Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA)

What Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) does

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1926 that serves as the official representative body of the Irish thoroughbred breeding industry at Government level, both domestically and internationally. Headquartered in Kill, Co. Kildare, Ireland, with a lean staff of 6 employees, ITBA supports an inclusive all-Ireland membership of thoroughbred breeders across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, covering flat and National Hunt disciplines and encompassing everything from large commercial breeding operations to small individual breeders. Its mission is to safeguard the future of Irish thoroughbred breeding and maintain Ireland's position at the pinnacle of the global industry through promotion, advocacy, education, and support.

ITBA's core product portfolio is built around membership and member services. The core offering is ITBA Membership, which provides representation, access to incentive schemes, and educational resources. The flagship financial product is the NH Fillies Bonus Scheme, which distributes millions of euros in bonus payments to breeders of National Hunt fillies winners and serves as a meaningful incentive mechanism for the NH breeding segment. The Education Programme comprises the Ask The Expert Series, Preparation Series, and Veterinary Series, while the Next Generation Programme targets emerging and youth breeders. Farm Efficiency extends member support into operational productivity, and Breeder Awards operates at both regional and national levels to recognize and promote breeder success.

The business model is membership-fee-based (subscription/recurring) and the association is funded through dues paid by breeders across the island of Ireland. ITBA markets and distributes through a multi-channel approach including its official website, active social media across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, educational seminars and events, the Next Generation Programme, and regional/national awards ceremonies. International and domestic coordination is maintained through affiliations with EFTBA (European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations) and the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation (ITBF). No revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA)

Legal name

Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association

Website

https://itba.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1926 that serves as the official representative body for Irish thoroughbred breeders. It provides membership-based advocacy, education, incentive schemes including the NH Fillies Bonus Scheme, and support services across Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / Thoroughbred Breeding Industry Body

NAICS

Horses and Other Equine Production (112920), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Horse Breeding & Stud Farms (AFAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock Showing, Training & Performance Support Services (Non-veterinary) (AFAEALAM), Livestock Health & Welfare Support Services (Vaccination Clinics, Biosecurity Implementation) (AFACAEAK)

Keywords

• Thoroughbred breeding
• Breeder membership
• Industry advocacy
• Breeding education
• Horse racing support

Headquarters

HQ city

Kill

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: ITBA operates as a membership-based association. Revenue is generated through membership fees from Irish thoroughbred breeders across the island of Ireland, supporting the organization's functions of advocacy, education, promotion, and support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ITBA is the official representative body of the Irish thoroughbred breeding industry, providing membership services to all Irish breeders (flat and National Hunt, large and small) across the island of Ireland. The association delivers government-level advocacy, incentive and bonus schemes (notably the National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme), and a comprehensive education programme including the Ask The Expert, Preparation, and Veterinary Series. It also runs the Next Generation programme for emerging breeders, Farm Efficiency support, and regional and national breeder awards.

Product overview

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) operates as a membership-based trade organization offering a portfolio of services to support Irish thoroughbred breeders. The core offerings include ITBA Membership for representation and benefits, the NH Fillies Bonus Scheme providing financial incentives, an Education Programme with expert and veterinary series, the Next Generation Programme for emerging breeders, Farm Efficiency support, and Breeder Awards at regional and national levels. These products work together to fulfill ITBA's mission of safeguarding and promoting the Irish thoroughbred breeding industry through advocacy, education, and financial support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NH Fillies Bonus Scheme: National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme offering incentive and bonus payments to breeders

Products and services

• ITBA Membership Membership program supporting all Irish thoroughbred breeders, offering benefits such as access to incentive schemes, educational resources, and representation at government level. Membership is available to breeders across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland through the association's regional structure.
• NH Fillies Bonus Scheme National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme providing financial incentives and bonus payments to breeders of National Hunt fillies that win races. The scheme rewards breeder success and has paid millions of euros in bonuses to NH breeders across Ireland.
• Education Programme Comprehensive breeder education programme delivered through seminars and events, including the Ask The Expert Series, Preparation Series, and Veterinary Series. The programme supports breeder development, knowledge sharing, and best practices across the thoroughbred breeding industry.
• Next Generation Programme Youth-focused initiative supporting new and emerging thoroughbred breeders entering the Irish breeding industry. Includes dedicated events and latest news content aimed at developing the next cohort of Irish breeders.
• Farm Efficiency Resource and support programme helping Irish breeders optimize their farm operations and breeding practices. Provides practical guidance to improve efficiency and productivity on thoroughbred breeding farms.
• Breeder Awards Regional and national level awards ceremonies celebrating and promoting breeder success across the Irish thoroughbred industry. The awards recognize achievements in both flat and National Hunt breeding.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EFTBA (European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITBA displays the EFTBA logo on its website, indicating membership in the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations. This affiliation provides international representation and collaboration with other European national breeding associations.
• ITBF (Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITBA displays the ITBF logo on its website, indicating a close relationship with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation for coordinated industry representation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Others

• Weatherbys: Provider of thoroughbred registration, identification, and stud book services in the UK and Ireland. Enabling service provider to ITBA's members rather than a competing association.
• Irish National Stud: State-owned Irish stud farm offering breeding and tourism services. Operates in the same equine breeding industry as ITBA's members but does not compete as a membership association.
• Goffs (bloodstock auctioneers): Ireland's principal thoroughbred auction house. Operates downstream of ITBA's breeder members and shares the Irish breeding ecosystem without competing for membership representation.
• Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM): Industry body promoting Irish thoroughbreds internationally. Adjacent to ITBA's promotional function and operates in the same Irish breeding ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (UK): UK national trade association for thoroughbred breeders, offering the most direct functional comparison: membership representation, education, awards, and bonus/incentive schemes for British breeders.
• European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations (EFTBA): Pan-European federation of national thoroughbred breeder associations; ITBA is a member and displays the EFTBA logo. Provides the closest umbrella-level comparison for ITBA's international representative function.
• Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New South Wales (Aus): Australian state-level thoroughbred breeder association offering membership services, education, and awards analogous to ITBA. Comparable model in a different racing jurisdiction.
• Fédération des Eleveurs de Galop (France): French national federation of thoroughbred breeders, offering representation and member services equivalent to ITBA but in the French racing/breeding market.
• Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA, USA): US national association representing thoroughbred owners and breeders, providing membership, advocacy, and education services comparable to ITBA's role for Irish breeders.

Regional players

• Horse Racing Ireland (HRI): Statutory governing body for horseracing in Ireland. Not a direct competitor, but a closely related domestic institution whose regulatory remit overlaps with ITBA's advocacy role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@itbaireland
• Facebookfacebook.com/ITBAireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/itbaireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irish-thoroughbred-breeders-association-itba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA)