Registration and Approval
Breeding
Stallions
5P Production Indicator System
Registry and Business
Miscellaneous
Why are you starting a new registry at this time?
Until now, no registry has emerged from a design that is 1) based solely on the challenges of breeding in North American, 2) is focused on Thoroughbred and Warmblood sport horses and 3) is dedicated to advancing the interests of North American breeders. The current mix of available registries burdens the breeder with limitations on stallion selection, promotes foreign interests over their own, compromises the accepted Warmblood bloodlines or duplicates European models that work poorly within our vast geographic area. All of these shortcomings have created significant demand for a better and more innovative domestic registry model.
The Continental Studbook is intended to be the registry for high quality horses with international performance pedigrees that are bred and raised in North America. The Studbook was designed from a blank slate with ideas of how best to breed in North America; therefore, it is uniquely different than all domestically operating European registries and all independent domestic registries. The current choices of independent domestic registries have simply copied European models while compromising proven sport bloodlines. The Continental Studbook is a carefully designed registry that is long overdue in North America.
Where did the name come from?
The name Continental Studbook is a reflection of the North American “continent”, and it also has analogous historical usage going back to American entities such as the Continental Congress and the Continental Army. An unintended but compatible symbolism is created when considering the common reference to “continental” Europe. The bulk of warmbloods used for breeding in the Continental Studbook descend from horses imported from continental Europe.
Is this an attempt to compete with other American Registries?
The Continental Studbook was not designed with the purpose to steal business from any specific registry. The Studbook was designed with the purpose to fill a void left by the existing collection of multiple registries. The Contintental Studbook fills this void with cost effective services, minimal bureaucracy, dedicated North American promotion, open Warmblood breeding policies, focused breeding direction and geographically unlimited travel-free systems.
Is there a foal approval or tour?
No. It is the opinion of the Continental Studbook that foal evaluations and approvals, while having an educational and social value for the owners, are difficult and expensive to conduct on a continent as large as North America. Furthermore, given great distances between inspection sites, travel can be very dangerous and traumatic for the mother and baby. Foal approvals have little value in assessing the future quality of the horse as an adult—either as a broodmare, stallion or performance horse. All foals are registered based on DNA verification, photographic identification and other documentation.
Does the studbook operate a mare inspection tour?
No. The Continental Studbook has developed a more convenient process for health and quality verification of breeding stock by leveraging your own vet, the ease and detail of digital photographs and the North American show system.
Like foal inspections, a mare approval tour is very expensive and difficult to execute well in North America. Any registry would need at least 200-300 inspection sites to reduce travel time below a few hours for all breeders; therefore, many potential breeders are perpetually shut out of the breeding process. Also, transportation costs have proven to be very volatile and expensive. This model of breeding stock approval works very well in Europe, but it is economically unsustainable in North America. These realities are coupled with frequent inconsistency in judging and difficulty in finding qualified unbiased judges willing to travel on a tour; therefore, the Continental Studbook chose to develop a better process appropriate for North America.
Does the studbook give scores or rank mares during approval?
No. The Continental Studbook operates a pass/fail approval process that is designed to detect and reject undesirable defects that can be diagnosed, measured or described in detail. Your horse will never be rejected for traits that cannot meet these criteria. The Studbook is not designed to grade the goodness of one mare verses another mare in absolute numbers.
There is little correlation between inspection scores in any registry and breeding or performance success; furthermore, rejection of mares at breeding inspections of any registry is a very rare occurrence. These inspections are also not designed to capture problems such as ocular or bite defects, for example, so their value in the breeding process is questionable. No registry can tell an educated breeder about the future quality or performance of a horse with the basic in-hand and free exercises of an inspection. This is further complicated by breeding specialization in dressage, eventing, hunter and jumper sports. Such grading is best performed in the show ring against other horses in competition.
How was the core bloodline list chosen?
WBFSH annual registry ranking data from available years were analyzed. The core bloodline list was generated by identifying the registries which routinely appeared in the WBFSH annual top 10 ranking for dressage, eventing or jumping. The bloodlines found in these ranked registries became the core bloodlines of the Continental Studbook.
Does the registry favor Warmbloods over Thoroughbreds, or vice versa? Does the registry favor any particular warmblood “breed”?
The answer is NO for both questions. Both quality Warmbloods and quality Thoroughbreds suitable for dressage, eventing, hunters or jumpers are viewed with equal treatment. The emphasis here is on quality and suitability for the sports. However, eligible genetics are dominated by the longer list of European bloodlines, and warmbloods will represent the vast majority of the Continental Studbook breeding population. Most breeders will only produce WB or WB x TB cross horses. No superior status is awarded to any warmblood based on its original breed registration.
