Weatherbys Fact Book 2025 by Weatherbys

2025 Fact Book

Fact Book 2025

Executive Summary

WeatherbyspublishesitsannualFactBook, a comprehensive overview of the Thoroughbred breeding population in BritainandIrelandacross58categories,to provideindustrystakeholderswithaclear, factual foundation on which to assess trends,informdecision-makingandbetter understand the evolving dynamics of the Thoroughbredbreedingindustry.

Despite sustained global demand for British and Irish bloodstock and the increasingly international nature of modern breeding operations, the data in thisFactBookshowsashrinkingindustryacrossfoals,broodmaresandstallions.

The drop in stallion numbers continues a trend which has seen the number of stallions in Ireland more than half, falling from 411 in 2007 to 160, and Britain’s stallionpopulationdroppingfrom345in2007to93.Itshouldbenotedthough thatthe 2025figuresaredated31/12/25,sothesenumberswillincreasealittle assomestallionnotificationsarereceivedinthefollowingyear.

The foal crops of both countries have seen declines also in the last 20 years, albeit less dramatic: in Ireland from 12,004 to 7,928 and in Britain from 5,485 to 4,015and,combined,from17,489to11,943.Itisthesamestorywiththebroodmare population;oneoftheveryfewcategoriesinthisFactBookwhichhasseenan increase from the previous year is the number of broodmares which have retiredordied.

Withtheexceptionofthefinancialcrisis,whenthefoalcropdeclinedfrom18,472 in 2007 to 11,912 in 2012, the two countries had enjoyed steady growth since recordswerefirstkept.

SimonCooper Director,WeatherbysGeneralStudBook

British(GB)Section

Broodmares: Page3

• ActiveBroodmares2022-2025

• BroodmareClassification

• InitialBroodmareRegistrations2022-2025

• Retired/Deceased

• GestationRanges-2025produce

• AgeProfileofBroodmares

• LiveProduceperActiveBroodmare

• CountryofBirth

• PermanentExports

Stallions: Page9

• RegisteredStallions

• StandingPurpose

• 1stSeasonSires

• 2ndSeasonSires

• EstablishedSires

• GBDomiciledMaresVisitingStallions

• CountryofBirth

• MaresCoveredperStallion

• CoveringsperWeek-2025

• AgeProfileofStallions

Foals:..............................................................................................Page15

• FoalsBorn2022-2025

• FoalingDatesandIntendedCareer

• IntendedCareerStatistics2022-2025

• FoalCropincl.LateReturns2022-2025

• FoalColours

• HistoricalFoalCrops

General: Page21

• PermanentExportsofGBBredHorses

• PermanentImportsintoGB

• BreedersbyCounty

• NumberofGBBroodmaresOwnedper Breeder

Irish(IRE)Section(incl.N.Ireland)

Broodmares: Page27

• ActiveBroodmares2022-2025

• BroodmareClassification

• InitialBroodmareRegistrations2022-2025

• Retired/Deceased

• GestationRanges-2025produce

• AgeProfileofBroodmares

• LiveProduceperActiveBroodmare

• CountryofBirth

• PermanentExports

Stallions: Page33

• RegisteredStallions

• StandingPurpose

• 1stSeasonSires

• 2ndSeasonSires

• EstablishedSires

• IREDomiciledMaresVisitingStallions

• CountryofBirth

• MaresCoveredperStallion

• CoveringsperWeek-2025

• AgeProfileofStallions

Foals: Page39

• FoalsBorn2022-2025

• FoalingDatesandIntendedCareer

• IntendedCareerStatistics2022-2025

• FoalCropincl.LateReturns2022-2025

• FoalColours

• HistoricalFoalCrops

General: Page45

• PermanentExportsofIREBredHorses

• PermanentImportsintoIRE

• BreedersbyCounty

• NumberofIREBroodmaresOwnedper Breeder

Broodmares - British

Active Broodmares 2022 - 2025 /

GBActiveBroodmares 2022-2025

The chart shows all registered broodmares, in known ownership, that have either producedafoal,beencovered and/or for which a result has been received in the last two breeding seasons. These figures exclude those which are known to have been retired, died or permanently exported.

The active broodmare population has decreased by 5%sincelastyear.

