Return of Mares reveals foaling numbers steady but coverings up in 2018

The number of foals born in Britain and Ireland in 2018 levelled off after five years of general growth as the bloodstock industry recovered from recession a decade ago.

Figures available in the newly published Weatherbys Return of Mares show that the number of foals born in Britain grew by just one per cent to 4,726, following increases of three per cent and two per cent in 2016 and 2017.

In Ireland the headcount of newborns actually fell, by 0.5 per cent from the same point in 2017, to 8,987.

It is the first time the number of foals born in Ireland has fallen year-on-year at this stage since 2011, with increases of ten per cent between 2014 and 2015, seven per cent between 2015 and 2016, and three per cent between 2016 and 2017.

The figures provide an interim picture of foaling activity this year, as registrations have continued to be received by Weatherbys since the initial September 30 deadline. Final totals will be published in the Supplement to the Return of Mares in February 2019.

The Return of Mares also reports there are 8,667 mares at stud in Britain in 2018, as against 9,015 in 2017 – a reduction of 348.

The figure for Ireland is 14,874, an increase of 440 from 14,434 last year.

Some 7,409 mares in Britain (85.49 per cent of those reported at stud) were covered in 2018, down from 7,553 (83.56 per cent) last year.

However breeding activity increased in Ireland in 2018, with 13,193 mares there (88.7 per cent of those reported at stud) covered compared with 12,640 (87.57 per cent) in 2017.

Those figures could cause concern in light of a polarised market at yearling sales in recent weeks, with prices and clearance rates struggling in lower tiers.

The number of stallions in Britain fell by ten to 158 this year from 2017, but increased by one in Ireland to 252.

The number of stallions who covered 100 mares or more this year decreased by five to 87, while 11 received books of 200 or more – one more than last year.

Soldier Of Fortune was busiest of all, with 281 mares covered. The Beeches Stud resident was also the most active in 2017, with 341 total recorded coverings.

March remains the busiest month for foaling in Britain, with 1,404 deliveries in 2018, while April still comes out on top in Ireland, with 2,880 arrivals.

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