What has happened to the stallion lines imported into Australia?

Over the past couple of years I have wondered what has happened with all the stallion lines in Australia. 199 stallions have been registered up until May 2007 with 49 currently being listed on the CPBSA website. Six of these stallions were exported to New Zealand and the number 13 was never allocated! Recently I spent some time working out the following: 67% of the stallions that are no longer on the list (died or gelded) did not leave a registered stallion son. This excludes the stallions exported to NZ. 75% of the current stallions on the list have yet to leave a stallion son and their only registered son has been gelded. 41 stallions were imported into Australia. Although Chiltern Sunsilk is registered with the CPBSA he went directly to New Zealand, prior to the stud book being set up in NZ. 61% of the current stallions are male line descendants of just 5 imported stallions. Abbeyleix Finbar (10), Oxenholm Gideon (7), Connaught of Millfields (5), Blandings Bobby (4) and Castle Baron (4). Another 11 imported sires (with the number of stallions in brackets) are represented on the current list: Cregmore Colm (3), Yarraman Park George (3), Connemara Park Seamus (2), Tulira Colman (2), Inis OHara (2), Errislannon Spartan (1), Green Hills Rebel (1), Glenormiston McInnerney Muskerry (1), Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn (1), Millfields Commodore (1) and Toorigal Danny Boy (1). Island King left 15 sons. Today he has no male line descendants on the list. Fortunately colts by Domo Cavallo Praize and Capparis Casanova are being brought on as stallion prospects. Shelford Downs Berwick Boy has no male line descendants currently on the list. Colts by Corrib Park Ballymac are being brought on as stallion prospects.

Clonkeehan Archer left 11 registered stallion sons. It appears that this male line has now

ended. The only purebred fillies by this stallion from Blandings Stud were exported to New Zealand. Other stallions to have left several sons are: Connaught of Millfields (11), Abbeyleix Finbar (10 to date), Tulira Colman (9), Mylerstown Huckleberry Finn (5), Blandings Bobby (5), Millfields Commodore (4) and Oxenholm Gideon (4). 30 stallions left one son, 13 stallions left 2 sons and 9 stallions left 3 sons. Today the stallion list represents descendants of just 40% of the imported stallions. Unfortunately, not all lines contribute equally and the distribution is able to be clarified by looking at which lines are represented in the foals being registered at present. This analysis would also give some indication of whether a bottleneck, or contraction of the genepool, such has occurred in Ireland with the over use of such stallion lines as Carna Dun, Carna Bobby, Abbeyleix Owen in past years, (and now Moy Hazy Cove) is also happening in Australia. Endangered is the only way to describe those lines with just one or even two stallions on the list just how endangered will be reflected in the number of foals being registered from these bloodlines in the future. Fiona Comer B.Ag.Sci fionain(at)gmail.com