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If you would like to host an inspection or help staff an inspection, please contact us at GCDHA@aol.com 2008 Inspection Sites: Danville, IN - There will be an inspection held on Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, IN. Start time is 12:00 Noon, followed by a picnic style barn party. This inspection is being held in conjunction with the Heartland Feathered Classic (HFC), offering 2 full days of Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse classes. For more information, go to GCDHA News and Events Phoenix, AZ - Sept. 30 & Oct. 1, 2008 - Hosted by Desert Jewel Gypsies, www.djwwgypsyhorses.com Would you like an inspection in your area? We are happy to arrange an inspection in any area that provides enough interest, so get together with your friends and let us know where you would like to see the next inspection site. Inspection Criteria (General) This is an outline of the inspection and licensing requirements. It describes what to expect at an inspection. Copies of the blank judge’s evaluation sheet will be made available to all participants within 30 days prior to the inspection. A copy of the actual inspection score sheet, with comments, will also be sent to owners within 30 days of the last inspection. Inspections will consist of 2 divisions, one for horses 2 years of age and older (Status Testing and Stallion Approval) and one for horses under 2 years of age (Premium Grading). Status Testing will consist of 3 levels. A minimum of Level I inspection is mandatory for breeding stallions seeking licensing approval. Level II & III are solely voluntary but encouraged for the serious breeders. Height measurements will be taken on all mature horses. All stallions seeking breeding licenses will have to undergo a vet exam. The exam will include (as a minimum) an inspection to determine that both testicles are fully descended with no obvious abnormalities, a soundness test (including heart, lungs and flexion test) and inspection of the mouth/bite and eyes. This exam is to be done prior to the inspection and is the responsibility of the stallion owner. Exam forms will be provided by the GCDHA. Questionable conclusions resulting from this vet exam may require further tests/x-rays to rule out potential genetic abnormalities. Licensing approval for 2 year old stallions will be given only as a provisional license and those stallions must be re-inspected by the end of their 4 year old year before being issued their permanent approval. Stallions inspected at 3 years of age, or older, who pass their inspection, will be given permanent approval. Stallion licenses, permanent or provisional, will not be issued to any horse less than 2 years of age. Licensed stallions who have been proven to consistently produce very poor quality offspring, or offspring with genetic abnormalities, may have their licenses suspended and/or revoked. Status Levels and Stallion Licensing: Level I: All horses will be inspected in-hand while standing quietly and also at the walk and trot. Inspection criteria will include breed characteristics, conformation, movement, soundness and temperament. Applicants may be asked to present their horses on the triangle or other patterns. Level I is the minimum requirement for stallions seeking licensing approval. Level II: All Level II inspections require the horse to be presented working, either driving or under saddle. Ridden horses will work at walk, trot, and canter and stand quietly and may also be asked to back. Driven horses will work at a walk, trot and working trot and must also stand quietly. Horses may be asked to back and, depending on type of driven presentation, may also be asked to canter (i.e., driven dressage, etc.). A simple pattern may be requested but shall not include lead changes or hand gallops. Scoring will include marks from the Level I inspection plus additional marks to include brilliance of working movement, safety, soundness, willingness and work ethic. Level III: The highest level of inspection is geared towards breeding mares and stallions (geldings see the note below) and would require that horses first be presented in Levels I & II. Level III will be based on horse’s previous Level I & II scores plus on the scores of a minimum number of registered offspring (offspring to include Drum Horses and Gypsy Cobs but no part-breds to be included). Note: Minimum number of offspring required still to be determined but would be approximately 4 offspring for mares and 10 offspring for stallions. Any 2 levels, or even all 3 levels, of inspection may take place during a single inspection or may be spread out over a number of years and inspections and/or inspection sites. There will be no extra charge for Level II inspection if done at the same time as a Level I. Level III inspections will only be assessed the cost of individual inspection of said offspring. Offspring of Level III applicants need not be owned by the same owner. Schooling your horse for an inspection: All horses should lead willingly at a walk and trot, moving briskly in a straight line. They should also stop and stand quietly, allowing inspectors to safely touch the legs, check the bite, etc. Horses being presented in Level II should be working quietly and safely in the chosen discipline and stand quietly, upon request. Status designation: All horses passing the Level I testing, will be designated as an Approved horse. Horses passing the test with a high enough score, will be designated as Star status. Horses passing both Level I & II testing, will be designated as Model. Those horses who were designated as Star, from the Level I test, and who also passes Level II with a high enough score, will be designated as Preferred Model. Horses passing Levels I, II & III will be designated as Elite. Horses previously designated as Preferred Model, who pass Level III testing with a high enough score, will be designated as Elite Gold. Note on Geldings: Because geldings cannot be judged on offspring, to attain elite status they must be judged in both ridden and driven disciplines. For instance, if they attained their Model status while being ridden, they would be required to test for Elite status while being driven. If they received their Model status while being driven, they would be required to test for Elite status while being ridden. Designation status in the Approval Testing, from lowest to highest (for horses 2 years of age, or older):
Horses under 2 years of age are encouraged to be brought forward for inspection but will only be shown in-hand. These scores will become a permanent part of their inspection record, though they will not count toward stallion licenses or Status Testing. Designation of awards for horses under the age of 2 years will be recorded as Graded Premiums and listed as follows, from lowest to highest.
