The Irish Harness Racing Association is pleased to announce a breeding program for 2023 that will not only improve the quality of the breed but will also enhance purses for races designated for young pacers. Hanover Shoe Farms, Winbak Farms and Bill Donovan are donating breeding’s to three outstanding American stallions, where the proceeds of these will be primarily used to supplement purses for 2 and 3 year old races.
The IHRA will use up to 90% of the revenue directly received from the coverings and this will be invested into premium fixtures with feature juvenile races in the 2023 racing season and in addition a progeny purse will be created for all offspring born through this scheme from 2024.
It is a breeding scheme which will help members primarily strengthen the breed of the pacer in Ireland, improve our members competitiveness on the race track in years to come and help connections receive larger purses for their juvenile progeny.
The stallions available under this “Invest In Ourselves Initiative” are Betting Line, Heston Blue Chip & Cattlewash.
The IHRA would like to thank all stallion owners for their amazing American generosity towards this scheme, a relationship that has grown for many years now and strengthened in the time being. We look forward to working with the connections in the years ahead to better this scheme to further develop the objectives as mentioned above.
Betting Line, a son of the great Bettor’s Delight, had an auspicious start to his stallion career with a higher percentage of his foals making the races (94 of 118) and taking records of 1:55 or faster (24) than any other first year sire. In Ireland, the Betting Line son Bequest won two of the Irish Two Year Old Colt Juvenile Series Eliminations. Betting Line was a phenomenal racehorse, winning $2,238,518 and taking a record of p,3, 1:47.2f. Of his many stakes victories, his 8 length romp in the final of the Little Brown Jug is the most memorable.
2023 Service Fee €2,000 Booking Deposit €500
For more information on Betting Line’s performance history, breeding lines etc, please click on the link below:
Hanover Shoe Farms | Betting Line (hanoverpa.com)
USTA Stallion Registry – Betting Line
Heston Blue Chip, from limited opportunity has shown tremendous potential, siring among others, the powerful filly, Zero Tolerance p,3,1:50.2f ($980,736). With only 81 foals in his first three crops, 18 of Heston’s foals have taken records of 1:55 or faster. A son of the prolific sire, American Ideal, Heston hails from one of the hottest maternal families in racing, that includes the great mare, Kissininthesand p,3,1:47.4 ($1,852,427). As a racehorse, Heston won over half of his starts and $1,779,373. His most memorable victory was winning the Breeders Crown 3 Year Old Colt Pace defeating Sweet Lou.
2023 Service Fee €2,000 Booking Deposit €500
For more information on Heston Blue Chip’s performance history, breeding lines etc, please click on the link below:
USTA Stallion Registry – Heston Blue Chip
A unique opportunity to breed to Cattlewash whose book is full and closed for 2023 in Canada
Cattlewash is a son of the great Somebeachsomewhere who equaled his sire’s record as the as the fastest 3 year old pacer ever when he won in 1:46.4 at The Red Mile, in October. Somebeachsomewhere stands above all other pacing stallions as arguably the greatest ever. Cattlewash has impressed horseowners and breeders alike with his outstanding good looks, kind disposition, extreme fertility and has been noted that he is a mirror image of his sire Somebeachsomewhere. Cattlewash’s first foals born in 2022 have impressed with good size, great legs are are very athletic.
2023 Service Fee €3,500 Booking Deposit €750
For more information on Cattlewash’s performance history, breeding lines etc, please click on the link below:
USTA Stallion Registry – Cattlewash
Terms and Conditions:
- Breeding’s to these stallions are limited.
- Individual mares will need to be nominated to each stallion’s book. Nomination Forms need to be completed and returned to The IHRA office.
- In the event there are more nominations than breeding’s available, the breeding’s will be awarded by draw in a lottery system.
- The stallion owners reserve the right to reject any nomination based on age or a production record of failed pregnancies.
- As the ultimate goal of the Invest in Ourselves initiative is to produce better quality pacers in Ireland, IHRA members will get preference to the stallion services available.
- Nomination fee is listed on each horse. In the event of a mare not receiving a breeding due to over subscription of the scheme, the nomination fee will be returned.
- Once a mare is successful in securing a breeding, a booking fee will be due and payable within 10 days.
- The nomination and/or booking fees are non-refundable once a mare has secured a booking.
- At least 7 days prior to the first insemination, the stud fee is due and payable.
- In the event a mare fails to have a live foal, the mare will be offered another service in 2024 to the stallion.
- If for any reason that stallion is unavailable, the mare owner shall be given the option of a booking to another stallion or be refunded the stud fee.
- All mares being booked to these stallions will need to be inseminated on-site at one of IHRA’s approved Artificial Insemination (A.I.) Centres.
- All services must be pre-booked through The IHRA office.
- Mares must be lined-up ready for service before being accepted in the A.I. Centres
Nomination Forms will be available for download here and should be returned to the IHRA office
