I saw mention of this over on the H/J forum… but nothing shown to back it up… as I show my babies on the line, I’m curious to see the rule and figure out if I need to get my babies chipped? Anyone have the link or know where in the rule book it is?? Much appreciated!
I am not finding it in the rule book either.
I think it is something that I being seriously considered for future rules, but not a current rule.
But could be missing it.
FEI DOES require microchipping for all new FEI passports.
Yea, i spent 20 minutes reading through the rule book… and searched it for the word microchip to no avail…
I think its great, and plan to start chipping my foals.
The microchip proposal was withdrawn by its proponent (USHJA) prior to the USEF’s annual meeting.
The United States Sport Horse Breeders Association (USSHBA) is following this issue closely, and has reached out to USEF, highlighting the importance to the entire sport horse community of updating the Federation’s national equine ID system, and proposing initiatives toward that end.
You can support our continued efforts and add your voice to ours, by joining as a member of the USSHBA.
The Federation currently accepts and will include microchip information if provided with it either on an initial application for horse recording or as an update to an existing horse recording.
Be aware that while the Federation currently does not dictate which chip system to use, certain chips are FEI-compliant (ISO 11784/ISO 11785), while others (including AVID) are not. Any future proposal will certainly specify FEI compliant chips.
Even though chipping is not yet mandatory for US based horses competing at the National level or below, there is no reason they can’t be chipped.
And chipping is now required (by the FEI) for all horses who have been issued an FEI Passport and are competing at any FEI sanctioned competition (whether here or abroad).
…The United States Sport Horse Breeders Association (USSHBA) is following this issue closely, and has reached out to USEF, highlighting the importance to the entire sport horse community of updating the Federation’s national equine ID system, and proposing initiatives toward that end…
What are you doing exactly? Could you be more specific?
…The Federation currently accepts and will include microchip information if provided with it either on an initial application for horse recording or as an update to an existing horse recording…
Which means absolutely nothing with their current numbering and registration process.
Specifically, we have created an independent organization that provides breeders with an avenue to make their voices heard and the sport horse community with a new venue in which to interact with breeders and those who are interested in the development of US bred sport horses.
Please visit www.usshba.org if you care to know more.
The fact that microchipping is available and in use regardless of Federation requirements is actually a pretty useful thing to know about, particularly if you are an owner about to ask a vet to do a pre purchase exam. And the Federation having a microchip on record for a particular horse means that in the future, its identity can be verified. That’s a little more than “nothing.”
Apologies… I meant: what are you doing exactly about USEF not doing anything about changing their rules and regulations in record keeping and horse ID so that US bred sport horses (and imported ones) do not disappear, change names, age and USEF numbers, etc, etc…
Microchiping is very useful but only if the information linked with it (the horse in this case) is accurate and complete to start with and kept in a controlled and well organized database. Since USEF’s data base is very far from what it should be, I stand on the fact that for USEF to have a microchip number on a few horses is good for nothing at this time.
Before thinking about microchiping our horses, we need to worry about simple horse registration and proper IDs and accurate record keeping of any horse that competes in the US in any disciplines. It is USEF’s job to keep these records and we all pay a fair amount to them for a job they do not do well at all.
I looked at your website and I think it is good you exist but I did not see anything about this issue which is why I am asking, what are you going to do about it?
I am sure that breeders (that includes me by the way) will be happy to support your group but you will have to be ready for questioning and providing solid answers.
[QUOTE=Quixotic;7417179]
I am sure that breeders (that includes me by the way) will be happy to support your group but you will have to be ready for questioning and providing solid answers.[/QUOTE]
The USSHBA is a veritable who’s who of American breeders, in my opinion, not just some upstart group who may be unaware of the short-comings of the USEF. The group is new and since the USHJA just withdrew their microchipping proposal in December 2013 it is likely that a new stance will be taken in the coming months. Since the group does not just express the opinions of one solitary member, I am glad that they are taking the time to put together their thoughts and the thoughts of their members on this issue rather than just coming on to a BB and saying the first thing that sounds good.
