Kildare has adopted the horse as its official logo by assuming a new identity as the "thoroughbred county".

The brand image was officially introduced yesterday by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, at his Straffan home. Mr Michael O'Rourke, chairman of the Kildare Horse Development Company, described the move as "a first for Ireland".

Essentially this marketing initiative is similar to that of Kentucky in the US which dubs itself the "bluegrass state". Renowned for its tobacco and champion race horses, the local economy has "benefited considerably" as a centre for horse-related tourism.

The aim of the company, incorporated in 1997, is "to create a unified image for Kildare's broadly based horse world and to identify ways in which we could act together for the good of the industry", says Mr O'Rourke.

The group first conducted a survey along the lines of a general election poll to assess attitudes to different counties.

"The key finding was that 60 per cent of the population made an unprompted association between Kildare and horses.

"Compare this with Wicklow, for instance, `the Garden of Ireland' - an association made by just 39 per cent."

Pivotal to the strategy is the fact that Kildare is home to the Irish Turf Club, the Curragh, Punchestown and Naas racecourses, the National Stud, the Irish Equestrian Centre, Weatherbys (keeper of the Stud Book) and Goffs - with more than 120 stud farms and more than 60 training establishments.

In line with the new identity, the website www.kildarehorse.ie will appear in January.