Above: Kitalpha – 8yr old gelding 25% PRE & 50% Welsh Cob. Competeing at Windsor Park Regional Driving Trials June 2017 for Owner/Breeder Sally Bullar (Kerr).
Photo: Sara Jane Hayes

THE AIMS OF THE PRE FUSION HORSE BREEDING PROGRAMME
The Aim of this Breeding Program, established in 1982, is to improve an adaptable and flexible breed with a minimum of 25% PRE ancestry but preferably with 50% to 75% PRE ancestry which is fused with desired attributes from other breeds that make the resulting products more suitable to the current and ever changing demands of British riders and competitors.
The PFH Breeding Program will utilise cross-breeding as described in Annex II, Part I, Chapter I, Sub-section 2 of EU Regulation 2016/1012. This subsection allows purebred and partbred animals of different breeds to be utilised in breeding programmes provided that the other breed (and other criteria for their usage) is set out in the breeding program.
The ANCCE-LGPRE breeding programme for the PRE Horse is directed towards selection for Dressage, whereas the BAPSH Ltd PRE Fusion Horse breeding programme focuses on producing a healthy and sound Utility horse which is capable of a good performance in a wide range of equine sports, as well as being an excellent riding and pleasure horse suitable for all family members to ride/drive and enjoy.
Popular fusions with the PRE which increase galloping speed on the flat are TB, Anglo-Arab, Warmblood, and Quarter Horse; whereas the addition of Akhal Teke, Turkoman, Trakehner, Arab, Partbred Arab, Tres Sangres, and Welsh Pony/Cob have successfully increased long distance Endurance; for weight carrying horses the mixing of PRE with Shire Horse, Cleveland Bay, Clydesdale, Highland, Dales/Fell Pony, Comtois, Ardennes, Suffolk Punch, etc gives increased bone and substance to the progeny whilst maintaining an active horse able to jump and gallop.

PRE Fusion Horses are successful in many competitive and non-competitive sports but in particular:-
i) Endurance GB (long distance race riding) – with a horse on the National Team before injury forced retirement,
ii) Driving Trials with individual horses and teams qualifying regularly for the National Championships
iii) Eventing
iv) Riding Club Dressage

Breeders of PRE Fusion Horses should ensure that their products retain the proud bearing, innate beauty and charisma of the PRE, and also demonstrate the physical hardiness, strong constitution,  and tough legs and hooves that are a trademark of the PRE Purebred. Another important facet of the PRE Fusion Horse is their intelligent, highly co-operative and very easily trainable nature which is inherited from their PRE  ancestry. It is strongly recommended that owners of PRE Fusion Horses without the above characteristics do NOT breed from them.

SUMMARY OF NEW PROCEDURES:-
1.Improve the Genetic health of the Breed by using modern DNA tests for inheritable Genetic diseases
a) By preventing Genetic diseases from entering the Breeding Book through testing parent stock prior to breeding
b) By testing foals and advising owners to remove affected horses from the breeding population.

2.Provide breeders with a new 5 class system within the Breeding Book’s Main Section to define and track the % PRE blood in their breeding stock and products.

3.Increase knowledge about the breed via the revised Grading for Breeding Approval system which introduces Stage 2 at a central Venue after the horse has passed the Stage 1 Veterinary Reproductive Examination
Stage 2 contains:–
a) Detailed biometrics – 27 measurements
b) Linear morphological conformation and type assessment
c) Movement assessment at walk , trot and canter, in-hand and loose
d) Performance over jumps
e) Temperament assessment

4. Performance Awards to incentivise breeders and owners to assess their horses against the wider equine population and promote the breed on the public stage.

5. Provide breeders, owners, and riders with  the tools and knowledge to select horses for breeding, for competitions, or for general riding/pleasure by using their Grading statistics and results, their Performance Award achievements, and their Genetic Evaluations; this data will be published online via the Equiventus – Equidata system.

SELECTION AND BREEDING OBJECTIVES:-
1.Breeders must maintain an adaptable and flexible breed with a minimum of 25% PRE ancestry but preferably with 50% to 75% PRE ‘Approved for Breeding’ ancestry which is fused with desired attributes from other pure-breeds and part-breeds that make the resulting products more suitable to the current and ever changing demands of British riders and competitors.
CLICK HERE for MORE INFORMATION on REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET BEFORE BREEDING and PERMITTED BREEDING PRACTICES.

