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Only foals born by licensed and performance tested stallions, out of Studbook  or Pre Studbook registered mares, are entitled to be registered and birth branded.

Pink pedigree certificates (“Pink Papers”) are issued by the Society for foals by licensed, performance tested stallions, from Studbook mares. The front of the pedigree papers bears the NZHS brand mark.

There are strict protocols in place to ensure identification of any horse that will be registered in the NZHS studbook. These include a detailed and precise description of colour, markings and brand marks, and parent verification using DNA testing.

The pink paper is only issued once. It belongs to the horse but remains the property of the issuing Society. It must remain with the owner of the horse. Additional details, such as entry into the mare studbook, are added by the Studbook keeper from time to time as necessary.

A duplicate copy of a birth certificate can only be issued on application, and then only by affidavit. The duplicate is to be clearly marked as such. A fee will be charged.

Upon the death of the horse, the Pink Paper should be returned to the Studbook keeper.

Registration

Each year, the Studbook keeper provides the owners of active breeding mares with a Mare Return form and a Foal Return form. The Mare Return form is completed by the mare owner and returned to the Studbook keeper to confirm the type of and date of insemination and the names of the stallion and mare.

Within 28 days of the birth of a foal, the owner must report the birth to the studbook keeper, using the Foal Return form. A description of the foal that includes sex, colour, markings and whether the foal was alive or stillborn, is included.

It is advisable to choose the name of the foal at this stage, so that the name will be included on the foal’s pedigree certificate. Delay in choosing a name for your foal may result in the inconvenience of having to get the name added at a later date.

Parent verification of the foal
All foals, no matter how they are conceived, must undergo parent identification by DNA testing. DNA envelopes are available from the Studbook keeper.

Your veterinarian will take mane hair samples from the foal (and from the mare if this has not already been done), and at the same time fill out an identification form, which is sent with the sample(s), to the DNA laboratory. A copy is sent back to the Studbook keeper. The DNA results are sent to the Studbook keeper.

Registration of a name
The name chosen for the foal ideally should start with the same letter of the alphabet as that of its sire. The acceptance and registration of names is confirmed by the committee.

Foal Branding

Branding cannot take place unless all fees have been paid.

Each foal, once it has been identified by a recorded description of its markings, sex and colour, and the parent identification by DNA has been confirmed, is allocated a registration number by the Studbook keeper prior to branding. The Studbook keeper will advise you of this number in writing, with a form to be completed by your veterinarian at the time of the branding. This number is unique and not to be changed.

The (trademark) H-NZ brand, is applied to the left thigh, and the birth year and allocated number applied to the left shoulder. This must be done while the foal is still on the dam and within 12 months of birth. In exceptional circumstances, if branding has not been possible while the foal is still at foot (e.g. in the case of maternal death), the foal may still be branded provided certain criteria are fulfilled.

Such cases are considered on an individual basis.

The branding is done under the direction of the Studbook Keeper by the appointed Inspector(s), or by a registered Veterinary Surgeon.

The brand mark – emblem of the NZHS

The NZHS brand mark consists of stylised crossed horses’ heads, symbolising the H for Hanoverian and the letters NZ, to identify the country of birth.

The Branding Iron is held by the Inspection Commission/Studbook Keeper, under the President’s supervision.

 

This is the registration and branding process: