The incorporation of the African Stud Book Committee into the European and Mediterranean Stud Book Committee (EMSBLC) to form the European and African Stud Book Committee (EASBC) was approved by the ISBC at its meeting in October 2017 and enacted at the EASBC biennial conference in May 2018. This was done to improve compliance within the African Stud Book Committee.

As part of a global compliance review process initiated by the Chairman of the ISBC to ensure consistent and high standards, and management of Approved Stud Books, the South African Stud Book had a compliance visit in April 2017. The subsequent report raised several issues. Since then the Stud Book has made significant progress to address the issues identified and received positive feedback from EASBC on 05 November 2018, (Including the submission of the Stud Book returns (2012 – 2015, Volume 32) and 2016 Supplement that were due)

The mandate of the ISBC and its regional bodies, which includes the EASBC, is to develop and promote the highest standards of Stud Book operations to safeguard the integrity of the Thoroughbred breed. To this end, the South African Stud Book is committed to maintaining its status of “Approved Thoroughbred Stud Book” and consequently the Chief Executive has committed to the below requirements mandated by the EASBC by 31 July 2019:

• Stud Book Rules and policies to be reviewed for alignment with ISBC and IFHA guidance and best practice. These procedures are to be clarified and explained to the breeding and racing industry by means of notices.

• The re-implementation of deadlines and penalties to better align the Stud Book registration timing with the international practice of “registration as early as possible” and “accurate and complete foaling records” well in time for the next scheduled Supplement document. This includes the ISBC rule of 1 year deadline for registration of foals.

• A more satisfactory service to the South African breeders on issues highlighted such as accuracy, new features, versatility and practicality of the online system, the database, online name reservations, statistics and accounting.

• Formalisation of industry procedures for horse import and export to international (ISBC) and national (governmental) guidance and compliance.

• Controls and procedures to be formalised with sales companies to ensure timeous compliance of horses presented at sales.

• Formal investigation into a more modern SA Horseracing database software interface which will be an improvement and may be used by both the Stud Book and the breeders.

Further details will be circulated in due course.