Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2026 Irish Draught Genetic Diversity Report, prepared by HSI geneticist Dr. Jennifer Doyle. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of genetic diversity within the Irish Draught population, based on data from the Irish Draught Horse Studbook database.The Irish Draught horse is recognised as a designated rare breed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the preservation and sustainable development of the breed remains central to the HSI operated breeding programme. This latest report supports that objective by providing breeders with the insights required to make informed breeding decisions, provides updated data from previous years and acts as a monitor for the long-term genetic health of the population.Key report highlights:Foal crop and stallion usage: A total of 1,036 purebred Irish Draught foals were registered in 2025, with over 72% bred from Class 1 stallions, reflecting a continued shift towards breeder engagement with studbook inspection and use of Class 1 sires.Reduced reliance Class 3 and Class 4 stallions: The use of Class 3 and Class 4 stallions has declined since the 2024 report, due in part to increased inspection activity and the presentation of stallions under the Irish Draught amnesty.Pedigree completeness: Pedigree recording continues to improve, with 99% of foals now having full third-generation pedigrees, representing a 7% increase since the 2024 report.Inbreeding levels: Average inbreeding remains low and within acceptable limits, indicating effective management of genetic diversity within the breed.Population stability: The Irish Draught foal crop has remained stable at over 1,000 foals annually since 2021, demonstrating continued breeder confidence in the marketability and use of the breed.While population stability remains positive, HSI notes that late foal registrations continue to occur, noticeable in the increased birth figures for previous years. HSI encourages breeders to register foals within the first month of life to ensure compliance with equine registration requirements.As per last weeks release, Horse Sport Ireland has also recommended the continuation of the Irish Draught inspection amnesty within the breeding programme. The amnesty has played an important role in increasing breeder engagement, encouraging participation in inspections, and supporting the genetic diversity of the breed.Dr. Jennifer Doyle, Geneticist at Horse Sport Ireland, commented:This report highlights the positive progress being made in managing genetic diversity within the Irish Draught population. The continued improvement in pedigree completeness and the strong uptake of Class 1 stallions demonstrate the commitment of breeders to the long-term sustainability of the breed and engagement with inspection activities. We are delighted to see a consistent trend in foal herd numbers where the resulting figures demonstrate the ever-important low levels of inbreeding while maintaining good population diversityDr. Sonja Egan, Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development at Horse Sport Ireland, added:The Irish Draught is a breed of national importance, and maintaining genetic diversity is critical to its future. The findings of this report, alongside the continued support of Irish Draught breeders and stakeholders, help us to ensure a resilient and sustainable population.Dr Doyle has made significant advances in the application of SNP genotyping to support equine breeders. The development of parentage discovery and breed composition services, which includes the recently launched genomic grade-up tools. These services enable Horse Sport Ireland to better support breeders in maintaining and preserving culturally important breeds and have already assisted in re-establishing pedigrees that were previously thought to be lost; representing an overarching asset to sport horse breeding.These types of tools help to balance breeding programme rules with the preservation of genetic uniqueness, allowing for the careful reintroduction of genuine Irish Draught lines, with potential for application across other equine rare breed programmes. The 2026 Irish Draught Genetic Diversity Report is available to view and download HERE.The post Horse Sport Ireland Publish 2026 Irish Draught Genetic Diversity Report appeared first on .