How to read standardbred brands

June 9, 2005

• How to identify a thoroughbred horse

Standardbred horses in New Zealand and Australia are freeze branded on the neck (offside). Two different systems are used:

• New Zealand uses the "TVI" system, in a two-line brand, using the symbols below.

  

  The three symbols on the top line denote the year of birth, and the Z indicates the horses' country of origin - New Zealand. The bottom line of the brand is a four-symbol number.

  For example a brand may be:
  

  This means the horse was born in 2001, in New Zealand, and its registered number is 1569.

• Australia uses "alpha angle" symbols, and brands are made of two lines of four symbols each.

  

  From August 1, 1987, all freeze brands had an "S" added, denoting the horse is a standardbred. The first letter on all brands is "S", followed by the horses' year of birth, then the state ID number:
  

  
  • 2-New South Wales
  • 3-Victoria
  • 4-Queensland
  • 5-South Australia
  • 6-Western Australia
  • 7-Tasmania

In the example above, the horse was born in South Australia in 1991, and its registered number is 8410.

 

Identifying a thoroughbred horse

In order to identify a thoroughbred horse, you must apply to NZ Racing using this form (PDF). It costs $25.