I’ve been WAY out of the loop for a long time. The last time I attended a foal inspection was the last year that the Hanoverian Verband branded in Canada iirc.
Are there still WB registries that brand in North America? Do some brand in the US and not in Canada?
Yes, they brand in USA. Not sure in Canada
Some owners opt out of branding
Trakehners (ATA) brand, GOV - German Oldenburg Verband (the REAL Oldenburg registry) does not brand because the ISR/“Oldenburg” Registry wouldn’t relinquish their brand when they split because ISR did not keep the standards of inspection/registration/approvals as the GOV requires. I know the AHS was branding, but not sure if they still are. They branded a couple of years ago at spproval inspection. No idea about AHHA, Westphalian, SF or Zangersheid, etc.
AHS still brands but I think it may be optional. My AHS colt was branded last fall. Microchips are now required for AHS registration.
Warmblood registries in North America that offer hot branding do brand horses in both the U.S. and Canada. There is no reason to brand in one country and not the other. 
More and more breeders are getting away from branding and choosing to microchip instead. It should be noted that hot branding is now banned in several European countries.
Thanks. I know branding in Europe has pretty much gone where it should have gone* many years ago, but I was also under the impression that Hanoverians were no longer branded in Canada. I think that was maybe either a misunderstanding on my part, or mis-information imparted to me.
Editing to add, I believe there are still/were branches of registries within Canada and the US that are/were not exactly closely affiliated. For instance Hanoverian folks are not the same group nor do they/did they share the same brand even though horses on either side of the border might have shared similar bloodlines. But again, I’ve been away from anything even remotely resembling a breeding operation in many years, so.
*my opinion that with chips and dna it’s just a vanity tag + the lack of proper protocols for freezing and long term pain control, oy, it’s a rabid Animal Rights abscess jjust waiting to be lanced. But that isn’t why I asked lol I just wanted to know the state of affairs currently .good to know breeders can opt out .
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Hanoverians in Canada are part of the Hanoverian Verband, while the US is an affiliate, if you will. I doubt the Canadian division brands, but I have a good friend who is a Canadian Hanoverian breeder and I’ll ask her.
The Canadian Hanoverian Society (CHS) has always branded foals. I believe in 2019, branding was banned in Germany, so the German Hanoverian Verband had to switch over to microchipping instead. The Verband still allows other countries (including Canada) to continue branding. CHS breeders now have an option to either brand or microchip.
Daventry you are right, they still brand. According to my Canadian friend, it isn’t optional either. However, she says it is on the way out.
The Westfalen registry still brands in the U.S, it is optional
My Old N/A mare is branded (in Canada).
Sometimes we don’t get a choice - she is actually Hannovarian but they did not offer inspections in this part of the world then and Old N/A cameup regularly. Seemed simpler, and she does have her papers for proof.
These registries hot brand not freeze brand… FYI
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