GBBroodmares

Classification

(AsIndicatedByFoalIntended CareerTypes)

Assessing the types of broodmares activelybreedinginGreatBritainhas been achieved by using the foal career information provided in 2025 (forfoalsoutofGBdomiciledmares) and applying relative percentages across the total broodmare population.

N.B: This can only be an estimate as mares are not classified as part of thebroodmareregistrationprocess.

Initial

GBInitial Broodmare Registrations 2022-2025

Each year, new fillies enter the breeding population and this is reflected in the numberofInitialBroodmare registrationsprocessed. The number of new fillies entering the breeding population has decreased by12%overthelast4years.

GBRetired/ Deceased

Gestation

Ranges - 2025 Produce / Age Proﬁle of Broodmares

Broodmarescanvarygreatlyinthelengthoftimetheycarrytheirfoal.Thisgraphreflectsthespreadof the gestation dates of British domiciled broodmares based on reported 2024 coverings for 2025 foals. From the standard 11 month (330-350 days) gestation period, Thoroughbred mares carried successfully forarangeofbetween10toover13months.

AgeProfileofBroodmares

In2025,Britishmaresagedfrom3toover25yearsofageformedthebreedingpopulation.Oftheactive broodmarepopulation,66%wereaged6–13years(66%in2024). Number of Broodmares

Live Produce per Active Broodmare / Country of Birth

LiveProduceperActiveBroodmare(Asatendof2025)

The number of live foals produced by a broodmare over her career can vary significantly. This graph showsthenumberofliveproduceperbroodmarecurrentlybreedinginGreatBritain.Only16%(16%in2024) ofthecurrentpopulationhasproducedmorethan6livefoals.

CountryofBirthofGBBasedBroodmares

OftheBritishbroodmarepopulation,54%(54%in2024)werefoaledinGreatBritain.Thechartshowsthe originsofthetotalcurrentpopulation.

PermanentExports

FrancewasthetopimporterofBritishbroodmares in 2025, with India and Australia second and third respectively;the2025figurewillincreaseasexport applicationsarefrequentlyreceivedinthefollowing year. (Movement of mares between Great Britain and Ireland is not recorded as such movements arewithintheGeneralStudBookarea).

In preparation for covering, many Thoroughbred broodmares travel, before foaling, to the stud wherethestallionofchoiceresides-thiscanoften beinanothercountry.Thisthereforemasksthefull productivity of British mares, as foals out of those mareswouldnotbeborninGreatBritain.

Thistableshowsthetotalnumberoffoalsproduced by British domiciled mares, as well as the number ofGBbornfoalsoutofnon-GBdomiciledmares. NumberofGBmaresatstud

GBStallions Registeredfor Coverings

This graph shows all stallions registered for coverings standinginGreatBritain.

*N.B: The 2025 figure will increase as stallion notifications are frequently received in the following year andthefigureshereareasat 31/12/25.

*asat31/12/25

GBStallions StandingPurpose

ThepercentageofstallionsstandingforFlatracingpurposeshasincreasedby7%overthelast4years. The percentageofstallionsstandingforNationalHuntandDualracingpurposeshasfluctuatedeachyear,with ahigherproportionofstallionsstandingforDualpurposein2022and2024,butahigherproportionstanding forNationalHuntpurposesin2023and2025. Weexpectfurtherstallionregistrationsfor2025asnotedabove.

GB1stSeasonSires

The proportion of first season sires has decreased by 9% since last year to 4% of thestallionpopulationin2025.

*N.B: The 2025 figure will increase as stallion notifications are frequently received in the following year and the figureshereareasat31/12/25.

GBEstablishedSires

Established sires, i.e. those in their 3rd coveringseasonormore,accountfor85% (79% in 2024) of the British based stallion population.

GB Domiciled Mares Visiting Stallions

These charts show the percentages of mares visiting stallions in their first covering season, second coveringseasonandestablishedstallions.

N.B:Notcoveredincludesmareswherenoresulthasbeenmadeavailable.

Inlinewithadecreaseintheproportionoffirstseasonsires,thepercentageofmaresvisitingfirstseason sireshasdecreasedby5.5%.

Country of Birth / Mares Covered per Stallion

CountryofBirth-GB basedstallions2025

StallionsstandinginGreatBritain originate from throughout the world.Ofthestallionsstandingin Great Britain over three quarters areBritishorIrishbred.