Why does the registry accept TBs when other registries have stopped or made it increasingly difficult to use TBs in breeding?
The TB horse has a history unique to North American sport breeding, and it is part of our heritage that should be leveraged into a strength. The TB continues to be very important in breeding for eventers and hunters, and no registry can seriously serve these sports without accepting TBs. However, eligible genetics are dominated by the longer list of European bloodlines, and warmbloods will represent the vast majority of the Continental Studbook breeding population.
There are breeders in North America that have cultivated a type of TB for sport which is very different than a typical race horse. The Studbook wanted to create a legitimate name brand desination for these quality horses and their dedicated breeders. The Studbook is dedicated to sport horses specifically in the disciplines of dressage, eventing, hunter and jumping. In order to enable the breeding of purebred sport TBs, the Continental Studbook cannot approve racing animals having no sport horse accomplishments or sport horse breeding history.
Why does the Studbook reject racing TBs?
The Continental Studbook’s highest purpose is promote breeding of horses suitable for the WBFSH tracked Olympic sports of dressage, eventing and show jumping and also for the North American sport of show hunters. Only horses suitable for this purpose are admitted to the registry, and there is no correlation of race performance to these sports. This restriction protects both Warmblood breeders and also Thoroughbred sport horse breeders from marketing and name brand dilution by non-competitive racing animals. The Studbook is interested in promoting the likes of Cottage Son, Laudanum and Gem Twist, and it is not interested in mares or stallions that are unsuitable for Olympic sports or hunters. A TB can have a previous race history, but it must demonstrate ability in the core sports to be accepted for breeding. The Studbook is willing to assist breeders in establishing suitability of their mares.
Can a stallion that is temporarily approved by another registry breed in the Continental Studbook?
Under the Breeding Rules as written, these stallions would be kept out until completing their full licensing process in their current registry. This makes good horse sense given the 1000+ stallions that are already available for the Continental Studbook. Any CS-ELIGIBLE stallion that is not completely licensed in another registry could directly apply for licensing with the Continental Studbook under its procedures and rules.
Does this registry favor European or domestic stallions?
Neither. Any fully licensed stallions coming from the designated core registries or their daughter registries within North America are considered equally qualified to breed. The Continental Studbook is the only registry that considers domestically approved stallions on an equal basis with their foreign born counterparts. The Continental Studbook is designed both to promote domestically born stallions and to give breeders access to the best bloodlines of Europe.
5P PRODUCTION INDICATOR SYSTEM
Are Production Indicators recorded on a horse’s registration papers?
Since most Production Indicators can only be achieved by adult horses, they will not be recorded on Certificate of Registration papers issued at foal registration. The Continental Studbook papers are uniquely designed to be more than a pretty document with a pedigree. The papers are designed to be a gateway to on-line information on the horse. Up to date Production Indicators are accessible by entering the registration number on the Continental Studbook website. This is one of many electronic features of the Continental Studbook designed to improve service, reduce costs and streamline operations.
Are horses required to apply for Production Indicators?
No. The 5P PRODUCTION INDICATOR SYSTEM is voluntary. The Continental Studbook is designed to be very flexible and to serve breeders of different needs. It can be anything from a simple DNA verification and registration recording service to a comprehensive quality validation and marketing assistance service.
Are stallions restricted only to horses that are born from Production Indicator mares?
No. The Studbook will consider any CS-ELIGIBLE stallion applicant, but those from non-PI mares will not be considered until reaching the age of 5 years. The Production Indicator system was designed to create a purpose based and heritage based breeding system. Knowing and evaluating the quality of the mare is paramount in executing a competitive modern stallion licensing system. Therefore, at the age of 3 years, the Studbook will consider stallions from mares which are known and verified of certain quality through the 5P PRODUCTION INDICATOR SYSTEM.
How is this registry different from AWS and AWR?
Other than also registering European warmbloods, there are virtually no similarities between the Continental Studbook and the AWS/AWR. The Continental Studbook does not replicate a European inspection site model like AWS/AWR; it does not require membership; it does not issue certificates of pedigree; it does not stagger or tier its registry books; it does not record, register or accept many WBFSH non-member breeds and bloodlines found in the AWS/AWR.
If your fees are lower and your forms are more simple, does this mean that you are cutting corners on quality, services, horsemanship or information that you collect?
