As 2026 is looming and with it the centenary of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, it is an apt time to look back on our history and some of the events and characters that brought us to
where we are today.
It all kicked off on January 15, 1926, in the heart of Dublin, at 7 Anglesea Street. It was to be a short-lived venue as future meetings were in the much more salubrious environs of the Shelbourne Hotel. Perhaps the early ITBA Council foresaw that having an office in Temple Bar (a very popular spot for hen and stag parties and general mayhem now) would not be an ideal location to plot and safeguard the future of the Irish thoroughbred!
Early meetings showed the Council and members to be bang on the money in terms of their plans and thinking. In their very first year they requested the Turf Club to “immediately apply for a licence to control and operate the Totalisator or Pari-Mutuel so that the benefits therefrom may be secured to breeders in Ireland.” This was followed a year later by a representation to the Government to remit some of the betting tax for the benefit of racing and breeding.
This early interaction was the start of a long and healthy relationship with the government, which continues to this day and is perhaps best exemplified by the groundbreaking action in 1968 of Charles Haughey as Minister for Finance. He introduced a tax exemption for stallion fees in the Finance Act of that year – this arguably is the biggest single catalyst in transforming the Irish thoroughbred industry into the powerhouse it is today. The Haughey name played a key role closer to home when Charles’ daughter, Eimear, became the first female Chair of the ITBA in 1996. Earlier this year she was inducted into the ITBA Hall of Fame for her contribution to the industry.
Current industry players featured prominently from day one, with Goffs and Co agreeing to share the expenses of an early push to promote the Irish thoroughbred, although it was a short-lived campaign and in 1930 they were provoking the Council’s ire over a shortage of stabling in Ballsbridge.
Messrs Weatherby and co were also in their sights in the early days but for a good cause, namely a request that all export certificates of bloodstock emanating from Ireland be labelled prominently with the words ‘Bred in Ireland’. The Second World War saw a battening down of the hatches but also some notable landmarks, such as the attendance of a woman at a meeting for the first time in 1941, closely followed in 1943 by the election of a woman as a member, while the same year saw the Association agree on a definition of an Irish-bred as “a horse that has been foaled in Ireland, or which has foaled elsewhere in consequence of its dam having been sent from Ireland, within six months of its birth, to a stallion standing out of the country.” Another notable landmark of the 1940s was the Association bringing in Vet Certs for bloodstock sales, along with its request in 1944 to the government to create a new National Stud.
The 1950s saw well-known Irish racing and breeding families feature prominently in ITBA matters, with Joe McGrath and Roderic More O’Ferrall chairing the organisation for much of the decade. The former was the founder of the Irish Hospitals’ Sweepstakes, which was an Irish Derby sponsor for many years; Joe won its better-known UK counterpart in 1951 with Arctic Prince, a horse he bred and owned. The latter was a formidable trainer before he turned his hand to breeding at Kildangan Stud where he produced 11 Classic winners. Kildangan has stayed an active participant in ITBA matters to this day, with Joe Osborne of that parish chairing it from 2012 to 2014.
The swinging 60s saw plenty of action for the ITBA, although the start of the decade was marred by the foot and mouth outbreak and the banning of equine imports. Thankfully it was short-lived and the Association continued its progression with the appointment of veterinary advisors for the first time in 1964, with the current incumbent being the incomparable Des Leadon.
In 1966, female members were finally elected on to the Council, whilst a year later discussions were held with the Irish Field on matters of interest including racing in which two-year-old Irish-breds were engaged. This heralded the start of another relationship that is well over 50 years old and which in its present incarnation sees regular coverage of our very successful NH Fillies Bonus Scheme as well as our Next Generation Internship Programme, not to mention ITBA sponsorship of the overseas Irish-bred winners that appear weekly in the paper.
The leading character of the 1970s, both for the Association and indeed the Irish breeding industry, was its Chairman, Captain Tim Rogers. He was instrumental in getting Charles Haughey to introduce the tax break on stallion income. No better man for the job as he was well used to working with top politicians, Winston Churchill being a very good friend, Tim having served as his aide-de-camp for a period during the Second World War. Not only did he build Airlie Stud into one of Europe’s foremost stallion farms in the 1970s – Habitat and Petingo were at the top of the stallion tree then – but he also masterminded an overhaul of the Irish National Stud, having joined its board in 1967.
His positive influence also extended to the sales sphere, and he was an early investor in Goffs’ new sales complex, which the company established in Kill in 1975. Tim passed away in 1984, but he would have been a happy man seeing the Irish President, Mary McAleese, open a new headquarters for the ITBA in 2009 beside the front gate of Goffs.
Modern times have seen both the Irish thoroughbred industry and the ITBA go from strength to strength. From the amalgamation of the ITBA with the Broodmares Association in 1982, to the introduction of the IRE suffix in early 1988, to the foal levy entering the statute books in 2000, there has been no slackening of the pace. Many leading farms like Coolmore, Kildangan, Ballylinch, Yeomanstown, Derrinstown and Ballyhane have driven the industry ahead with many of their leading lights playing leading roles in the ITBA’s progress. Familiar names like Christy Grassick (whose niece Cathy also recently chaired the ITBA), John O’Connor, Joe Hernon, Stephen Collins and Joe Foley have all led the Association with distinction.
Derek Iceton, of Tara Stud fame, deserves a special mention as he was involved in getting the Irish foal levy in place and its impact has been very beneficial for the ITBA, the Irish Equine Centre, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and indeed the whole industry. We look forward to celebrating our centenary with all our members and friends in 2026 and have numerous events planned.
It is fitting that our centenary year is also the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar – hopefully, ITM, Goffs and Tattersalls will be inundated with enquiries from that quarter for all our benefit!
