The keuring information booklet and entry form was mailed on April 22 or is available in PDF format at http://www.nawpn.org/kinfo04.pdf. Entries close July 23; late entries will not be accepted after August 6, 2004.

Hunter classes: Hunter Studbook classes for mares, four years old and older, will be offered at the Virginia and California inspections. The inspection for hunter horses consists of four parts: Conformation, Walk/Trot on a Hard Surface, Free movement, and a Performance Test. The Performance Test (Hunter IBOP) will consist of three parts - flat-work and two rounds over fences.

The hunter keuring jury will include Judy Richter. A past winner of the AHSA Horsewoman of the Year award, Judy Richter is a nationally known instructor and a licensed "R" judge, and has been a member of the board of directors of USA Equestrian.

DG Bar Cup: The DG Bar Cup, a new competition for three to six year old horses will be offered at all inspection locations. The DG Bar Cup, sponsored by DG Bar Ranch and patterned after the classes for young horses offered in the Netherlands, will stress rideability, balance, rhythm, suppleness and correct riding of the young horse.

Identification: Mares successfully inspected for Hunter Studbook will be implanted with a microchip for identification. Hunters will not be branded. In addition to the fact that many hunter riders/owners do not want a brand on their horse, the frequent buying and selling, changes of name and division sometimes make these horses difficult to track or identify. A microchip will enable us to keep track of the performance or identity of these horses, whereas a brand will not. We also are very interested in implementing a microchip identification system for all NA/WPN horses so feel it is appropriate to start this system with the new hunter division.

Retroactive Registration:
For a two year period, June 1, 2004 to June 1, 2006, Riding Type (RP) mares meeting the pedigree qualifications can be accepted into the appropriate book in the Hunter breeding direction (HP).

If the mare owner chooses to keep the mare's RP papers and her RP breeding possibilities, as well as adding the HP breeding possibilities, the RP papers can be stamped 'accepted into the XX book of the NA/WPN Dutch Hunters'. Her type remains RP. Her foals can be registered in either the RP or the HP book depending on the pedigree and outcome of inspection of the foal.

The mare can also be issued HP papers in the appropriate book. However, in order to do this, the mare must give up her RP papers and will lose her RP designation. Her type will be changed to HP.

Outside (ASR) mares can also be accepted for the HP books and have their papers stamped accordingly.

Unregistered horses out of Approved hunter stallions will be considered on a case by case basis during this two year (June 1, 2004 to June 1, 2006) period. Proof of breeding must be submitted and parentage verification must be completed.

Equine influenza jumps species barrier
Toronto Globe & Mail, April 23, 2004

Gainesville, Fla. Eight Jacksonville racing greyhounds were killed by an equine influenza virus that jumped the species barrier from horses to dogs, University of Florida researchers announced Thursday. The researchers said their findings involve only the Jacksonville dogs, but they will investigate possible connections to similar disease outbreaks that have affected racing dogs in Florida and elsewhere in recent years. The deaths occurred in January

Full text:
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040422.whound0422/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/

Thanks to two addtional contributions, the new grant for YHC qualifiers is now at $1,550. The funds collected will be used to assist NA/WPN bred horses qualified to compete at the FEI Young Horse Finals (Dressage) in Verden, Germany. The progress of the fund can be tracked at Young Horse Grant.

The fund goal for 2004 is $5,000 and no grants will be awarded until the fund reaches the original goal amount. We hope to reach this level in order to support qualifying horses in 2004. In order to qualify for a grant, a 5 or 6 year old horse must have been born in the United States or Canada, be registered with the NA/WPN and owned by a member in good standing and must have earned the needed score (according to the NGB) in regional or provincial finals and be qualified to compete in the World Championships. The horses can compete for the U.S. or for Canada.

Thanks again to La PrairieAire Warmbloods for seeding this fund. But we need your help as well. If every member contributes $5, we will be able to help two fellow breeders, riders and/or owners of NA/WPN bred horses and share as a community in the pride of our quality offspring. Contributions may be sent to the NA/WPN:

FEI Young Horse Fund
c/o NA/WPN
P.O. Box O
Sutherlin, OR 97479

It’s foaling time again! And time for a few reminders for all those the first timer breeders as well as seasoned ones.

If you are not the owner of record of your WPN mare, a transfer of ownership must be recorded on your mare before papers will be issued on her offspring. If it is a lease arrangement, a copy of the lease agreement between the lessor and the owner of record will need to be filed with the NA/WPN. For any mare that is not WPN, please send a copy of her registration paper and 3-generation pedigree. Owners of mares bred to any WPN stallion standing in North America will have to attach the white copy of the stallion service certificate to the completed Declaration of Birth. The certificate is issued by the stallion owner/manager. If you have not received your copies of the stallion service certificate by the time your foal is due, please contact the stallion owner or manager to request it.Names of foals born in 2004 must begin with the letter Z and are limited to 16 characters and spaces in length. There is no limit to the number of foals that can share the same name.

Photos are important. They do not have to be portraits but should show true color and markings with detail including the feet. Submitted photos will be kept
in the horse’s file and may be used for reference if papers are ever lost or destroyed. Digital photos printed on plain paper are acceptable as long as the
photos are clear and represent true color. Emailed photos are not acceptable for foal registration or transfer of ownership at this time.

Declarations of Birth are processed, foals are assigned numbers and a foal DNA or blood-type kit is sent to the owner. If your mare has not been blood or DNA typed previously, a kit for the mare may be purchased from the NA/WPN for $60. Foal papers will not be issued until parentage is verified and all other requirements are met. Recipient mares for Embryo Transfer foals must also be typed. Typing methods of all horses involved in a foal registration must match, blood to blood or DNA to DNA.

This is a brief overview of foal registration. Please refer to the letter included with your Declaration of Birth for more details. If you have questions regarding foal registration, transfer of ownership or registration status; please contact the NA/WPN office. Best wishes for a happy and successful foaling season.