Ireland

Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Racing and Thoroughbred Breeding tradition is firmly rooted in Irish culture, and this industry has a substantial presence in the national economy. Ireland is an agricultural country with 32 counties all of which have breeders, mares, foals and horses in training. There are a number of main hubs in the country, namely counties of Kildare, Tipperary, Wexford and Cork. There were 5,891 registered breeders in Ireland in 2025, covering the 32-counties.

Ireland remains at the forefront of the global bloodstock sales industry, with sales per capita exceeding that of any other major racing nation. The country is home to two major auction houses: Goffs in County Kildare, which stages nine sales annually, and Tattersalls Ireland in County Meath, which hosts a further eight sales each year.

Irish bloodstock sales continue to demonstrate strong international demand. Public auction sales reached approximately €538 million in 2022, with continued growth in subsequent years, including a 7% increase in 2023, underlining the strength and resilience of the market.

Ireland has 26 racecourses, which collectively stage over 350 fixtures annually across both National Hunt and Flat racing, maintaining one of the highest racecourse densities per capita in the world.

The ITBA is the official representative body of the Irish thoroughbred breeding industry at Government level both at home and internationally. The ITBA aims to work with and for

the good of all Irish breeders to ensure Ireland continues to be one of the most renowned and successful breeding industries in the world. The ITBA represents Ireland on both veterinary and general issues at both ITBF (International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation) and EFTBA (European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association) series of meetings. The association also represents breeders on the boards of all the major industry bodies and liaises with other associations on common issues of importance.