Cobs shine as part of National Heritage week

AS part of National Heritage week, Devine Equestrian teamed up with Ballydangan Irish Cobs to showcase some of the last of Ireland's cobs.

Not only was it an exhibition of the Irish cob breed at all ages; foals, yearlings, two-year-olds, mares and stallions but also the paraphernalia and tack synonymous with this dying breed. The event took place last Saturday, August 22nd at Lisanurlan, Co Longford, where many locals, visitors and horse breeders came to see a little piece of yesteryear, and an old native breed of working horse which were used for pulling wagons, flatcarts and barges up and down the canal line.

Brigid Devine of Devine Equestrian and Sean Murray of Ballydangan Irish Cobs are currently working with Horse Sport Ireland to preserve the Irish Cob breed. Both inspect and judge the Irish Cob breed in Ireland and abroad.

Devine set up a project in 2006 which consists of six traditional Irish cob stallions all measuring 15hh. These stallions are exactly the same height, colour and conformation (with full mane, tail and luxurious leg feathering, traditional of the breed). They are prize winning show cobs regstered in the Irish Cob stud book as elite approved for breeding. They are all DNA tested and have full known pedigree.

These animals were bred solely to showcase the Irish cob breed and present what an Irish cob should be. Devine's ambition for the Irish cob is always to improve the breed standard and to keep the breed height over 14.2hh. Her progeny have won many champion Irish cob titles.

The Devine Equestrian team of Irish cob stallions were also showcased at the Abbeyshrule gathering in Longford in June 2013 which was attended by President Michael D. Higgins.

Sean Murray is from Ballydangan, Co Westmeath, and set up a stud farm breeding purely Irish cobs over 30 years ago. Most of his mares have generations of breeding and pedigrees that can be traced back to old traditional Irish cob bloodlines.

All of his breeding stock are registered in the Irish Cob Studbook, are DNA tested and with known pedigree. Murray is committed to breeding quality Irish cobs with height for riding, driving and future breeding stock.

As both Ireland's and Europe's leading Irish cob breeder, his stud now has progeny on each continent of the globe. Not only does Ballydangan boast of famous piebald and stewbald bloodlines, Murray also has a huge interest in colour genetics and has now gone a step further by introducing different colours into the Irish Cob breed such as duns, buckskins, roans, smokey black, silver blacks, chocolates, even palaminos and cremellos.

The Irish cob now holds the distinction of being one of Ireland's oldest recognised breeds but sadly due to the fact that their original function as a working horse to draw the barrel top wagon and as an agricultural worker is no longer needed, this breed of native horse is almost extinct.

Due to their very placid temperment, the Irish Cob makes a perfect starter horse, especially for people who want a horse that isn't physically challenging. They are a good weight bearer and hardy in whatever size. Their extreme versatility, kindness and outstanding mental outlook make them ideal for children, pony clubs and adults alike for riding and driving either competitively or at leisure.

This exhibition at Longford was one of the many events held across the country in association with National Heritage Week, it runs until 30th August, and is all about discovering our past and building our future.