Date: November 1999
Q: In the grading of Teke horses, do they get graded within their line, or all lines mixed together?
So in the same category; mares 2yr old, the champion could be Peren, 2nd
place Arab and so on?

A: You asked about the grading of the Tekes. The horses are divided into age and sex when judged in groups like in other breeds.
They get points on a scale from 1-10 on type and conformation in the show ring, they also get classified after the overall impression and breeding value in class II, class I and elite.
When registered into the stud book the horse also gets points for
performance ( so far only from the Russian/Turkmen race tracks), pedigree, measurements and quality of offspring.
The highest points go to the best type and comformation Teke, the horse
should foremostly be a good type Teke, but also a good representative for the stallion line. For example Karaburgut who won the European Elite Sire Trophy this year is supposed to be the best representative of the Kaplan line today.
When selecting breeding animals one looks at their lines and on how to
combine the lines, some lines combine good and some are not to be combined for a good result.
It is also important for a small breed like the Tekes to work intensly with the lines to avoid inbreeding depression.