The WBFSH has published its State of the Industry Report 2024–2025. This biennial report brings together international data on sport horse breeding, auctions, and participation in FEI competitions. With it, the federation aims not only to highlight trends, but above all to provide practical insights for studbooks, breeders, federations, riders, and owners.
Every two years, the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) releases an industry report mapping key developments across the sport horse sector. The latest edition, State of the Industry Report 2024–2025, was previously presented during the WBFSH General Assembly 2025 in South Africa and has now been officially published.
What sets this report apart is its ambition to go beyond a snapshot in time. The WBFSH uses the figures to show how the sector has evolved in recent years and how decisions can be better supported by evidence. The objective is clear: moving from “what we think we know” toward comparable, reliable, actionable data, strengthening the entire chain from foal to sport horse.
One story built on three pillars
The report combines multiple data sources to deliver a comprehensive overview. Foal registrations are used as an indicator of breeding activity, while foal auction results serve as direct market signals that reflect confidence and pricing trends. These breeding and market insights are then linked to concrete sporting parameters through FEI participation figures, both at event level and through horse registration data. By connecting these data lines, the report explains how supply, demand, and confidence interact across the cycle.
Within that broader framework, the WBFSH also outlines a credible recovery narrative following a disruptive period. The report identifies a clear downturn during the COVID years, followed by a strong rebound and a subsequent phase of stabilisation.
WBFSH President Jan Pedersen emphasises that this linkage between breeding indicators, market outcomes, and sport participation makes it possible to understand where shifts originate and where the sector has regained balance.
Data quality and traceability as the foundation of trust
A second major focus in the report is improving data quality and comparability. The WBFSH wants information to be collected and interpreted in a consistent way worldwide. That requires robust definitions and reliable systems, such as the UELN identification number, as well as a stronger emphasis on DNA verification.
The report also underlines the importance of transparent recording of modern reproductive technologies. This is not only relevant for breeding insights, but also essential for credibility and oversight in both sport and trade. In other words, traceability is no longer an ideal, but a priority that will underpin future regulations and initiatives.
Welfare becomes the guiding thread of the future vision
Perhaps the most forward-looking part of the report is its clear commitment to making equine welfare a guiding principle in the sector’s continued development. The WBFSH argues that equestrian sport can only safeguard its future if it can demonstrate that innovations are applied responsibly, with clear boundaries and verifiable guarantees. This is not only about performance, but also about maintaining trust and social licence.
That ambition is reflected in the further rollout of Phase 2 of the WBFSH Welfare Project, developed in collaboration with Hartpury University under the leadership of Professor Jane Williams. The WBFSH describes the project as an evidence- and expertise-driven approach: mapping regulations, evaluating welfare impact, collecting knowledge, and translating findings into a strong, well-substantiated position. The goal is for welfare science to guide policy and practice, rather than fragmented rules or external pressure.
Conclusion
With the State of the Industry Report 2024–2025, the WBFSH presents a sector that measures itself more precisely, supports trends more consistently, and sets its sights firmly on the future. By analysing the full chain, from foal registration to sport participation, in an integrated way, the report offers a clearer understanding of the dynamics between breeding, market, and sport. At the same time, it provides direction for the next phase of development: an agenda in which traceability, transparency, and welfare governance increasingly shape success, alongside sporting performance.
The core message is clear: the sport horse world is professionalising its use of data and its culture of accountability, strengthening trust in a sector that is increasingly judged on openness, ethics, and sustainability.
