Thursday 1st, September 2005
Shows and gradings09/01/2005 11:27 AM
I think it is important to understand
the basic and most important work and service a breed association must
offer owners, breeders and a breed of horses.
A breed belongs to a stud book and a
breed has a standard. For the Akhal-Tekes we have one mother stud book
that is managed by the Russian Horse Breeding Institute (VNIIK), Ryazan,
Russia. Their main purpose is to enter pure bred and part bred Akhal-Tekes
into the stud book. In other words keep correct records of the breed, the
work with the stud book is manifested to the breeders, the Russian State
etc by the publication of the stud book records regularely.
The publication of the stud book gives the breeders and other interested
a possibility to monitor the work of the mother stud book staff. The written
and openly published stud book is also an important tool for verifying
pedigrees etc of horses with Akhal-Teke papers.
Not only are horses entered with a number into stud books they are also
normally checked for breed or in some cases performance typicalness. Typically
the horses are measured compared to the normal/goal range of measurements
for the breed and also to an openly published breed standard. Points
are given after a certain system. For more reading on grading of Akhal-Tekes
go to http://www.maakcenter.org/ENG/BREED/grading.html to read more.
The goal for the mother stud book management that also should set up goals
for the improvement of the breed is that as many horses as possible are
entered into the stud book and graded. In this way the breed can be monitored
and changes in breeding programs necessary for improving, maintaining the
breeds unique features can be worked out. In most modern stud books horses
that the stud book management via educated, approved and ackedited judges
consider be of certain value for the future of the breed are by various
stimuli to the breeders encouraged to be used for breeding. Animals that
are condidered not fulfilling the breed standard are discouraged.
If the system of stud book keeping, gradings and breed improvement is to
work optimally the breeders must be encouraged to register and show their
horses for inspection. This can only happen if the staff and ackedited
judges of the stud book are educated in horse judgement, can show integrity,
and also treat every horse owner with respect.
The gradings of Akhal-Tekes outsida Russia has not always been performed
correctly. I cannot complain, my experiences of having the only person
that has been grading horses outside Russia in Sweden twice has been overall
good eventhough the procedures for gradings do differ from the procedures
I have seen performed in European breeds.
I have though been informed about some incidents both here in the USA as
well as in continental Europe, where lack of integrity and respect of horse
owners has made the future possibilites for gradings with todays' system
impossible.
I have full understanding for horse owners that do not want to be insulted
or back stabbed by a person that represents the mother stud book.
Here I think the national breed associations can help by setting up codes
of conducts for judges. Several breeds have worked out such rules and they
work good. I also think that there must be a group of ackredited
judges that has a proven integrity and have the knowledge to be respected
and trusted by the horse owners/breeders.
Breed shows are another chapter that I will have to write about later.