MaresCoveredperGB Stallion

This table reviews the trends in stallion book size over the last four breeding seasons. No British based stallions have covered a book of over200maresinthelasttwoyears.

GBCoveringsperweek2025

Thisshowsthe2025coveringseasonandtherange,inweeks,fromlateJanuaryduringwhichmareswere covered.Mostcoveringsoccurredbetweenweeks7and23(FebruarytolateMay).Somemareshavebeen coveredforSouthernHemispherefoalings,whichexplainsthelatercoveringdates. Thisdatareferstothe lastcoveringdateforeachmare.

AgeProfileofStallions2025

TheagerangeofBritishbasedstallionshasawidespan,from3yearsto25+years,with25%ofstallions agedover15yearsold(26%in2024).

Foals Born 2022 - 2025

Thefoalcropfor2025hasdecreasedby4%sincelastyearandby13%overthelast4years.

*asat31/12 Colts Fillies

Foaling Dates and Intended Career

Thefoalingdatesforthe2025foalcropinGreatBritainarepresentedbymonthoffoaling,combinedwith theirintendedfuturecareer. Thisdemonstratesthat86%ofFlatbredfoalsarebornbetweenFebruaryand April,comparedtofoalsbredforJumpracing,where83%arebornbetweenMarchandMay.

Intended Career Statistics 2022 - 2025

This data is taken from the foal registration applications, which are completed by the breeder, for foals borninGreatBritain. Theproportionoffoalsbredforeachintendedcareerhasremainedrelativelystable overthelast4years.

Foal

GBFoalCropincl.

LateReturns20222025

Young stock registered outside their year of foaling are termed “late returns”. Whenthesefiguresareadded into the relevant year, a more completetotalisachievedfor thatyear’sfoalcrop.Therefore, more progeny may be registeredinthefutureforany foaling year and hence the figures shown here may be subjecttofurtheradjustment.

*Asat31/12/25

Number of Foals

GBFoalColours2025 Crop

The range of colours for Thoroughbred foals confirms thatbayisthemostprevalent colour. Of these reported foal coat colours, subsequent changes may be received when the horse matures. For example, a brown foal may maturetogreyifthesireand/ ordamisgrey.Whenadvised of a colour change, the information is updated in the passport and on the database.

Historical Foal Crops

ThenumberoffoalsborninGreatBritainisatitslowestlevelforthelast20years,withthefiguresshowing a27%dropinfoalsbornsince2006. Thesefiguresareasatthe31stDecember.

Permanent Exports of GB Bred Horses

Thistableshowsthe49countries(51in2024)towhichhorsesbredinGreatBritainhavebeenpermanently exportedoverthelast4years(i.e.foraperiodlongerthan9months).MovementofhorsesbetweenGreat Britain and Ireland is not recorded as such movements remain within the General Stud Book. The 2025 figurewillincreaseasexportapplicationsarefrequentlyreceivedinthefollowingyear.

Permanent Imports into GB

This table shows the 28 countries (27 in 2024) from which horses have been permanently imported into GreatBritainoverthelast4years(i.e.whereanExportCertificatehasbeenreceived). The2025figurewill increaseasexportcertificatesarefrequentlyreceivedinthefollowingyear.

Breeders by County

Thistableshowsthedistributionofthe2,772breedersofThoroughbredsbetween75BritishCountiesand 2CrownDependencies. Italsohighlightsthenumberofmaresownedandnumberoffoalsproducedby thosemares.

IncludedinthisdataisafigureforbreedersnotresidentinaBritishcountybutwhichhavebreedingstock permanentlydomiciledinBritain. Thishasbeencategorisedas“Other”.

Number of GB Broodmares Owned per Breeder

ThistableshowsthedistributionofBritishbroodmaresbetweenbreedersbycounty,with91%ofbreeders owningfewerthan5broodmares.

IncludedinthisdataisafigureforbreedersnotresidentinaBritishcountybutwhichhavebreedingstock permanentlydomiciledinBritain. Thishasbeencategorisedas“Other”.

Broodmares -

Active Broodmares 2022 - 2025 / Broodmare Classiﬁcation

IREActiveBroodmares 2022-2025

The active broodmare population has decreased by 9%overthelastyear.

IREBroodmares Classification

(AsIndicatedByFoalIntended CareerTypes)

Assessing the type of broodmares activelybreedinginIrelandhasbeen achieved by using the foal career information provided in 2025 (for foalsoutofIREdomiciledmares)and applyingrelativepercentagesacross thetotalbroodmarepopulation.

N.B: This can only be an estimate as mares are not classified as part of thebroodmareregistrationprocess.

Initial

Registrations 2022

- 2025/ Retired/Deceased

IREInitial Broodmare Registrations 2022-2025

Each year, new fillies enter the breeding population and this is reflected in the numberofInitialBroodmare registrationsprocessed.

The number of new fillies entering the breeding populationhasdeclinedby 16% over the last year and by27%overthelast4years.

IRERetired/ Deceased

Gestation Ranges - 2025 Produce / Age Proﬁle of Broodmares

IREGestationRanges2025Produce

Broodmarescanvarygreatlyinthelengthoftimetheycarrytheirfoal.Thisgraphreflectsthespreadof thegestationdatesofIrishdomiciledbroodmaresbasedonreported2024coveringsfor2025foals.From the standard 11 month (330-350 days) gestation period, Thoroughbred mares carried successfully for a rangeofbetween10toover13months.

AgeProfileofBroodmares

In 2025, Irish mares aged 4 to over 25 years of age were part of the breeding population. Of the active breedingbroodmarepopulation,69%(68%in2024)wereaged7-15years.

Live Produce per Active Broodmare / Country of Birth

LiveProduceperActiveBroodmare(Asatendof2025)

The number of live foals produced by a broodmare over her career can vary significantly. This graph showsthenumberofliveproduceperbroodmarecurrentlybreedinginIreland.Ofthecurrentpopulation, 19%(18%in2024)haveproducedmorethan6livefoals.

CountryofBirthofIREBasedBroodmares

OftheIrishbroodmarepopulation69%(70%in2024)werefoaledinIreland.Thechartshowstheorigins ofthetotalcurrentpopulation.

Permanent Exports PermanentExports

This chart shows the destination of any Irish broodmares which have been permanently exportedin2025. Franceremainsthetopimporter of Irish broodmares, with Italy in second place (MovementofmaresfromIrelandtoGreatBritainis not recorded as such movements are within the GeneralStudBookarea).

In preparation for covering, many Thoroughbred broodmares travel, before foaling, to the stud wherethestallionofchoiceresides-thiscanoften beinanothercountry.Thisthereforemasksthefull productivity of Irish mares, as foals out of those mareswouldnotbeborninIreland.

Thistableshowsthetotalnumberoffoalsproduced byIrishdomiciledmares,aswellasthenumberof IREbornfoalsoutofnon-IREdomiciledmares.

Stallions - Irish

Registered Stallions / Standing Purpose

IREStallions Registeredfor Coverings

This chart shows all stallions registered for coverings standinginIreland.

*N.B: The 2025 figure will increase as stallion notifications are frequently received in the following year andthefigureshereareasat 31/12/25.

*asat31/12/25

IREStallions StandingPurpose

TheproportionofstallionsstandingforFlatracingpurposeshasincreasedby9%sincelastyear. Conversely the proportion of stallions standing for National Hunt purposes has decreased by 10% in the same period. Weexpectfurtherstallionregistrationsfor2025asnotedabove.

IRE1stSeasonSires

The percentage of first season sires is comparabletolastyear’sfiguresat11%of thestallionpopulation.

The 2025 figure will increase as stallion notificationsarefrequentlyreceivedinthe followingyearandthefigureshereareas at31/12/25.

IREEstablishedSires

Established sires, i.e those in their 3rd coveringseasonormore,accountfor78% (84% in 2024) of the Irish based stallion population.

IRE Domiciled Mares Visiting Stallions

These charts show the percentages of mares visiting stallions in their first covering season, second coveringseasonandestablishedstallions.

N.B:Notcoveredincludesmareswherenoresulthasbeenmadeavailable.

Although the percentage of stallions standing as first season sires has remained steady since last year, theproportionofmaresvisitingfirstseasonsireshasincreasedby4.7%ofthebroodmarepopulation.

