Stud-Book
In 1890, the Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society was formed with the objects being "to maintain unimpaired the purity of the breed of Shetland ponies and to promote the breeding of these ponies".
This was the first society for a breed of native ponies to be formed in Britain and today is the second largest after the Welsh Pony and Cob Society. The first stud book was published in 1891 and recorded details of 408 mares, many with foals, and 48 stallions.The success of this is shown by the fact that the Stud-Book is in the same format today.
Mother Stud-Book
In 1992 the Society gained official recognition as the stud-book of origin for the breed of Shetland ponies throughout the world. Any other stud-books that record registered Shetland ponies, regardless of their geographical location, are known as Daughter Stud-Books and these must obtain official recognition from the appropriate Ministry within their own country. There can be many officially recognised Daughter Stud-Books within any one country, but only one Mother Stud-Book which sets the principles of entry and the stud-book layout. Approved Daughter Stud-Books must comply with the rules and principles of the Mother Stud-Book (the stud-book of origin of the breed). All the rules of the Mother Stud-Book must be complied with by the Daughter Stud-Books in order to facilitate free trade without barrier.
The Mother Stud-Book was first formed in 1890 in order to protect the pedigree and lineage of pedigree Shetland ponies wherever they may reside in the world. A pedigree Shetland pony born in the United Kingdom, regardless of wherever it is domiciled in the world, has the legal right for its full pedigree to be recognised without restrictions being placed upon its breeding, showing or otherwise. This equally applies to any pedigree Shetland pony registered with any Daughter Stud-Book that is officially recognised.
All Registrations and Transfers of Ownership are processed by the office in Perth, as are Membership applications and Subscriptions.
It is a legal requirement for every UK equine to hold a passport by the age of six months or 31st December in the year of its birth, whichever is later and the Society issues passports for registered Shetland ponies. Details of all these services are to be found on the General Rules pages and Forms.
Society Patron John H. Scott is the Lord Lieutenant of Shetland. Until he retired in 2000 John farmed at Bressay and Noss where the farm held the famous Londonderry Stud from 1873 to 1899.
Principles for Entry into Stud-Books
All offspring of parents entered in the main body of a Stud-Book that have a pedigree established in accordance with the rules of the Mother Stud-Book and the requirements of Commission Decision 96/78EEC must be registered in the main body of that Stud-Book.
Any inspections or performance tests undertaken must be on a voluntary basis and at the choice of the owner.
The main body of a Stud-Book may be divided into pedigree registers according to the animals age and sex.
Where a Stud-Book does contain registers in the main body, animals from another Stud-Book shall be entered in the register of the Stud-Book whose criteria it meets.
If an entire/colt has passed Veterinary inspection to the agreed ISPC International Veterinary standards in any ISPC country, it shall be accepted in the Mother Stud-Book and all other daughter Stud-Books as fully licensed without further inspection and must retain full rights and privileges of a breeding animal.
No supplementary register is applicable to the main body of a closed Stud-Book of pure-bred registered Shetland ponies as no grading up system of non pure-bred ponies is permitted.
All animals registered in the main body of a Stud-Book, irrespective of the registers in which they are registered, must have full rights and privileges of a breeding animal and have no restrictions placed upon them.
All breeders of pure-bred registered Shetland ponies and pure-bred registered Shetland ponies themselves must be treated in an non-discriminatory manner in accordance with Commission Decision 92/353EEC and the ponies must be eligible to be used for showing, breeding and licensing purposes.
International Veterinary Standards - CLICK to download a copy
Introduction to UK Stud-Book
The Mother Stud-Book Society, who is responsible and recognised as the Stud-Book of origin for Shetland ponies, would like to take this opportunity to explain how the Mother Stud-Book is compiled.
