The Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook Breeding Programme
1. Name of the breed and the establishment of the Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook
When in 2002, the Irish Cob Society established the first partbred breed studbook for the feathered cob created in Ireland by Irish Travellers, the Irish Cob Society named the studbook the Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook. In 2002, the Irish Cob Society was officially approved by the Irish authorities in accordance with Article 2(1) of Decision 92/353/EEC to maintain its Irish Cob Studbook as an EU-recognised studbook in respect of which the Irish Cob Society was therefore authorised to issue the identification document (passport) established in Decision 93/623/EEC and subsequently as amended in Decision 2000/68/EC, and subsequently to issue identification documents (passports) and the 'organisation or association officially approved by the Member State' referred to in Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) 504/2008.
Because the Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook established by the Irish Cob Society was the first studbook in the EU for the partbred breed, the Irish authorities also notified the European Commission in 1998 that the Irish Cob Society was regarded as the body (organisation or association) which maintained the Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook as the studbook of the origin of the breed (aka the 'mother' Irish Cob Studbook)—as referred in 2(2)2nd indent of Decision 92/353/EEC.
2. Characteristics of the breed / The Irish Cob Part Bred Breed Standard
As there is no limit to the horse and pony breeds which can be used to cross with the Irish Cob to produce an Irish Cob Part Bred, Irish Cob Part Breds can be of any type, colour (including the eyes) and height.
The Breed Standard requires:
(a) at least 25% Irish Cob blood (studbook pedigree),
OR,
(b) Score a minimum of 2 points or 1 point for 1. BREED TYPE on the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Supplementary Inspection Sheet.
3. Breeding objectives of the breeding programme
The breeding objectives of the Irish Cob Part Bred Studbook Breeding Programme are:
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To assist Irish Cob stallion owners to keep their stallions by encouraging them to use their stallions not only to cover Irish Cob mares, but also to cover mares of other breeds (such as the Irish Draught Horse and Thoroughbred), and therefore to promote the Irish Cob as having a physical structure and temperament suitable for producing in-demand cross-breed leisure and performance horses.
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To protect the Irish Cob Part Bred by the following means of selection and grading:
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By selecting animals with one parent or no parent registered in the studbook, with a view to registering them in the supplementary section of the studbook, so that their progeny can be upgraded to the main section of the studbook.
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By grading animals registered in the studbook as Main Section Class 2, Main Section Class 3 or Supplementary Section Class 4, with a view to upgrading their registration status in the studbook to Main Elite Class 1 or Supplementary Elite Class 1.
4. Division and conditions for entering the studbook
Main Section Class 2
Where an animal has both parents registered in the main section of the studbook, the animal will be registered in the main section as Main Section Class 2.
UPGRADING OF PROGENY OF ANIMALS REGISTERED IN THE SUPPLEMENTARY SECTION
TO REGISTRATION IN THE MAIN SECTION
Main Section Class 3
Where an animal has one parent registered in the main section of the studbook and the other parent registered in the supplementary section of the studbook or, if the animal has both parents registered in the supplementary section of the studbook, then the animal will be registered in the main section of the studbook as Main Section Class 2.
Supplementary Section Class 4
Where an animal has one parent registered in the main section of the studbook, and the other parent is not registered in the studbook, then the animal will be registered in the supplementary section of the studbook as Supplementary Section Class 4 – provided that the animal has been approved by at least one qualified Irish Cob inspector/judge having scored less than 8 points for ‘Breed Type’ on the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Supplementary Section Registration Inspection Sheet.
Where an animal has one parent registered in the main section of the studbook, and the other parent is registered in the supplementary section of the studbook, then animal will be registered in the supplementary section of the studbook as Supplementary Section Class 4 – provided that the animal has been approved by at least one qualified Irish Cob Studbook inspector/judge having scored a minimum of 8 points for ‘Breed Type’ on the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Supplementary Section Registration Inspection Sheet.
UPGRADING THE REGISTRATION STATUS OF ANIMALS REGISTERED IN MAIN OR SUPPLEMENTARY SECTION TO ELITE CLASS 1 REGISTRATION
Main Elite Class 1
Where an animal is registered in the main section of the studbook as Main Section Class 3 or Main Section Class 4, then the animal is eligible for grading with a view to upgrading its registration status in the main section of the studbook to Main Elite Class 1.
