome status determined and printed on the passport.

Contact WSI on 087.222.9701 or admin@irish-warmblood.com to get the process going.

And remember: Your foal or older horse will be registered by a studboook in which EVERY foal and older horse has a sire and a damsire that is an approved stallion.

WSI Affirms Suspension of Events Due to Novel Coronavirus

Today the World Health Organisation announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is a pandemic. WSI affirms that no events will be held until further notice.

WSI Suspends Events Due to Coronavirus Global Health Emergency

Yesterday the World Health Organisation announce that the Novel Coronavirus constitutes a global health emergency. WSI has decided that no events will be held until further notice.

WSI Mourns the Passing of Arnold Kootstra

With great sadness we learned last night of the passing of our friend and colleague Arnold Kootstra.

Since 2016 Arnold has been a member of the WSI Mare Committee and an inspector for Stage 1 Stallion Inspections. With his fellow WSI inspectors Arnold travelled the length and breadth of Ireland and Northern Ireland inspecting mares and offering his insights and advice to breeders.

The Irish Warmblood community will always remember Arnold’s warmth, generosity, and dedication to WSI. We wish his wife Elise and all of Arnold’s family, friends, and colleagues comfort in this very difficult time.

2019 Annual Report to Members

In March 2019 WSI reached the 10th year of operating Ireland’s progressive studbook for modern sport horses. Thank you to all of our Members, breeders, and supporters who are looking ahead to the next ten years with us!

Our breeding goal remains the same: athletic equine partners capable of long careers in top-level sport. Our guiding principles are unchanged: (1) Inspection, (2) Selection, (3) Improvement, and (4) Innovation.

In 2019 we strengthened our commitment to Member participation and democracy through the newly formed Breeding Council comprised of three elected Council Members. The Breeding Council was established in May following a unanimous vote of approval by our Members and elections for breeder representatives for showjumping, eventing, and dressage.

The Breeding Council was consulted during an evaluation of the Studbook’s Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS1) policy, and a majority of the Council recommended no changes to the policy. The Breeding Council also was consulted on WSI’s response to DAFM’s request for comments on new European legislation affecting studbooks and breeders.

Our progressive and pro-active stance on WFFS1 has resulted in WSI having the most comprehensive testing programme of any Studbook in the world, and to date the mutation is not present in the Irish Warmblood population. WSI has tested approximately 200 horses and all are certified non-carriers of the genetic mutation. The non-carrier status of many more Irish Warmbloods and mares, and stallions breeding within our population, has been determined through deduction. (If both the sire and the dam are certified non-carriers then their progeny cannot be a carrier.) None of the Irish Warmbloods or the Approved Stallions or Recognised Stallions tested positive for the mutation. Three percent of mares tested positive: they are all non-WSI mares. The owners of these three carrier mares have been counselled to avoid using carrier stallions and untested stallions. This same advice is recommended to all breeders.

WSI’s genomic selection program continued in 2019 with more stallions, mares, and young horses tested for the genes associated with osteochondrosis (OC). To date 92% of the horses passed the test and were awarded the D-OC predicate. Please contact WSI if you’d like to order the DNA-OC test for your Irish Warmblood horse or your Approved Mare or Studbook Mare.

The 2019 WSI Foal Championship saw sixteen foals entered after a pre-screening process designed to guarantee the Studbook’s high standards for pedigree, damline performance, and health. The quality of the foals continues to be very high in the breeding directions of showjumping and eventing.

Each foal was evaluated by our KWPN colleagues Cor Loeffen and Wim Versteeg. They completed an inspection sheet with nine scores for type, conformation, and loose movement in all three gaits. They also wrote notes about each foal and all the information was communicated to the breeder in a report that can help them make breeding decisions in future years.

The genetics of the foals in the Championship exhibited a balance between outside stallions approved by other studbooks and stallions Approved or Recognised by WSI. Among the prize winners two of the sires are outside stallions (Parco and Untouchable) and six are Approved or Recognised (or formerly Recognised) by WSI (Ulysses m2s, Herald III, Greenvale Draco, Je t’Aime Flamenco, Cabrio van de Heffinck, and Casall). Désir du Château’s influence in the studbook is evidenced by both the Showjumping Champion Colt and Showjumping Champion Filly having this French son of Quidam de Revel as the damsire. Désir du Château also is the sire of the second dam of the Showjumping Second Reserve Colt.

Every prize-winning foal except one is out of a WSI Approved Mare, and that mare is a WSI Studbook Mare that will be inspected in the coming months. Every dam is a WFFS1 non-carrier. Many of the mares have been awarded the D-OC predicate for the genomic test for genes associated with osteochondrosis.