2. Breeding Evaluation:- Breeders of PRE Fusion Horses must ensure that their products retain the proud bearing, innate beauty and charisma of the PRE, and also demonstrate the physical hardiness, strong constitution,  and tough legs and hooves that are a trademark of the PRE Purebred. Breeders should also strive to maintain the intelligence and highly co-operative, very easily trainable nature inherited from their PRE ancestry.
Breeding Evaluation is compulsory for PRE Fusion Stallions over 3yrs old before they may be used to cover mares; only PRE Fusion Stallions with the above characteristics will be Approved for Breeding. Breeders should also select their mares according to the above criteria, and it is recommended that mares are also presented for Breeding Evaluation but this is not compulsory.
CLICK HERE for MORE INFORMATION on BREEDING EVALUATION/GRADING

3. First-crosses:- Breeders may continue to introduce new blood into their breeding program via first-cross products between Approved for Breeding PRE Stallions/Mares and any purebred or partbred registered equine of another breed that in their opinion will assist them to achieve their own goals. Providing the essential minimum 25% PRE blood is maintained the progeny of the introduced other breed will be registered in the Main Section of the PRE Fusion Breeding Book.
Progeny of non-pedigree mares sired by Approved PRE stallions are registered into the Appendix-A of this Breeding Book.
Appendix-A mares should be bred to an Approved PRE stallion to result in the second generation (75% Pedigree PRE) upgrading to the PRE Fusion Breeding Book Main Section .

4.Performance Awards in Competetive and non-Competitive Sport: – The continuing development and improvement of the breed is supported by recognition of the success of PRE Fusion Horses via the main equestrian sporting disciplines and also via alternative disciplines such as Working Equitation, Le Trec, and Horse Agility, and non-professional sports.
Mares, Stallions and Geldings can gain points for achieving specific scores or %. The number of points required to achieve the Performance Award ‘Sport’ designation is dependent upon the Sport; points must be achieved across a minimum of 5 shows/competitions in a 12 month period. The Owner of the horse must submit documentation to the BAPSH at the end of the 12 month period to prove the achievements. The horse is then awarded the title of Sport-Drs, Sport-SJ, Sport-Ev, Sport-En, or Sport Drv, or any combination of these titles.
Retrospective Performance Awards:-  Applications from owners for BAPSH to recognise, retrospectively, Sports points achieved in previous years before this Performance Award Scheme was initiated will be considered on a horse by horse basis providing the documentation provided is solid.

PREFERENT Title for Outstanding Brood Mares and Breeding Stallions – Mare or Stallions who have Four progeny (mares, stallions, and geldings) who all achieve a Sports Performance Award are given the title PREFERENT . This is shown on their online records and pedigree, and the PREFERENT Sticker is placed into their Passport.

Performance Awards are entered into the Passport (Equine Identity Document) Non- Statutory pages, and onto the online Equidata system for the individual horse and for the Sire and Dam. Breeders are encouraged to use this data to guide their selection of the best PRE Fusion Horses to use in their own Studfarm Breeding Program.

Below: Four lovely mares and a filly, who are four direct generations of PRE Fusion breeding at Mandy Wheatcroft’s Mill Park Andalusian Stud. From Left to Right: Mill Danzadora – 50% PRE by Euclides (PRE) ex TB mare; Mill Pequenez – 75% PRE by Diamante XXVI (PRE); Mill Ilustre –  82.5% PRE by Mill Gravitar (PRE);  and centre below, Mill Balistica at 5mths – 91.25% PRE by Kilate VI (PRE).

5.Genetic Evaluation:-  Some popular purebreeds are documented to have one or more inheritable genetic defects within their breed population. It is important to prevent the entry of these genetic defects into the PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Book Main Section, therefore BAPSH requires breeding horses from certain breeds to be tested for the relevant genetic defect/s if they do not already have a Clear/Negative Certificate. If there is no negative certificate for a sire/dam of an affected breed, the resultant Foal/s must be tested for the relevant defect/s.
The aim is to reduce to zero the incidence of known testable genetic defects within the PRE Fusion Horse.
Genetic defects currently tested for:-
PSSM1
Hydrocephalus
Dwarfism

Genetic defects under consideration for testing:-
WFFS
HYPPD

DNA Sampling Procedure for Genetic Evaluation – Hair samples are extracted by a Veterinarian at the time of Foal registration or adult Grading and sent to BAPSH Ltd in a certified envelope. The sample is processed by Animal Genetics UK and the results certificate returned to BAPSH Ltd for database entry and then forwarded to the owner.
Horses with any of the above genetic defects cannot be bred from within this Breeding Book but will remain registered in Appendix-A and may compete in all competitive arenas without restriction.