Country of Birth / Mares Covered per Stallion

CountryofBirth-IRE basedstallions2025

Stallions standing in Ireland originate from all over the world OfthestallionsstandinginIreland, over three quarters were Irish or Britishbred.

MaresCoveredperIRE Stallion

Thistablereviewsthetrendsinstallion book size over the last four breeding seasons. The percentage of the stallion population covering over 200 mareshasremainedfairlystableover thelast4years,atanaverageof6%.

*asat31/12/25

IRECoveringsperweek2025

Thisgraphshowsthe2025coveringseasonandtherange,fromearlyJanuaryduringwhichmareswere covered. Some mares have been covered for Southern Hemisphere foalings, which explains the wide spreadofcoveringdates. 88%ofthecoveringsoccurredbetweenweeks8and23(lateFebruarytoearly June). Thisdatareferstothelastcoveringdateforeachmare.

AgeProfileofStallions2025

TheagerangeofIrishbasedstallionsisfrom4yearstoover25yearsold.Ofthetotalstallionpopulation, 23%wereagedover16yearsold(27%in2024).

IRE Foals Born 2022 - 2025

Thefoalcrophasdecreasedby11%overthelastyear.

*asat31/12

Foaling Dates and Intended Career

Thefoalingdatesforthe2025foalcropinIrelandarepresentedbymonthoffoaling,combinedwiththeir intendedfuturecareer. Thisdemonstratesthat84%ofFlatbredfoalsarebornbetweenFebruaryandApril, comparedtofoalsbredforJumpracing,where83%arebornbetweenMarchandMay.

Intended Career Statistics 2022 - 2025

Thisdataistakenfromthefoalregistrationforms,whicharecompletedbythebreeder,forfoalsbornin Ireland. The proportion of foals bred for Flat, Jump and Dual Purpose racing has remained virtually constantoverthelastfouryears.

Foal

IREFoalCropincl.

LateReturns20222025

*Asat31/12/25

IREFoalColours2025 Crop

Historical Foal Crops

12,633 12,419

Permanent Exports of IRE Bred Horses

This table shows the 48 countries (50 in 2024) to which horses bred in Ireland have been permanently exportedoverthelast4years(i.e.foraperiodlongerthan9months).MovementofhorsesbetweenIreland andGreatBritainisnotrecordedassuchmovementsremainwithintheGeneralStudBook.The2025figure willincreaseasexportapplicationsarefrequentlyreceivedinthefollowingyear.

Permanent Imports into IRE

This table shows the 25 countries (27 in 2024) from which horses have been permanently imported into Ireland over the last 4 years (i.e. where an Export Certificate has been received). The 2025 figure will increaseasexportcertificatesarefrequentlyreceivedinthefollowingyear.

Breeders by County

Thistableshowsthedistributionofthe5,891breedersofThoroughbredsbetween32IrishCounties. Italso highlights the number of mares owned and number of foals produced by those mares. The largest number of individual breeders are found in County Cork, but the largest concentration of mares are in CountyKildare.

IncludedinthisdataisafigureforbreedersnotresidentinanIrishcounty,butwhichhavebreedingstock permanentlydomiciledinIreland. Thishasbeencategorisedas“Other”.

Number of IRE Broodmares Owned per Breeder

This table shows the distribution of Irish broodmares between breeders by county, with 92% of breeders owningfewerthan5broodmares.

IncludedinthisdataisafigureforbreedersnotresidentinanIrishcounty,butwhichhavebreedingstock permanentlydomiciledinIreland. Thishasbeencategorisedas“Other”.

www.weatherbys.co.uk

WeatherbysIrelandGSB UnitF1,M7BusinessPark Newhall,Naas,Co.Kildare Ireland,W91VX86 www.weatherbys.co.uk

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans includingphotocopyingandrecordingwithoutthewrittenpermissionofthecopyrightholder,applicationfor whichshouldbeaddressedtothepublishers.Suchwrittenpermissionmustalsobeobtainedbeforeanypart ofthispublicationisstoredinaretrievalsystemofanynature.

Whilethepublishersbelievetheinformationcontainedinthisbooktobecorrecttheycannotguaranteeits accuracy,inparticularwhereitisdependentoninformationsuppliedtothem,andcannotacceptliabilityfor anylossresultingfromanyerrorsthatmayarise.