Not at all. Most of these savings in cost and bureaucracy result because the Continental Studbook has no requirements that are designed solely to generate revenue. Every feature is based on horsemanship and empowerment of the breeder and nothing else. Quality control of the breeding stock and quality of the offered services are key focus points. For example, the Continental Studbook requires more information from breeders in terms of photographic evidence and health evaluation for breeding approval than any other studbook, but this is information that is easy and cheap for the breeder to submit. Also, the 5P PRODUCTION INDICATOR SYSTEM is designed to be a thorough and comprehensive data tool for breeding and commerce by evaluating traits that are important to breeders.
Because the Continental Studbook was designed from the ground up for the unique issues in North America, it was designed to handle those issues from the start. The Continental Studbook was designed with a keen focus on business efficiency and breeder ease of use at all times. Bureaucracy was cut wherever possible, and modern technology is leveraged at all times. For example, why enter information repeatedly on a membership application, a mare recording/nomination form, a foal registration form and a DNA form when it can be entered into one carefully designed registration form?
Why not create a 501(c)3?
The overhead and cost of elections, maintaining membership and managing a 501(c)3 for longevity where found to have no advantages. The success, longevity and perception of 501(c)3 organizations depend largely on the size of its membership base rather than on the quality of its horses. After studying the issue, there was actually not a single good reason to form the Continental Studbook as a 501(c)3. The created savings and eliminated overhead of the corporate structure free up resources which are better dedicated to the core business of registrations, approvals, licensing, promotion, marketing, operations technology development and data collection and publication. Consistency and longevity are improved since the Studbook does not need to rely on volunteers who may or may not contribute, and it is initially capitalized at a level that will not force it to meet minimum registrations or compromise quality and breeding direction. Finally, there is no turnover in leadership which leads to changes in breeding direction, rules, priorities and brand image.
Is the Studbook a cash cow for its investors?
No! Nobody will be buying expensive cars or quitting their day jobs. Investors in the Studbook are dedicated, passionate horse people who wanted to finally create a North American studbook that has been desperately needed for years. The systems and pricing is all the evidence one needs to see that the Studbook is not designed for the purpose of making anyone rich. Unlike other registries, there are no “features” or requirements with the sole purpose of generating revenue. There is no mare recording fee, no membership fee, no stallion fee, no certificates of pedigree, etc. All fee based services of the Studbook are based on sound horsemanship with a policy of cost plus a small reasonable addition in order to make the Studbook financially sound for survivability and longevity.
Are insiders able to manipulate the Studbook to their advantage?
With a 1000+ virtual stallion catalogue, with open Studbook policies and with equal promotional opportunities for everyone, there is no possibility of an insider using the Studbook to his or her advantage. The open marketing and breeding policies enabled by the Studbook are too overwhelming to enable manipulation by anyone. For example, no one could get a stallion licensed while rejecting others to limit breeders’ options. The breeder already has virtually unlimited options in the Continental Studbook. At this time, no insiders own breeding stallions anyway. Finally, no insiders are full time horse professionals dependent solely on breeding, training or equine generated income.
Are you part of the WBFSH?
The Continental Studbook is designed to be compatible with WBFSH philosophies and requirements from day one. Since the first foals are just being born into the Studbook, it will be years before there are any CS-REGISTERED horses competing at a level tracked by the WBFSH. Regardless of the lack of immediate practical need, the Continental Studbook plans to apply for WBFSH membership at the earliest possible time.
Will horses be branded?
A brand and procedure to perform branding are under consideration and development.
What are features of the Certificate of Registration papers?
The Continental Studbook papers are uniquely designed to be more than a pretty document with a pedigree. For example, the outdated method of describing horse markings in text is replaced with actual photographs printed directly onto the papers in high resolution. Stockings, stars, snips, etc., can now be matched to any horse using the papers.
The papers are also designed with modern concerns of privacy in mind. There is a public side (the front side) and a private side (the back side). Only limited information such as pedigree, date of birth and registration number is located on the public side. The private side is where current ownership information and horse identification pictures are located. The obvious feature here is that pedigrees can be copied for potential buyers without disclosing information such as the owner’s address until a sale is executed. Also, previous owners are kept in the records of the Continental Studbook for legal reasons, but only the current owner is listed on a given issuance of papers to protect the privacy of previous owners.
The papers are also designed to be a gateway to on-line information on the horse. The current owner, photographs of the horse, verification in case of lost, stolen or replaced papers, and other information can be accessed only with a unique random code located on the private side. This code has other uses in fraud prevention and future services as well. It is unique to every copy of papers ever printed, so stolen or forged papers have no value because a code cannot be generated to match our internal data. Buyers and sellers can have confidence in the validity of their documentation by a simple visit to our website. Finally, the private code can be used to access current and future services, such as sales listings on the website, throughout the life of the horse.