Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he expects the sport of polo to be able to benefit from a ready support of suitable sport horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41729/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The current sport horse population is estimated at 135,715 animals in Ireland. The Irish sport horse is a versatile animal which is adaptable for most disciplines including polo.  However, it should be noted that the discipline of Polo prefers equines with Thoroughbred blood to ensure sufficient speed and stamina particularly where individual riders progress to the higher ranks in the sport.  There already exists strong linkages between sport horses with Thoroughbred blood and the polo sector and such horses have played a significant role in the development of high performance polo ponies around the world.

Polo has a long tradition in Ireland and the number of participants is small (estimated to be less than 150) with the number of horses involved estimated to be less than 600. 

I consider that the current sport horse population is not a limiting factor to the further development of the sport in Ireland.