Last week’s very worthwhile discussion day hosted by the Showjumpers’ Club left me with feelings of hope and despair.

As we start the 2014 breeding season and begin to assess our sport horse mares and research the most suitable stallions, those aiming to breed a show jumping horse are faced with a dilemma. If the aim is to breed a world-class show jumper, then unfortunately the option of using an Irish stallion, with traditional Irish bloodlines based in Ireland with progeny jumping at the highest level, is simply not there.

Dr Noel Cawley, who chaired last week’s discussion, put it very clearly and succinctly when he noted that there are in his estimation 50 to 100 serious breeders of show jumping horses in the country and that all of this small group are importing semen in an effort to breed a world-class show jumper.

If the option of using an Irish stallion was there, then that would be the preference of most of these breeders but, as David Broome said last week, our “horses are not doing the business”.

The bottom line is that we need to become more professional in our breeding decisions and in our marketing strategy in order to regain lost ground.

We will publish the 2014 Sport Horse Breeding Supplement on 15 March, where we will examine the options breeders have for the season ahead. There is an important conversation to be had here: where are the young Irish stallions who will carry on from Cruising and Cloverhill?

If you have questions you would like answered, please contact me at jfox@farmersjournal.ie