6. Maintenance of Accurate Pedigree and Data Records: this is an essential component of the Breeding Program and is done in the following ways:-
Checking PRE sires/dams: –
The identity and pedigree of PRE horses contributing to the PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Book are checked and confirmed several times in their lives;
1.PRE foals are microchipped, DNA typed and parentage tested/confirmed prior to registration in the PRE Breeding Book.
2.PRE horses presented for Breeding Approval (Grading) have their identity and parentage checked and confirmed by an ANCCE-LGPRE Delegate Veterinarian.
3.PRE horses imported into the UK have their microchips checked and markings recorded by a UK Vet within 30 days of arrival in the UK as part of the UK registration procedure.
The identity of a PRE sire/dam can be checked at any time via Microchip and/or DNA and the pedigree confirmed via the PRE mother Breeding Book,  ANCCE-LGPRE, Sevilla, Spain,.
Checking Other Breeds contributing to the PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Book:-
1.After Covering, the Other Breed Stallion Owner must provide the Mare Owner with a detailed Covering Certificate issued by, or authorised by, the relevant Other Breed Association/Breeding Book
2.At the time of foal registration, Breeders of PRE Fusion foals must provide a clear copy of the equine passport with an extended (4 or 5 generation) pedigree for the sire/dam that is not BAPSH registered, or for both parents if neither is BAPSH registered.
3.BAPSH will contact the PIO/Association/Breeding Book for the Other Breed sire/dam if more information is required concerning the extended pedigree, correct ownership, or the correct identity of the sire/dam.
Checking PRE Fusion Horse identity and pedigree prior to registration:-
1.The Registration Identification for a PRE Fusion foal must be done whilst the foal is at foot with its dam and before 5 months old. The Equine Vet performing the Foal Identification must Sign the document to certify that the foal is at foot with its dam.
2.A DNA type and parentage test for the foal to establish its correct parentage/pedigree will be required if,
a) The Covering Certificate was not issued the previous year within 1 month of the last covering,
b) If there is any doubt about the veracity of the Covering Certificate
c) If there is any doubt about the relationship of the foal to the mare, ie is the mare actually the mother.
d) If the Vet Registration Identification is made after the foal is 5 months old or the foal has already been weaned.
3.Adult horses, whether imported or UK born, can be registered into the PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Book providing they are re-identified by an Equine Vet onto the appropriate BAPSH registration application form, and proof is supplied that the horse meets the entry requirements.
PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Book – Identity and Pedigree Records :-
1.Each registered horse has its physical paperwork document file at the BAPSH office
2.Each horse has electronic data records for identity, passport, pedigree, DNA status, on the BAPSH Breeding Book computer database in the BAPSH office.
3.All PRE Fusion Horse records are also held separately online with Equiventus Ltd to ensure data-backup.
4.Equiventus Ltd provides a searchable online system featuring 5 generation pedigree, progeny record, performance and genetic results/records for each horse.

To Summarise:
BAPSH Ltd provides online and computer records, extensive paperwork files for all registered equines, cameras for recording equines, microchip scanners, equine measuring equipment, and dedicated staff.

Equiventus Ltd provides an online Breeding Book linked to the CED, online searchable pedigrees and other data,  and Passports

The Animal Health Trust, Newmarket provides DNA Typing of historic Blood samples stored for BAPSH from 1992 to 2007.

Animal Genetics UK provides current identification services for DNA Typing, Parentage Testing, DNA Coat Colour Genetics and Genetic Disease Testing

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A SELECTION OF PRE FUSION HORSES IN COMPETITION

Below: Mistrals Summer Treasurer -50% PRE (Rocky L Claudius x Welsh/Arab/Lusitano) –
a beautifully turned out example of handler and horse in harmony.
This is what to aim for when you’ trot out’ in-hand for the Showring or for the Breeding Evaluation/Grading.
Bred & Owned by Helena Berrisford.

Above: Brecknock Deacon & Brecknock Mercury – half-brothers sired Bodeguero X (PRE stallion) ex two Purebred Shire Horse mares.
These geldings competed extensively at a National level with their Breeder/Owner/Driver Vicky Irwin.

Left: Aztec Principe Dante -75% PRE (Donado x Aztecs Shoshana) – beautifully turned out example of the PRE Fusion Horse. Owner: Debbie Townsend. Bred by Karen Collison.   Right: Parccarreg Maddy – 25% PRE (Naldo- Há x Welsh/Arab mare) Bred by Julie Williams, Owned & competed by Jane Jones

Left Above: Mariessa – 3rd generation of PRE Fusion breeding from Sue Disney’s Willowdell Stud mare line. Owned/Competed at National level Endurance by Claire Quinney. Mariessa is the dam of Beeches Alberto featured at the top of this page.   Right Above: Caballero (‘Chickmagnet’) – PRE Fusion Horse – Eventer
Born 15/03/1990. Sire: Adonis Rex (PRE), Dam: Mystery (TB 87.5%) Bred by Diane Carter (nee Hesketh), Wales. Owned by Mrs Stevens