Shergar Shergar Shergar (3 March 1978 – c. February 1983) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After a very successful season in 1981 he was retired to the Ballymany Stud in County Kildare, Ireland. In 1983 he was stolen from the stud, and a ransom of £2 million was demanded; it was not paid, and negotiations were soon broken off by the thieves. In 1999 a supergrass, formerly in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), stated they stole the horse. The IRA has never admitted any role in the theft. The Aga Khan, Shergar's owner, sent the horse for training in
Horse racing in Ireland 93% of which have fewer than 5 broodmares. Horse racing organisations are funded through a number of sources, including membership fees, taxation of betting, a foal registration levy, profits from the Tote, and direct contribution from the Government of the Republic of Ireland. Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) was established in 2001 in an effort to promote Irish Horse racing and Thoroughbred breeding at an international level. The HRI has a number of responsibilities, including the management of the national Thoroughbred studbooks (registration with Weatherbys is also a requirement for all Irish Throughbreds), the development and operation of a number of