Every foal was awarded the D-WFFS1 predicate as a non-carrier.

The 2019 WSI Foal Championship was sponsored by Equilume, which provides lighting technology to improve fertility and sport performance, and Irish Horse Gateway, which markets Irish horses. A prize fund of €2,000 was shared with the breeders and the Equilume Overall Champion Colt Kindred Spirit PH(Parco - Désir de l’Esprit m2s x Désir du Château, Breeder: Paul Hughes) and Equilume Overall Champion Filly Bonmahon Karimah (Herald – Con Cava x Con Sherry, Breeder: Richard Fitzgerald) were awarded Equilume Light Masks to help their breeders continue to achieve success.

There are no proposed changes to the Studbook Rules so no votes will be held at this time.

Excellent Foals at WSI Foal Championship

Bonmahon Karimah (Herald III x Con Sherry): Equilume Overall Champion Filly and Irish Horse Gateway Eventing Champion Filly with handler Peter Brett and Equilume’s Elaine Jenkins.

Kindred Spirit PH (Parco x Désir du Château): Equilume Overall Champion Colt and Irish Horse Gateway Showjumping Champion Colt with breeder Paul Hughes and Alyssa O'Neill representing Irish Horse Gateway.

Katydid m2s (Ulysses m2s x Désir du Château): Irish Horse Gateway Showjumping Champion Filly.

The 2019 WSI Foal Championship saw sixteen foals entered after a pre-screening process designed to guarantee the Studbook’s high standards for pedigree, damline performance, and health. The quality of the foals continues to be very high in the breeding directions of showjumping and eventing.

Each foal was evaluated by our KWPN colleagues Cor Loeffen and Wim Versteeg. They completed an inspection sheet with nine scores for type, conformation, and loose movement in all three gaits. They also wrote notes about each foal. The inspectors shared the scores and notes for each foal with the breeders and spectators at CoilÓg Equestrian Centre in County Kildare. Each breeder will soon receive a written report from WSI to help them make breeding decisions in future years.

The genetics of the foals in the Championship exhibited a balance between outside stallions approved by other studbooks and stallions Approved or Recognised by WSI. Among the prize winners two of the sires are outside stallions (Parco and Untouchable) and six are Approved or Recognised (or formerly Recognised) by WSI (Ulysses m2s, Herald III, Greenvale Draco, Je t’Aime Flamenco, Cabrio van de Heffinck, and Casall). Désir du Château’s influence in the studbook is evidenced by both the Showjumping Champion Colt and Showjumping Champion Filly having this French son of Quidam de Revel as the damsire. Désir du Château also is the sire of the second dam of the Showjumping Second Reserve Colt.

Every prize-winning foal except one is out of a WSI Approved Mare, and that mare is a WSI Studbook Mare that will be inspected in the coming months. Every dam is a WFFS1 non-carrier. Many of the mares have been awarded the D-OC predicate for the genomic test for genes associated with osteochondrosis.

Every foal was awarded the D-WFFS1 predicate as a non-carrier except two, and those tests are being conducted now.

The 2019 WSI Foal Championship was sponsored by Equilume, which provides lighting technology to improve fertility and sport performance, and Irish Horse Gateway, which markets Irish horses. A prize fund of €2,000 was shared with the breeders and the Equilume Overall Champion Colt and Equilume Overall Champion Filly were awarded Equilume Light Masks to help their breeders continue to achieve success.

The WSI Foal Championship results are:

CHAMPIONS

Equilume Overall Champion Colt and Irish Horse Gateway Showjumping Champion Colt
Kindred Spirit PH
Sire: Parco
Dam: Désir de l’Esprit m2s
Damsire: Désir du Château
Breeder: Paul Hughes

Equilume Overall Champion Filly and Irish Horse Gateway Eventing Champion Filly
Bonmahon Karimah
Sire: Herald III
Dam: Con Cava
Damsire: Con Sherry
Breeder: Richard Fitzgerald

Irish Horse Gateway Showjumping Champion Filly
Katydid m2s
Sire: Ulysses m2s
Dam: Dragonfly m2s
Damsire: Désir du Château
Breeder: Martin Howard & Morningside Stud

RESERVE CHAMPIONS
Showjumping Colt
King Lear CAL
Sire: Greenvale Draco
Dam: A Bank Holiday m2s
Damsire: Ekstein
Breeder: Claire Wood

Showjumping Filly
LSS Kabanová
Sire: Je t’Aime Flamenco
Dam: Elandra
Damsire: Coconut Grove xx
Breeder: Luke Cafolla

SECOND RESERVE CHAMPIONS
Showjumping Colt
Silverteal Kabrio
Sire: Cabrio van de Heffinck
Dam: Docent m2s
Damsire: Condios
Breeder: Paschal McCarthy

Showjumping Filly
LSS Kasalina RT
Sire: Casall
Dam: U. Renaissance M
Damsire: Carthago
Breeder: Luke Cafolla & Rancho Tepozoco

Foal Championship at Irish Warmblood Festival

A €2,000 prize fund and products from our sponsor Equilume await participants in the Irish Warmblood Foal Championship. The event is on 17 October at CoilOg Equestrian Centre.

Further information about the Irish Warmblood Festival can be found on the homepage and on Facebook.

Equilume Light Mask

The Equilume Light Mask is an individual headpiece for horses that provides timed, low level blue light to a single eye to maximize breeding efficiency and coat condition, while avoiding the high costs of stabling, permitting outdoor maintenance of horses in their natural environment. Learn more about Equilume by clicking here.

Many thanks to Equilume for sponsoring the Irish Warmblood Festival and Foal Championship.

Dressage Clinic at Irish Warmblood Festival

Dressage riders will receive one-on-one 45-minute lessons from world-renowned dressage trainer Bert Rutten. Bert is a member of the WSI Stallion Committee (Dressage) and Chair of the KWPN Stallion Commission (Dressage). During his sport career, Bert formed part of the Dutch team for several European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. With Robby in 1986, Bert won team Silver at the World Championships. In total he competed with 13 horses, all trained by himself, at Grand Prix-level. Riders and non-riders alike are invited to observe. Entry is free of charge.

Further information about the Irish Warmblood Festival can be found on the homepage and on Facebook.

Stallion Inspections Postponed

Stage 2 and Stage 3 stallion inspections have been postponed until 2020.

Equilume Sponsors Foal Championship

For the third year running the Irish high-tech company Equilume is sponsoring the Irish Warmblood Foal Championship.

Equilume’s Stable Lights are the newest innovation in lighting technology and provide biologically effective light in a system that replicates the benefits of nature's environmental lighting for the stabled horse.

Modern management of horses requires that they spend a large proportion of the 24-hour day indoors, unexposed to optimum daylight and frequently disrupted by light at night. Horses kept in this manner often have impaired immune function, performance capacity, appetite and rest. The source of this physiological dysfunction lies with the horse’s circadian system failing to operate optimally. Horses that live outdoors and are exposed to bright daylight and consistent transitions to darkness at dusk and light at dawn have a strong circadian system that regulates 24-hour rhythms throughout the body. In the absence of these strong daily environmental light rhythms, bodily functions flatline and performance suffers.

Equilume have developed a customised lighting system that, when installed, immediately acts to influence health, performance and welfare by naturally strengthening the horse's internal rhythms.

This lighting system is designed to help both breeding and sport horses achieve top performance.

More information can be found on Equilume’s homepage and at both Irish Warmblood Festivals.

WSI Passes Annual DAFM Audit for 2018

Since 2016 WSI has received funding from DAFM to support initiatives such as educational programs, innovative mare and stallion inspections, our ground-breaking genomic selection program, parentage testing for foals registered within the statutory time limit, etc. This funding scheme is legal because it is approved by the European Commission.

On 27 August WSI was audited by DAFM officials to ensure that all funds allocated in 2018 were spent appropriately and that proper records are kept verifying all transactions. We received a letter a few days ago from DAFM informing us that their audit revealed no negative findings. WSI's track record of sound financial management remains intact.

Two of WSI's founding principles are accountability and transparency. We were pleased to have been found once again by DAFM to be good stewards of the public funds entrusted to us.

Meet the Test Rider (Dressage): Courtney Stuart

WSI's Test Rider (Dressage) is Courtney Stuart, who has represented Ireland in CDIO3*competitions. Courtney has lived and competed in both Ireland and the USA, where she rode for Olympic dressage rider Jan Ebeling. She is widely viewed as one of Ireland's most promising riders, and in 2018 she won the National Medium Freestyle Championship on her young stallion HH Empire.

Meet the Inspectors: Bert Rutten, WSI Inspector (Dressage)

Bert Rutten and Linda Rutten-Tauber at Dressuurstal Rutten

WSI is delighted that Bert Rutten has joined our Stallion Inspection Committee (Dressage). Bert is Chair of the KWPN Stallion Committee (Dressage). During his sport career, Bert formed part of the Dutch team for several European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. With Robby in 1986, Bert won team Silver at the World Championships. In total he competed with 13 horses, all trained by himself, at Grand Prix-level.

