Irish National Stud: The heartbeat of the country’s racing industry

There’s nothing the Irish love more than horse racing.

From breeding to training, the sport has its foundations embedded deep into the country’s culture and the the Irish National Stud is the heartbeat of the operation.

Situated nearby to the famous Curragh race course in County Kildare, the stud houses some of the country’s most successful stallions, who produce the champions of today.

Stars of the stud include Decorated Knight, Free Eagle and the esteemed Invincible Spirit, who commands a stud fee of $132,000 a time.

The operation also welcomes people to learn more about Ireland’s rich history of racing in its museum.

Although not as big as breeding dynasties such as Godolphin or Coolmore, the stud is owned by the Irish government which gives it an official stamp of approval.

“They [the government] saw this is one of the things that Ireland does very well and it was easily exportable,” said Gary Swift, sales manager at the Irish National Stud.

“The horse is very linked to Irish life. The same horse that plowed the fields on a Monday, brought the family to mass on Sunday and probably ran […] at sometime during the winter. It’s in our blood.”

It’s not all about horses though, visitors can also enjoy a taste of the high life by taking a stroll through the stud’s famed Japanese gardens.

Watch the video at the top of the page to discover more about the Irish National Stud.