Awards and/or incentives may be given to the high scoring horse(s), nationwide, to be determined either by age, category, level or gender. These awards and/or incentives may change from year to year. These awards are different from our year-end show awards and do not require nomination. For 2006, the GCDHA will be granting a gelding incentive by way of a cash award for the national high scoring gelding. FAQs The GCDHA has taken the lead in their commitment to quality breeding practices. All breeding stallions must be brought forward for a physical inspection to receive their stallion licensing. Below is a list of frequently asked questions that may be of interest. Q. - What does this mean to me and will my stallion lose his registration if he is not brought forward for inspection or does not receive a score high enough to allow him his license? A. - Stallions that are not brought forward for inspection, or who have scores too low to receive a license, will not lose their registration status. However, these stallions and any foals sired by these stallions and born in 2007, or later, will only be allowed in a section of the stud book designated as “Non-approved”. Q. – Does my stallion have to be inspected every year? A. – No, once a stallion is licensed, he does not have to be inspected again. However, even if a stallion has received his license, he may lose it if he sires foals of consistently poor quality or is proven to pass genetic defects. Q. - If I have a foal registered in the Non-approved Stud Book, is there any way I can get it moved to the Main Stud Book? A. – Yes, any offspring sired by a non-approved stallion, may be brought forward for inspection. If they receive an acceptable score, they may be moved to the Main Stud Book, based on their own merits. In addition, if a non-approved stallion is ever brought forward for inspection and receives his stallion license, all previously sired foals will be transferred to the Main Stud Book. Q. – I am very committed to a quality breeding program, is there something more I can do, besides having my stallion licensed? A. – Yes, in addition to stallions, our inspections are open to all registered Gypsy Cob and Drum Horses. Having your mares inspected is optional but is an exemplary way to evaluate your breeding stock and offer potential clients a keen insight into the quality of your breeding program. Plus, we offer gelding incentives for high scoring geldings. Q. – How old does my stallion have to be before he is inspected. A. – A horse may be inspected at any age, but for purposes of issuing a Stallion License, a horse must be a minimum of 24 months at the time of inspection and we strongly urge all owners to wait until 3 years of age before breeding their horses. Q. – If my stallion scores too low to receive his license, do I have another chance to have him inspected? A. – Yes, if your stallion does not score well enough, you can bring him back the following year for re-evaluation. Many young horses can take several years to reach their full potential and may not score high enough if they are too young and/or immature at their initial presentation. Q. – Why are we required to do a physical inspection instead of just photos and video? A. – While we trust the integrity of our members, we know that photos and videos can often give a skewed perception of what a horse really looks/moves like. Many, less-than-beautiful horses can appear quite spectacular when photographed by a talented individual. The reverse can also be true, some truly superior horses are occasionally not very photogenic or have the luck of belonging to someone a little less talented with a camera. Not only are photos ineffective at capturing the true quality of a horse, they cannot allow a thorough exam of the leg and bone beneath the feather nor can they give a true representation of a horse’s disposition. Disposition is a key characteristic of a Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse and far too important to try and evaluate through photos/vidoes, alone. - Forms needed for inspections (also available on the FORMS page): |
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