Last Friday the "Insitut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation (ICFE)" (the French equestrian and horse institute) has announced the sale of nine of its twenty national studfarms. Also the most famous one, the Haras de Saint-Lô, dating from 1883, is on the list. Saint-Lô is one of the most profitable locations of the French studbook. Although it has a healthy financial situation the maintenance and working costs stack up every year. According to the estimations of the French financial Ministry there might be a yearly shortage of three to five million Euro. In the past the national studfarms were military bases and breeding centers. However more recently their role in the current socio-economic environment has changed. Nevertheless they still are key in the French equestrian realm.