The Stud-Book published each year is the complete record of all registrations and transfers of pedigree registered Shetland ponies. There are no supplementary registers.
| Main Stud Book - SPSBS (UK) July 2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedigree Foal Register |
Pedigree Mares Producing First Foal Register |
Pedigree Stallion Register | Pedigree Gelding Register |
|
Register of all foals who have satisfied the pedigree requirements of the mother stud-book are recorded here. Their name is recorded and they are allocated a unique birth identity number |
Register of all mares producing first foal are recorded here. They are allocated a mare number and pedigree is shown with height and colour. Pedigree is shown to grand-dam |
Register of: all stallions all colts that have passed the voluntary veterinary examination in accordance with the ISPC International Veterinary Standards. They are allocated a stallion number and pedigree is shown with height and colour. |
Geldings previously entered in the foal or stallion registers are recorded here and are allocated a gelding number |
| Example: | Example: | Example: | Example: |
|
Marths Merry Felicity AQ 2091 AQ = year of birth Colts and fillies remain in the foal register until: colt undertakes voluntary veterinary examination and is passed, or colt is gelded. filly produces first foal |
Musselbrough Inca M04 = Year when first produce registered 393 = 393rd mare to be registered this year AK 0363 = allocated foal birth registration number |
Stranduff Moonlight S 04 78 / AC 2567 S = Stallion 04 = Year colt passed Voluntary Veterinary inspection 78 = 78th stallion registered this year AC 2567 = allocated foal birth registration number |
Tam of AltamountG 04 56 / AB 133 G = Gelding status 04 = year when registered as gelding 56 = 56th gelding registered this year AB 1334 = allocated foal birth registration number |
Rules of entry for Registration for Pedigree Shetland Ponies in the SPSBS Mother Stud-Book.
All pedigree Shetland Ponies, whose sire and dam are already registered in the SPSBS Mother Stud-Book, have a legal right of entry into the main body of the Mother Stud-Book. All foals must be registered within twelve months of their birth. Any Pedigree Shetland Pony, who has missed the twelve month deadline for registration, may still be registered by the Breeder but will incur additional registration fees and will have to prove parentage with full DNA parentage testing, paid for in full by the breeder at the correct fee in place at that time. The Shetland pony over twelve months old will need to have its own DNA compared to that of its Sire and Dam. Only once DNA has been provided and parentage proven will the pony be accepted for entry into the Stud-Book. The Breeder is the only person who can register a Pedigree foal. The Breeder applies to the SPSBS and must complete a registration application form and lodge this form together with the correct fee at the office of the SPSBS. Any identification rules in force at the time of application must be met by the breeder of the foal/pony. (IDENTIFICATION for registration, is the only part of this article, which may be amended by the duly elected Board of Directors of the SPSBS) The Sire and Dam must already be registered in the main body of the Shetland Pony Stud-Book. No pony shall be accepted for registration whose sire and dam are not already entered in the main body of the Stud-Book of an officially recognised Shetland pony Stud-Book, recognised as a Daughter Stud-Book either by the Mother Stud-Book who is the Stud-Book of origin of the breed of Shetland ponies or as recognised by the legislation of the European Union. All Shetland ponies that are registered in the main body of the SPSBS Mother Stud-Book will have full rights and privileges of a breeding animal and have no restrictions placed upon them.
1. Main body, pedigree foal register for all foals, (one pedigree foal register only in the main body of the Stud-Book, where ALL pedigree Shetland foals are recorded, no restrictions at all placed on any foal).
2. Main body, pedigree mare register for all pedigree mares producing a first foal, (one pedigree mare register only in the main body of the Stud-Book, where ALL pedigree mares producing first foal are recorded, no restrictions at all placed on any mare).
3. Main body, pedigree stallion register for all colts that have passed the voluntary veterinary examination in accordance with the International Shetland Pony Committee, International Veterinary Standards, (one pedigree Stallion register only in the main body of the Stud-Book, where all stallions passing the Voluntary Veterinary Examination, are recorded, no restrictions at all placed on any stallion).
4. Main body, pedigree gelding register for all colts gelded and the owner has forwarded an authentic castration certificate completed by a veterinary surgeon to the office of the SPSBS, (one pedigree gelding register only in the main body of the Stud-Book, where all geldings are recorded, no restrictions at all placed on any gelding). The heritage and tradition in the format of the Mother Stud-Book is of fundamental importance to the Stud-Book of origin and its continued success.
