Co.Wexford’s new Equine AI Centre to boost Ireland’s showjumping chances
The owners of a new equine artificial insemination centre at Borovalley Veterinary Clinic, Ballybrittas, Bree, Co. Wexford hope to boost Ireland’s showjumping chances by giving Irish sport horse breeders ready access for the first time to semen from more than 100 world class show-jumping sires from studs in England and from mainland Europe.
Hundreds of horse breeders from across South East Ireland are expected to visit the new sport horse reproduction centre at Borovalley Veterinary Clinic for an Information Day on this forthcoming Saturday 18th February from 1.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.
The new centre is the initiative of Borovalley Veterinary Clinic directors Justin Browne and Simon Fahey who identified the problem of the dramatic drop in world rankings for the production of show jumpers in Ireland.
Justin Browne said that from being in the number one place in the world rankings for the production of show jumpers, we are now in seventeenth (17th) place.
He said: “We would hope to reverse that trend. We believe this dramatic drop in world rankings is in part due to the limited access the Irish breeder has to the top sires in the world. In search of a solution to this problem we travelled to numerous European countries and secured access to stocks of frozen semen from some of the top show jumping sires in the world.
“To date we have approximately one hundred (100) sires on our list and this number is increasing on a weekly basis. We intend to increase the stock of semen and we hope to have a comprehensive selection from all over the world including all Irish sires for the 2012 breeding season.”
Justin Browne and Simon Fahey, partners of Borovalley Veterinary Clinic said that the new Equine AI Centre will benefit Irish Sport Horse breeders in the following ways:
- Irish breeders will have access to world class sires.
- Performing colts can be brought to the clinic during their rest periods for semen collection and this will not interfere with show jumping schedules.
- Stocks of semen will be stored at the clinic from any performing stallion and the mares will be inseminated in the clinic while the stallion is still on the show jumping circuit.
- They will also provide an embryo transfer service which will be particularly targeted at the high performance jumping fillies and will allow them to remain in competition while donating embryos to recipient mares.
Justin Browne and Simon Fahey built Borovalley Veterinary Clinic two years ago with a major personal investment from own resources. The world-class, state of the art facility is one of only five such equipped specialist clinics in Ireland. The new equine artificial insemination centre is the latest phase in a long term plan to provide more services for horse owners, breeders and trainers.
The clinic is staffed by four full time veterinarians, veterinary nurses, administration staff and a specialist surgeon who attends the clinic on a weekly basis.
Borovalley Veterinary Clinic provides surgery, digital radiology, diagnostic ultrasound, equine dentistry, video endoscopy/gastroscopy, dynamic endoscopy, pre-purchase examination, laboratory, pharmacy, ambulatory/farm visits and reproduction services.
For more information:
Justin Browne and Simon Fahey, Borovalley Veterinary Clinic and Equine A.I. Centre, Ballybrittas, Bree, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
Tel: 053 9247849 [email protected]; web: www.borovalley.ie
