Britain’s OTTB racehorses offered free passport updates

An amnesty this month for Thoroughbreds whose passport needs updating is being offered for November by Weatherbys General Stud Book.

As the primary source of traceability for all thoroughbreds in Great Britain, new owners are required to update their horse’s passport within 30 days of new ownership. Currently, the compliance rate is estimated to be around 20%, meaning traceability of former racehorses becomes significantly reduced after their first step out of racing.

Under the amnesty, the first 500 owners in need of updating their horse’s equine identification document (passport) can do so without incurring the £32 administration fee.

The announcement comes as Britain’s inaugural Thoroughbred Census, launched by British Racing’s Horse Welfare Board in collaboration with research experts at Hartpury University, has reached a landmark of 4500 submissions.

As a result of the campaign to date, Weatherbys General Stud Book has reported an increase of 44% in the number of equine identification document (passport) updates compared to last year. This has prompted the launch of the amnesty period, to encourage even more owners to update their passport when completing the census.

The Thoroughbred Census was introduced to improve the data bank on former racehorses and the lives they go on to lead, and to promote responsible ownership practices.

Horse Welfare Board Programme Director Helena Flynn said the initial uptake of the census from owners across the country had been positive, but the job is far from complete.

“An industry-wide push is still required to promote and encourage owners of all former racehorses to participate. Whether a horse has been retired to a field or is an RoR champion, we want to know about them.

“The equine identification document (passport) amnesty is a significant moment in our continued efforts to improve the traceability of thoroughbreds in Great Britain, once retired from racing,” Flynn said.

Weatherbys General Stud Book General Manager Sharon O’Regan said ensuring that all Thoroughbreds go on to live happy and healthy lives after retiring from racing is a cause important to all of those involved in the sport. She said that while the ongoing cost of maintaining Weatherbys systems and database is significant, the organisation appreciated that paying for the change in ownership may be a barrier for some.

“Therefore we hope that waiving this cost for a period of time to support the census initiative will make a difference and encourage even more thoroughbred owners to bring these details up to date.

“The more complete our database, the more confidence there will be when considering welfare matters around all thoroughbreds not just those currently racing or breeding,” O’Regan said.

Amnesty criteria

Eligibility criteria for equine identification document (passport) amnesty:

• The horse has formerly been registered with a British licensed trainer or has competed on a British racecourse.
• The owner has completed the 2023 Thoroughbred Census for the horse for which they are completing the change of ownership.
• Completed form and passport must be received by Weatherbys General Stud Book between 1 November 2023 and 30 November 2023.
• Horses with an FEI passport are NOT eligible to participate.
• Change of ownership for breeding purposes will NOT be eligible for the amnesty.
• Only the first 500 submissions will be eligible for the amnesty.

The period of amnesty starts on November 1, 2023 and ends on Thursday, November 30. For Weatherbys General Stud Book to waive the fee, owners need to complete a paper change of ownership application form and send it along with their passport. The amnesty is available for the first 500 applications from November 1. Change of ownership application forms can be downloaded here, with more information on how to submit here.

Census closes on December 31

All owners of former racehorses are being asked to complete the Thoroughbred Census between June 28 and December 31, 2023, with the primary objective of helping to improve the traceability of Thoroughbreds after they have retired from racing.

The census requests information on each horse’s passport number, microchip number, age, current residence, second career, and more to provide a robust view of the 2023 British retired racehorse population.

With improved data, British Racing and its aftercare charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), can better support owners with access to educational resources and routes to compete if desired, as well as continue to build informed and helpful communities. Improved data at this stage of a thoroughbred’s life can also help the Horse Welfare Board and RoR improve and adapt welfare initiatives and will, most importantly, enable fast and effective contact in the event of an equine disease outbreak.

The 2023 Thoroughbred Census can be completed online, before closing on December 31, 2023. Completion of the census is not compulsory, but owners are strongly encouraged to join the community and participate. Full results will be reported during the first quarter of 2024.