With the ongoing evolution of the horse breeding sector and the emergence of new breeding technologies, as well as changes in European legislation, it has become necessary to reconsider the definition of the rightful horse breeder. In this article, we discuss the proposal submitted by the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) to revise this definition.
Background
Horse breeding has undergone significant changes over the years. Breeders now have the option to choose in which studbook they want to register their foals, and the trade of embryos across international borders has increased significantly. Furthermore, the use of surrogates for flushed or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryos has become widespread. An additional development is that many studbooks no longer require covering certificates. These developments have led to the need for a revision of the definition of who the rightful horse breeder is.
WBFSH Proposal
The WBFSH has submitted a proposal to adjust the definition of a horse breeder. The proposal reads as follows:
A person shall be registered as the breeder of a foal in a studbook if that person, who has chosen the genetic match, still owns the foal at the time of birth. If the breeder has sold the pregnant mare or transferred the embryo before birth and wishes to be registered as the breeder, they must enter into an agreement with the new owner. This new owner, who is responsible for the foal's birth, must inform the studbook of the birth and register the foal.
The studbook that is first approached to register the foal must obtain a clear confirmation from the person or entity submitting the registration request. This is necessary to determine which person or entity is authorized to be registered as the rightful breeder of the foal.
Source: WBFSH