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Racing and bloodstock accounting

Accounting for horse trainers and jockeys, built around the way racing pays

Prize money, riding fees, valet and agent costs, yard bills and travel to meetings. Racing income moves through many hands before it reaches you. We keep the records straight, file your returns and plan for the day you hang up the saddle.

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Race day payoutIllustrative

OwnerPrize money share

80%

TrainerYard share

10%

JockeyRiding share

10%

Headline split for a winner, before deductions.

Try it

See where a winning prize goes

Split a winner’s prize

Enter a prize and see the headline split between owner, trainer and jockey. It is a starting point, and the real figures change once levies, agent fees and valet fees come off.

Prize money for the winner (€)

Owner

€16,000

Trainer

€2,000

Jockey

€2,000

Horse Racing Ireland’s Directive 7 sets the exact calculation. Its worked example also takes 0.10% for the Stable Staff Association and 1.00% for the Jockeys Emergency Fund from the gross.

Three lanes

Trainers, jockeys and breeders each have their own tax picture

Trainers

IncomeTraining fees plus your share of prize money.
Big costsStaff, feed, farrier, vet, transport and yard upkeep.
WatchPayroll for stable staff, VAT registration and keeping owners’ money separate.

Jockeys

IncomeRiding fees and your share of prize money.
Big costsAgent, valet, travel, equipment and licence fees.
WatchSelf-assessment, a pension and the section 480A retirement claim.

Breeders

IncomeHorse sales and stud fees, taxed as farming profits.
Big costsStallion nominations, mares, vet care and land.
WatchVAT flat-rate or registration, stock valuation and hobby versus business.

For jockeys

The retirement relief most riders never claim

Section 480A of the Taxes Consolidation Act rewards the short career.

40%Deduction on gross riding receiptsPrize money and riding fees count. Sponsorship and endorsements do not.

10 of 15Years you can choosePick any 10 years from your final year and the 14 before it.

4 yearsTime to claimFrom the end of the year you retire. It is paid back as a tax repayment.

You need to be resident in Ireland, another EU state or an EEA state when you retire. If you return to riding later, Revenue can withdraw the relief.

The money year

How a racing year moves from stable to tax return

Entries and feesEntry fees, jockey fees and transport are logged as they are paid.

Race dayKeep the racecard, declaration and any expense receipts.

Prize paidCheck the statement against the headline split and the deductions.

Books closedIncome, costs and stock values pulled into year-end accounts.

Pay and fileForm 11 is due 31 October, or 18 November in 2026 if filed and paid on ROS.

Straight answers

Three bloodstock tax myths

MythStallion fees are tax free in Ireland.

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FactThe exemption ended for income earned after 31 July 2008. Stud fees are now taxable.

MythMy sponsorship money counts towards jockey retirement relief.

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FactOnly receipts from riding qualify. Sponsorship, advertising and endorsements are excluded.

MythTraining and breeding are taxed the same way.

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FactBreeding is treated as farming. Training is a separate trade with its own costs and VAT position.

For breeders

The VAT flat-rate addition

Year	Flat-rate addition	Where it comes from
2025	5.1%	Set by Revenue’s annual calculation
2026	4.5%	Reduced in Budget 2026, from 1 January
2027	4.8%	Announced in Budget 2027, subject to legislation

The 4.8% livestock VAT rate applies to horses normally intended for food or farm work. Other horses are treated differently, so check the VAT rate and your registration choice before a big sale.

Be ready

Paperwork a racing business should keep

Prize money statementsFrom HRI, matched to your bank receipts.

Riding fee and valet recordsIncluding agent and valet deductions.

Entry and declaration feesPer horse, per meeting.

Yard and vet invoicesFeed, farrier, vet, bedding and repairs.

Horsebox and travel logsMileage, fuel and overnight costs.

Sale and purchase papersBloodstock sales, nominations and VAT treatment.

Quick answers

Questions about racing and bloodstock tax

Short, plain answers to what trainers, jockeys and breeders ask us most.

Are jockeys employed or self-employed for tax?

It depends on the facts of each arrangement. Many freelance jockeys are treated as self-employed and file a return, but the Supreme Court’s 2023 Karshan decision means the real working relationship matters more than the label. We review your situation and confirm how you should file.

What is the retirement relief for jockeys?

Jockeys are one of the 13 sports covered by section 480A. On retirement you can claim a deduction of 40% of gross riding receipts for any 10 years in the 15-year window ending with your final year. It is paid as a repayment of tax, claimed within 4 years of retiring, and does not cover sponsorship or endorsement income.

How is prize money split between owner, trainer and jockey?

The commonly quoted split for a winner is 80% to the owner and 10% each to the trainer and jockey, before deductions. Horse Racing Ireland sets the exact calculation in Directive 7, including small industry levies, agent and valet fees. Always check your own statement.

Do I pay tax on prize money I receive as a trainer?

Yes. Your trainer’s share and your training fees are part of your business income. We record them, deduct the costs of running the yard and file your return.

Is breeding horses treated as farming?

Yes, for tax purposes horse breeding is treated as a farming activity, and income from a stud farm is taxed like other farming profits. Training racehorses is a separate activity, so the two are often kept apart in the books.

Are stallion fees still tax free?

No. The exemption for stallion fees under section 231 ended for income earned after 31 July 2008. Stud fee income is now taxed, with its own rules for stallions held as stock.

What is the VAT flat-rate addition?

A farmer who is not VAT registered can add a flat percentage to sales to VAT-registered buyers. It was 5.1% in 2025 and 4.5% for 2026. Budget 2027 announced an increase to 4.8%, so confirm the rate that applies on the date of sale.

Can a horse hobby cause tax trouble?

It can. Revenue looks at whether you run the activity like a business. Keep records, a plan and proof of commercial intent, and tell us early if the activity has been making losses year after year.

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