Supplementary Elite Class 1
Where an animal is registered in the supplementary section of the studbook as Supplementary Section Class 4, then the animal is eligible for grading with a view to upgrading its registration status in the supplementary section of the studbook to Supp Elite Class 1.
5. Grading rules
Stallions: All stallions graded by the Irish Cob Society must be registered in the main or supplementary section, must have reached three years of age, must be graded by at least two qualified Irish Cob inspectors/judges at a grading inspection using the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Stallion Grading Sheet, must pass an examination carried out by a qualified veterinary surgeon, and be PSSM/1 and FIS negative.
Mares & Geldings: All mares and geldings graded by ICSI must be registered in the main or supplementary section, must have reached three years of age, and must be graded by at least two qualified Irish Cob inspectors at a grading inspection using the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Mare Grading Sheet or the Irish Cob Society (ICS) Gelding Grading Sheet.
5. Geographical territory for the breeding programme
The geographical territory for the Breeding Programme covers Ireland and Northern Ireland and any other geographical territory where there is a demand for registering Irish Cobs in the studbook of origin of the breed in Ireland.
6. System for identifying animals
MAIN SECTION
A breeding animal that is qualified for registration in the main section of the studbook must be identified within 12 months of its date of birth and have a transponder implanted by a qualified veterinarian, and the covering certificate and DNA parentage verification (by hair sample) provided. If the breeding animal is not identified within 12 months of its date of birth, it must be issued a replacement passport in which it will be classified as not intended for slaughter for human consumption. The Irish Cob Society Zootechnical Certificate is also included in the studbook passports.
SUPPLEMENTARY SECTION
A breeding animal that has qualified for registration in the supplementary section of the studbook must be identified within 12 months of its date of birth and have a transponder implanted by a qualified veterinarian, and DNA parentage verification (by hair sample) provided if one parent is registered in the studbook. If the breeding animal is not identified within 12 months of its date of birth, it must be issued a replacement passport in which it will be classified as not intended for slaughter for human consumption. Zootechnical Certificates are included in the studbook passports.
7. System for recording pedigree
Where an animal that is being registered in the studbook has had its pedigree verified in accordance with 6 above, the animal shall have its verified pedigree recorded on the database and in its passport. Any verified recorded ascendants will also be shown in its passport.
8. Population of animals in the breeding programme
All entire males and all females registered in the studbook are breeding animals and are therefore included in the breeding programme.
9. Number of breeders in the breeding programme
All breeders who register breeding animals and/or their progeny in the studbook are included in the breeding programme.
10. Rights and obligations of breeders and the breed society
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF BREEDERS
(a) Breeders’ rights shall be respected; breeders shall not be discriminated against, and the right of breeders to ownership of their animals shall be recognised. All breeders who register animals in the breeding book (main section or supplementary sections) are involved in the breeding programme but have free choice in the selection and breeding of their breeding animals and the right to enter them in the breeding book.
(b) Breeders are obliged to identify their animals in accordance with S.I No. 254/2023.
Non-discriminatory treatment of breeders
The Irish Cob Society shall ensure that all breeders are treated equally, and that in the event of a breeder (or other ICSI customer) raising a dispute regarding a decision made by the Irish Cob Society, the aggrieved breeder (or breeders) can invoke the appeals procedure referred to in the Irish Cob Society dispute resolution procedure.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE BREED SOCIETY
(a) The breed society shall have the right to define and carry out the breeding programme autonomously in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
(b) By way of derogation to 1(a) above, the breed society shall have the right to exclude breeders from participating in the breeding programme where those breeders fail to comply with the rules of that breeding programme or with the obligations set out in the rules of procedure referred to in point B(1)(b) of Part 1 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
(c) The breed society shall have the right to exclude breeders from membership where those breeders fail to comply with their obligations set out in the rules of procedure referred to in point B(1)(b) of Part 1 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
(d) The breed society shall, without prejudice to the role of the courts, have a responsibility to settle disputes that may arise between breeders, and between breeders and the breed society or breeding operation, in the process of carrying out breeding programmes approved in accordance with Article 8(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 (and where applicable Article 12) in accordance with the rules of procedure referred to in point B(1)(b) of Part 1 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.
The Irish Cob Society