Bert will give lessons to dressage riders on Wednesday 9 October at the Irish Warmblood Festival at CoilÓg Equestrian Centre.

WSI Stallion Approval Guide 2019

Our Guide has been published. This booklet is a valuable tool for stallion owners, breeders, producers, and buyers to learn about the WSI stallion approval process.

Download the Guide by clicking here

Stage 1 Stallion Inspection - Showjumping, Eventing & Dressage

Showjumping, eventing, and dressage stallion prospects are invited to the WSI Stage 1 Stallion Inspection on Monday 4 September 2019 at Derek & Sharon McConnell's Longfield Farm in Newtown, Rathangan, Co. Kildare. (For directions type R51 KH29 in Google Maps.)

Young stallions (2- and 3-year-olds) will be shown loose; 4-year-old and older stallions will be shown under saddle.

Click here for an application form.

Questions: Ring or WhatsApp +353.87.222.9701 or email admin@irish-warmblood.com

Hacondia m2s Wins RDS Qualifier

Last week the Irish Warmblood filly Hacondia m2s won the Dublin Horse Show Loose-Jumping Qualifier at Ross House Equestrian Centre. Hacondia m2s was sired by Ulysses m2s and is out of the WSI Premium Mare Acondia m2s by Rubicell. The 3-year-old was bred by Morningside Stud.

Along with her sire and dam Hacondia m2s was awarded the D-OC and D-WFFS1 predicates by WSI.

Clarcon Son Claas 26 Is Holsteiner 5-Year-Old Champion

Today a son of the WSI Approved Stallion Clarcon was crowned the Holsteiner 5-Year-Old Showjumping Champion. Yesterday the horse won the qualifier with a score of 9.4 and today he won the championship and the first prize of €2,500. Claas 26 is a product of Clarcon's first year at stud in Germany. Clarcon stood in Ireland in 2017 and 2018.

HHF Diamontina Qualifies for Dublin

Congratulations to owner/breeder Donnacha Anhold, whose Irish Warmblood filly HHF Diamontina placed second last night at Tubberbride Equestrian Centre in the Dublin Horse Show's Potential Event Horse Qualifier.

HHF Diamontina was sired by Diamant de Semilly and is out of the WSI Approved Mare Frieda by Farmer.

WSI Report 79

WSI Report 79 will soon appear in the next Horse International. You can download and read it now.

Chateau de Versailles m2s Helps Thailand Qualify for 2020 Olympics

The Irish Warmblood Chateau de Versailles m2s and his owner/rider Weerapat Pitakanonda helped to qualify Team Thailand for the 2020 Olympics at the recent Saumur (France) CCIO3*. The horse is also owned by Nunthinee Tanner.

In his ten international events the chestnut 8-year-old gelding has gone faultless on the cross-country course eight times.

Chateau de Versailles m2s is sired by Desir du Chateau and is out of the mare Utopia m2s by Calvados x Mytens xx. He was bred by Morningside Stud, as was his dam. He was produced until 2017 by British international rider Emma Forsyth.

That's Chateau de Versallies m2s in the first photo in this article; he is the only chestnut in the photos.

Kavanah m2s

Watch a video of Kavanah m2s, a 13-day-old Irish Warmblood colt sired by Holy Blue (Chacco-Blue x Cassini I) and out of Dolce Primavera m2s (Casall x Coronado).

The sire, Holy Blue, is a 6-year-old WSI Approved Stallion competing in 1.35 m. CSI classes. He was awarded the D-WFFS1 predicate by WSI.

The dam, Dolce Primavera m2s, is a 7-year-old Irish Warmblood mare. This is her second foal. She was awarded the D-OC and D-WFFS1 predicates by WSI.

The second dam, Primavera B, is a half-sister to three 1.60 m jumpers, a 1.40 jumper, and the winner of the Olympic Individual and Team Gold Medals in Eventing.

Kavanah m2s was awarded the D-WFFS1 predicate for being a Fragile Foal non-carrier.

Kowloon m2s

Watch a video of Kowloon m2s, a 10-day-old Irish Warmblood colt sire by Clarcon and out of Cheng Pei-pei m2s (Wang Chung m2s x Calvados x Pilot).

Both sire and dam are Approved by WSI and were awarded predicates the D-OC and D-WFFS1 predicates. Kowloon m2s was awarded D-WFFS1 predicate as a Fragile Foal non-carrier.

