NEWS

Joanne Fox

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Some mare owners have, over the last number of weeks, expressed concern at what they see as a delay in the issuing of foal passports.

At a recent meeting with stallion owners, HSI outlined that the delays that mare owners are experiencing in receiving their foal kits to register their foal was due to the non-return of covering certificates by stallion owners.

“The return of covering certificates is vitally important in the process of issuing passports,” explained HSI’s breeding and programmes director Alison Corbally.

“It is the receipt of the covering certificate by HSI that triggers the release of the foal kit to the mare owner for the registration process to begin,” she added.

The rules

The rules of the Irish Horse Register state that all stallion owners are obliged to record, in the covering book, full details of all coverings to mares registered in the Irish Horse Register and to submit the certificates of all mares covered by the stallion by 1 October in the year of covering.

Despite these rules, which are printed on the cover of each book of certs, HSI highlighted that in 2013 only 101 of the expected 9,000 covering certificates (1.12%) were received by the deadline of 1 October 2013.

Despite meetings and the publicity in recent weeks on the subject, up to this week HSI has only received and entered 2,757 covering certs, approximately 30% of the expected coverings for this year. The foal kits have been sent out for all of the coverings received.

“It is important from the mare owners perspective to note that if you intend to sell your foal this autumn at the sales, you need to return the foal marking chart as soon as possible to ensure that you have your foal's passport in time for the sales,” explained Alison.

Valid application

HSI need to receive a fully valid application before 31 July 2014. This is to allow time for Weatherbys to confirm parentage by DNA testing and this can take up to six weeks in this busy period.

If, as a mare owner, you have not received your foal kit as of yet, please check with the relevant stallion owner that they have sent in the covering cert to Horse Sport Ireland. It is also important to ensure that your broodmare is named and in the correct ownership.

If you wish to download a change of ownership form, please see www.horsesportireland.ie CL