17/07/2024
AN UPDATE FROM THE AHBF
Dear AHBF Members,
We extend our sincere thanks for your continued support of the Australasian Horse Breeders Federation (AHBF).
The AHBF is dedicated to uniting breeders and breed societies across Australia and New Zealand, bridging the gap between equine breeding and performance. Our efforts target the specific needs and challenges faced by breeders and societies, encouraging horse registration, facilitating data exchange, collaborating with performance organisations, and advocating for verified breeding information.
We need your help in becoming recognised as the peak body for horse breeders in Australasia. We do not seek to replace existing breed societies, we wish to unite them.
Declare Your Support - https://ahbf.org.au/industry-support/
The benefits of having AHBF as the peak body for all Australian and New Zealand breeders and breed societies are numerous:
- Financial sustainability.
- Advocacy and representation.
- Data traceability and verification.
- Industry-leading IT platform.
What We Offer
Over the past 12 months, we have been diligently working on initiatives to grow the services we want to offer to strengthen our community. Here’s a comprehensive update on what we have accomplished and our next steps:
The AHBF is committed to advocating for your interests, securing funding, and driving innovation within the industry.
By supporting AHBF, you directly strengthen our ability to:
- Advocate effectively for the needs and concerns of horse breeders at both national and international levels.
- Champion policies that prioritise breeder support through dedicated funding for breeding programs, breed organisations and research & development initiatives.
- Secure resources to provide AHBF members with access to cutting-edge technology for improved equine data management.
- Facilitate strong partnerships with breeders, breed societies, national and international performance organisations, and regulatory bodies.
Together, we can create a future where breeders are no longer left behind. Your support is critical in making this a reality.
We encourage all members to fill in a declaration to support AHBF as the peak body for horse breeders of Australasia.
Financial Sustainability
It is important to highlight that the performance sector secures millions of dollars in government funding annually.
Meanwhile, breeders dedicated to producing horses for performance receive no financial support. Similarly, breed societies, crucial to maintaining these valuable bloodlines, are largely volunteer-run and operate with minimal resources.
This disparity is unfair and unsustainable. The AHBF exists to bridge this gap and ensure that breeders and breed organisations are recognised and supported. Without the breeders, the performance sector ceases to exist.
To date, we have sustained our operations through donations and loans from board members. However, to continue our vital work, we need a sustainable financial strategy and the support of our members.
Advocacy and Representation
The AHBF is actively advocating for a seat on the National Horse Traceability Implementation Task Force. We believe that breeder and breed organisation representation is essential to establishing a comprehensive and effective traceability system. Although our inclusion hasn’t been confirmed yet, we remain persistent in our outreach efforts. We’ll keep you updated on any developments and encourage you to join us in advocating for a more inclusive approach to ensure the government gets this right for the entire equine community.
We are also seeking an advisory role within EA and will continue our endeavours in this pursuit.
Exploring IT Platforms, Forming a New Partnership and our Achievements so far
Late last year, we explored several IT platforms, including:
- Hippomundo (Belgium)
- Manage My Horse (NZ)
- Horse Records (Aus)
- equiprove (Aus)
After careful consideration, we are thrilled to announce that equiprove has been selected as our preferred choice. We’re excited about the collaboration ahead.
Find out all about equiprove here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU6APurTpIo
We have finalised an agreed understanding that lays the groundwork for AHBF/equiprove joint efforts. Our co-branded social media content is sparking industry conversations about equiprove and AHBF, highlighting the importance of recognising Australasian breeders and the information they collect right at the start of the horse’s journey to the performance sector.
A dedicated expression of interest form has been created for breeders and organisations to join the equiprove platform and contribute their valuable data.
We are actively collaborating with other industry stakeholders and service providers to maximise the visibility of the Australasian equine industry.
equiprove Expression of Interest - https://www.equiprove.com/dashboard
Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication.
Best regards,
Rory Hovell
Chair, AHBF