Article in Horse International on WSI’s Eventing Stallion Inspection System

This article will appear in the next issue of Horse International magazine.

Contact WSI today to subscribe at a special price and enjoy eight issues of HI plus L’Annee Hippique.

Three Members Elected to Breeding Council

Three members have been elected to WSI's Breeding Council:

Luke Cafolla (showjumping) - 1 year
Louise Doheny (dressage) - 2 years
Mandy Driesch (eventing) - 3 years.

Terms are staggered to ensure continuity and proper functioning of the Council, WSI's breeding policy advisory body.

Please join us in welcoming their involvement and counsel.

Photo: Louise Doheny and Irish Warmblood stallion Hot Soul LD
(Sir Donnerhall I x Ampere x Florestan I)

DAFM Reverses Policy Change on Parentage Tests

Apparently as a result of pressure the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) has reversed its decision and decided that it will not require studbooks to share DNA profiles with each other.

This is an amazing decision in that DAFM (meaning taxpayers) has paid 100% of the costs of DNA parentage testing done by the non-cooperating studbook since 1993.

DAFM Policy Change on Parentage Tests

The Department of Agriculture (DAFM) has implemented WSI's recommendation that any studbook that takes funding to subsidise the cost of parentage tests "must make these profiles available on request to other recognised DAFM studbooks for the purpose of parentage verification."

This decision will facilitate collaboration among Irish studbooks for the benefit of all breeders. If Horse Sport Ireland and the Irish Sport Horse Studbook comply with this new rule the DNA profile impasse is resolved.

WSI Report 78

WSI Report 78 will be published soon in Horse International magazine but you can download it now by clicking here.

The True #1 Risk

Documents leaked to Warmblood Studbook of Ireland (WSI) reveal that the “#1” risk facing Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is WSI’s complaint to the EU’s Agri State Aid office about unauthorised payments by the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) to HSI. The unauthorised State Aid was given, and continues to be given, by DAFM in the form of millions of euro of subsidies each year to HSI’s Breeding Department and its commercial studbook business.

To read more click here.

Is the Second Coming of HSI Coming?

Read an editorial by WSI Breeding Director Thomas Reed on the future of studbooks managed by Horse Sport Ireland.

Stage 2 & Stage 3 Inspections in the Autumn

As of today nine young dressage and showjumping stallions have advanced from Stage 1 to Stage 2 in the 2019 WSI stallion approval process. As there is no compelling reason to hold Stage 2 and Stage 3 Inspections in April, as was originally planned, the inspection team, after consulting with the stallion owners, has decided to hold the inspections in the autumn. This will give all the stallions an additional six months to be developed under saddle, give the stallions an even better chance to impress the inspectors, and give the inspectors a lot more information about each stallion's athletic ability. The inspections will be held in September. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.

WSI Report 77

WSI Report 77 will appear in the next issue of Horse International magazine. By clicking here you can read the Report now and learn about our stallion approval process.

And subscribe to Horse International and L'Annee Hippique through WSI and enjoy the best prices anywhere in the world. Save €20.80 if you live in Europe and €22.29 if you live outside of Europe.

WSI Approves Five Mares

Five mares were approved today following inspections. All are very athletic, and the four warmblood mares descend from damlines that have produced international showjumpers.

Queen
2007 NRPS Mare
(Hagedoorn - Rosaly x Julius)
Predicate: D-WFFS1
Owner: Jess Stallard
The mare is a 1.40 m showjumper.

Jade FS
2015 sBs Mare
(Eyken des Fontenis - R’Bus D’Ermont x Ephebe For Ever)
Predicate: D-WFFS1
Owner: Jess Stallard

Kereusa S
2015 KWPN Mare
(Toulon - Utareusa x Calvados)
Predicate: D-WFFS1
Owner: Luke Cafolla

Blue Angel Volo
2015 AES Mare
(Plot Blue - Ratina x Radiator)
Predicate: WFFS1 & D-OC
Owner: Cathal McMunn

Box Office Hits xx
2009 Thoroughbred Mare
(Bachelor Duke - Chennai x Mozart)
Owner: Luke Cafolla

Photos: Jess Stallard with Queen and Jade FS, and Kereusa S loose-jumping.

WSI Statement on DNA Impasse

The statement may be downloaded by clicking here.

WSI Report 76

WSI Report 76 will appear in the next issue of Horse International magazine. By clicking here you can read the Report now and learn about our stallion approval process.

And subscribe to Horse International and L'Annee Hippique through WSI and enjoy the best prices anywhere in the world. Save €20.80 if you live in Europe and €22.29 if you live outside of Europe.