You have a point there Stoney and I agree with you, it takes time to put together a good plan to tackle such a big problem and a very good plan will be necessary if it is to succeed. I do not doubt the good intentions of USSBA (including the people that run it) but the word on the street is: it took quite a while for the group to get off the ground (which is normal) and now that it is off and running, not much seems to be going on. Having good intentions is wonderful; acting on them is really what counts.
When I ask: what are you going to do about it, I am simply asking for a reply that has a bit more substance than what was given which I found vague.
Anyone know why the microchipping rule proposal was withdrawn?
Obviously some of the H/J Powers That Be were opposed. Perhaps the rule could be proposed by one of the other affiliate Associations/Federations. Because if the H/J PTBs don’t want their horses identified for whatever reason, USHJA is not going to push it.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;7418594]
Anyone know why the microchipping rule proposal was withdrawn?
Obviously some of the H/J Powers That Be were opposed. Perhaps the rule could be proposed by one of the other affiliate Associations/Federations. Because if the H/J PTBs don’t want their horses identified for whatever reason, USHJA is not going to push it.[/QUOTE]
From “Postcard: USHJA Annual Meeting” by Nancy Jaffer:
"So in line with that, there was a furor over a proposed rule calling for having a bill of sale on every horse. It would have to be executed by the buyer, seller, leasor and agents and distributed to everyone involved. Amazing to me there’s a lot that owners don’t know much about the horses they spent a fortune buying.
Wonder why professionals started frothing over the prospect of issuing a bill of sale? Many won’t deal with a bill of sale, and as a result, a lot of horse owners are clueless about transactions that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even more. Without a bill of sale, you might not know the real purchase price (so the trainer tells you it’s $60,000, but is it really half that, with the rest being padding or commissions to a plethora of unseen agents?) And if there’s been a name change on the animal, you can’t easily find out what he did before you bought him.
But the proposal, which is similar to what is required for real estate transactions, had a Big Brotheresque feel to many in the forum where this was discussed.
Ironically, the key word used over and over at the meeting was “transparency.” There are some who want it for what USHJA and USEF do, but won’t consider it for their dealings.
Along the same lines, there was vehement opposition to a proposal calling for microchipping horses competing in USEF shows. FEI horses have to be microchipped, but objections to making it mandatory across the U.S. divisions include cost (especially important for owners of multiple horses) and lack of assurance during the meeting that it’s foolproof identification, which can’t be tampered with or removed.
This rule proposal is being rewritten and will be re-presented at the USEF annual meeting next month (at least it’s after the holidays!) We’ll be going through everything (and more) again there, because the federation is the final word on enacting rules."
link to the rest of the article: http://www.equisearch.com/news/postcard-ushja-annual-meeting/
Sounds as if none of the rules that would change current horse show culture made it through the USHJA meeting. Even the ones that were proposed by the vets. Very disappointing.
It’s hard to believe that people who have horses worth in multiple thousands find spending $100 to make sure that the horses carry their identities throughout their careers is a burden. They spend far more than that monthly just on farriers.
And it seems that five horses at least went for the Pre-Green Incentive Money when they were not eligible. There certainly do seem to be at least a few rotten apples in the show world who make the whole barrel emit unpleasant odors.
The discussion on this thread mirrors prior discussions, both on COTH and at the convention. It is a rehash of a rehash and is not providing any new information.
Fine. There is no law against repetition, but I do not understand WHY the obligation to microchip is being discussed. If a rule had passed requiring everyone to microchip had been passed, would this conversation be happening?
Why don’t people go ahead and microchip their horses anyway? Particular to this forum is the problem that breeders lose track of their homebreds, which upsets them tremendiously. So, why wait for TPTB make a rule which mandates microchipping? The FEI already has a designated type of chip and chip reader — so people are not swimming in the dark when deciding what system to use.
Seriously, it really puzzles me why people do not microchip on their own. I am having my young horse microchipped before he goes to his first show because it gives me peace of mind. Just as having my dogs microchipped gives me peace of mind. I don’t need to have another reason. Why do other people need a reason to microchip, or not microchip?
