WORLD BREEDING FEDERATION – RIGHTFUL BREEDER OF A HORSE.
INTRODUCTION.
With changes in the breeding landscape over the past years, through new breeding technologies
and changes in EU legislation, it has become necessary to review the definition of the rightful
breeder of a horse. Breeders have the choice of which studbook they want to register their foals
in, and trade of embryos across borders is increasing. The increased use of surrogates for
flushed or ICSI embryos, as well as the fact that many studbooks no longer require covering
certificates, means that the first concrete, verifiable contact by a studbook for a foal, is the entity
that owns & registers that foal, applies for identification documents and provides material for DNA
verification of the pedigree. A definition presented at the WBFSH GA-2022 (Dresden) was not
approved, and therefore the Department of Breeding has made a review for an amended
definition.
PROPOSAL
To be registered as the breeder of a foal in a studbook:
If the breeder who made the choice of the genetic match still owns the foal at birth, they will be
registered as the breeder. If they have sold the mare in foal, or the embryo before birth, and want
to be registered as the breeder, they need to make an agreement with the new owner, who births
the foal and notifies the studbook for its registration.
The studbook which is asked as first to register the foal should therefore obtain a clear confirmation
by the person or entity which is asking for registration of the foal, which person or entity is
legitimised to be registered as rightful breeder.