ABFP Testing: As most of you are aware, young stallions cannot obtain their full permanent breeding license until they have had 20 adult offspring complete this testing. The KFPS expects this to be accomplished following the stallion’s 6th breeding season by testing 3 and 4 year olds from his first two years at stud. If this is not completed in a timely manner, the KFPS can and will suspend a stallion’s breeding license. Stallions approved here in North America are required to stand at stud here for at least those first two years, and we, of course, wish to keep them here long after that. There is no way to accomplish this offspring testing in a timely manner for these stallions unless we can do it here in North America.
We have tried to model our program after the one in the Netherlands, but our geography makes it really challenging. This is a large undertaking and an expensive one. In the Netherlands, the stallion owner pays part of the costs of this, while the KFPS pays part. The monies for the KFPS contribution come from “breeding fees” assessed to mare owners when the KFPS is notified electronically that a breeding has occurred, regardless of whether a live foal is born. At this time, the fee charged in The Netherlands is 50.25 euros.
Currently, the owner of North American stallion is required to pay $1300 per horse tested ($26,000.00), and FHANA needs to come up with an equivalent sum annually. We have struggled with how to accomplish this. After much consideration, we have come to the conclusion that the only practical way for us to do this is to charge this ABFP fee ($50) to the mare owner at the time the foal is registered. This way the fee is borne by the breeders who will benefit from the continued availability of the stallions, rather than the general membership, and, at least they will not be charged if they do not get a foal. Please understand that adding this new fee is something we are loathe to do, but if we want to continue to have these stallions available for our breeders to use, we have to do this.
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