[Actually I do have an idea of why people do not want to microchip unless they have to (but I want to be wrong): They believe that it will lessen the value of their horse because BNT’s will not want to buy or sell it because if the horse is microchipped the BNT cannot illegally change its name or show record or age. Am I right? I hope not.]
Well, I practiced what I preach. Had my eight yo microchipped this fall just in case and with an FEI compliant microchip. No problem and cost about $100.
My mare is tattooed, so didn’t think it was necessary for her.
Lord Helpus: the issue and conversation here is not about whether or not you can microchip your own horse. The problem here is that even if you microchip your horse and then sell it to someone that changes its name and info without telling anyone that it has a microchip, your horse will still disappear from the USEF records because nobody at USEF will check. Which is why, like Vineyridge mentions, you have 1.50m imported horses doing pre-green at USEF “A” shows here. Most horses in EU have a microchip linked to their full info (Name, registry, sire, etc…).
The USSHBA has made the “one horse-one lifetime number” via micro-chipping (or retina scan), preferably using the universal numbering system in use by Europe, a primary goal, though only a part of the USSHBA’s overall ‘reason for being’. It has taken two years to get the USSHBA properly and legally framed. We need the membership - and need a membership ready to work to represent breeders’ interests locally, regionally, and nationally. The USEF microchip proposal, withdrawn for further study, was not to go into effect in any form until 2015 and needed further study at the committee level as reported. The entire data system used by USEF would need to be retooled to reflect pedigree tied to performance, breeder information, country of origin, equine description, etc… This would bring us up to date with Europe in tracking our equine produce. It needs to be done as a ‘the whole pie’ and not ‘slice by slice’ and this takes a HUGE amount of lobbying by breeders and interested parties, obviously ranged against those parties in favor of reinventing sport horses, both U.S. breds and imports, at will. Working with the sport horse registries and with the national discipline organizations to further education of breeder and buyer, to develop marketing strategies for breeders’ produce, to target problems unique to the U.S. due to size and climate, and to be able to track U.S. bred horses consistently by both performance record and pedigree - these are USSHBA goals. It’s going to take work. Please join us.
Diane Halpin
Laurel Leaf Hanoverians
United States Sport Horse Association Steering Group
It is very easy to throw stones when you are using a screen name. Harder, and much more time consuming to create a viable new organization from scratch.
After a year spent developing an infrastructure including bylaws, articles of incorporation, application to the IRS for non-profit status, opening a bank account with seed money contributed by steering committee members, hiring an accountant, building a website, and engaging the services of an attorney, the USSHBA was launched two scant months ago.
The activities of the steering committee since launching have been directed toward outreach, sitting for press interviews, attending functions such as the annual meetings of various discipline groups and registries, and other gatherings and events in an effort to recruit a membership base that will sustain its functions as a group.
A Facebook page (that has drawn more than 2000 likes as of this post) has been created so that interested individuals can could, without making a financial commitment, begin to form a community around the USHHBA and to facilitate convenient access to information about the group, and to encourage communication with each other and with the USSHBA committee.
Those joining the USSHBA as members who have indicated a willingness to volunteer their time will shortly be invited to an orientation via teleconference which will take place at the end of this month, at which action plans and strategic approaches toward various goals will be discussed.
In the meantime, USSHBA members, including myself, have not been shy about speaking out on behalf of breeders on issues (including the microchip proposal) that have been indicated as areas of primary concern to the sport horse breeding community. To succeed in brining about changes, a case must be made for action, and many individuals beyond the breeding community must be convinced that their interests will be best served by supporting those seeking to move in a new direction. To that end, the USSHBA has responded to two recent COTH editorials with a Letter to the Editor which will appear in the next print issue (February 10th), and has already been distributed to online subscribers.
It’s not surprising that the pace of accomplishment for our new group has been slow to catch up to the pressure resulting from years of insufficient representation and fragmentation of the US sport horse breeding community.
Expectations are running rather high, and must be tempered by the reality that it takes time to construct real parts of a real organization that moves in real time in the real world. Quixotic, please put word out ‘on the street’ that anyone hanging out there is welcome to join us and help speed things up.
Mary O’Connor
Interim USSHBA President
usshba@gmail.com
