Registration Information
MAIN REGISTER (STUDBOOK) (December 2025 onwards)
Following recent changes implemented by Defra, the Society has undertaken a restructuring of the Studbook as follows:-
The Society now maintain 4 sections within our STUDBOOK
GROUP 1 – The principal section of our studbook, accommodating our higher graded appaloosas from our SB (6 plus generation Studbook animals) down to our Primary Registered entry level animals:-
SB – 6 and above, generations of appaloosa x appaloosa
Grade A – 5 generations of appaloosa x appaloosa
Grade B – 4 generations of appaloosa x appaloosa
Grade C – 3 generations of appaloosa x appaloosa
Grade D – 2 generations of appaloosa x appaloosa
PR – 1 generation Primary Register entry level (Group 1 x Annexe Group 2)
IR – Import Register. APHC USA registered Appaloosa Horse Club animals imported to the UK. The grade is calculated under set Society rules and added to the Suffix of each individual horse at registration (eg IRGB- would be Import Register Grade B)
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Group 2 – Annexe (Annexe Horses move up into Studbook Group 2)
This is for the cross of a Group 1 appaloosa and our permitted registered outcross breeds Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Arabian)
Group 3 – Fusion (This is for the progeny of a Group 1, 2 or 3 animal and a Supplementary Section Animal, or for the progeny of 2 Supplementary Section animals
Group 4 – X Register (Formally EU Register) for animals who meet pedigree but not registration criteria, ie progeny from an eligible but unlicensed colt or progeny from under aged parent(s) etc.
OX - Outcross register for the recording of the non-appaloosa Group 2 parent, to enable progeny to be entitled to studbook registration
OS – Over stamp Register to accept animals of a recognised like-breed from within the European Union
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NEW SUPPLEMENTARY REGISTER
This becomes a new Grading up Register to facilitate progress of progeny into sections of our Studbook
✨ Grading Up for the Future ✨
We are excited to introduce our Supplementary Register — a new pathway designed to strengthen, broaden, and enhance the gene pool.
✔ Not part-bred
✔ Progeny can grade into the Main Studbook
✔ Colts eligible for stallion licensing at 3 years
🐎 WHO CAN APPLY?
All horses must meet our breed standard and display clear, recognisable coat patterns and characteristics.
🔹 Route 1
BApS Group 1 Studbook × BApS Part-Bred
• Licensed, graded BApS sire
• BApS part-bred dam
• Minimum two-generation pedigree to include a main registered parent and grandparent
🔹 Route 2
BApS Group 1 Studbook × Another Pedigree Horse Breed (within our breed standard)
• The acceptable outside parent must be registered in their own main Studbook
• Excludes draft breeds, pony breeds, and other spotted or coloured breeds
• Genetic testing will be required
🌟WHY THE SUPPLEMENTARY REGISTER?
✔ Expands the gene pool responsibly
✔ Maintains breed quality and standards
✔ Creates new opportunities for breeders
✔ Supports the future of the Studbook
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PARTBRED REGISTERS
The Partbred Register. This is open to animals with a Main Studbook Registered Appaloosa parent or grandparent.
The Register is split into sections:
The Appendix Part Bred (APB) which accepts either solid or with recognisable coat pattern. Must be of breed standard and must have at least one parent/grandparent registered in Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 or Supplementary Section of our Studbook
EXEMPTION (HARDSHIP) RULE
Animals of no known or unproven breeding, but who display clear Appaloosa coat pattern and characteristics, are of riding horse type and are over 14.2hh at maturity may be accepted into the Partbred Register on visible evidence only. All such applications are treated individually and require Council approval before registration is agreed
The Subsidiary Part Bred (SPB) caters for animals with a non-standard coat pattern, such as tobiano, pintaloosa or grey and those that are of obvious heavier cob/draft type, through crossing to an heavier parent but also meet the pedigree requirement for part bred registration as above.
The Spotted Pleasure Horse (SPH) - Established at Defra’s request following the closure of the Spotted Sports Horse Register.
Purpose
This register provides a formal identification option for spotted equines over 14 hands that:
* Do not qualify for a breed passport elsewhere, and/or
* Do not meet the criteria for Part‑Bred registration
It ensures these horses have an appropriate place within the Society.
Eligibility
The register is intentionally broad and may include:
* Light or heavy cobs and Vanners
* Shire crosses and similar types
* Solid‑coloured horses with verified spotted breeding
* Pintaloosa‑type horses
Named sires or dams already recorded in a passport may also be listed, provided documentation includes:
* A valid UELN
* Passport copies confirming registered names and numbers (including ID‑only passports)
Clarification
Horses entered into this register:
* Are not classified as British Appaloosa Part‑Breds for breeding or showing purposes
* Do not meet the Society’s breed standard
* Are nonetheless welcomed under the Society’s umbrella
Future Development
Subject to member interest, the Society we plan to explore:
* Dedicated showing opportunities at our breed shows
* Potential stallion licensing in due course
Registration Checklist - FOR REGISTRATION IN THE SOCIETY'S MAIN REGISTERS:
Are both parents registered appaloosas with the society or with an approved registry by the society?
Is the sire licensed by the Society?
Has a stallion covering certificate been issued? This is part "d" of the application form - if not get the stallion owner to issue one.
Has a stallion report form for the appropriate year been submitted to the society? If not get the stallion owner to submit a late report (12 months grace period) or you may not be able to register your progeny without the involvement of DNA parentage proof
Has the description section of the application form been completed and signed by a veterinary surgeon, including implantation of a microchip? If not get it completed and signed by a veterinary surgeon.
OVERSTAMPING OF PASSPORTS
APHC UK – Main Register
The over stamping of APHCUK passports is straight forward so long as the horse has both its parents registered in BApS main register AND the owner of the sire has filed a stallion return with the British Appaloosa Society at the time of covering. Anything outside these guidelines will require DNA to prove parentage.
Please be aware that if you choose to breed two main registered animals and then choose to obtain a non-studbook equine passport with another PIO for the offspring, then the British Appaloosa Society is quite entitled to have the correct breeding confirmed beyond question before allowing registration into our main registers. This means the proof of parentage by DNA testing. This also applies to all animals that have left a breeder without a passport.
The long standing British Appaloosa Society rule 115 (7) supports this and states:-
(7) In addition to the above conditions the Society may require the owner of an animal to provide further evidence of the animal's identity in accordance with the conditions laid down in Rule 127
The two UK based Appaloosa Organisations both maintain official stud books for the Appaloosa breed here in the UK and we both are competent to verify appaloosa pedigree. No other single Passport Issuing Organisation has access to either our records or the records of APHC UK. No other PIO can verify with any integrity the pedigree of a British Appaloosa.
The Society’s responsibility to this breed is to ensure that animals are registered correctly.
FOR REGISTRATION OF NON-APPALOOSAS
BApS is a Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) and can supply basic identity only passports for any equine large or small that does not qualify for a breed passport with a breed society. Forms can be downloaded from the Registration Forms page or by contacting the registrar.
To contact the Registrar: Paula Moore Tel: 07539 352 843 or registrar@appaloosa.org.uk
Notification of DEFRA Minimum Operating Standards for UK approved passport issuing organisations
Please be advised of the following, effective 1st February 2014, to which all PIOs must adhere:
Organisations are expected to report any offence under or breach of the Regulations cited to the horse passports enforcement authority for the area that the organisation is based so that they can decide whether enforcement action is needed. This includes where an organisation has received information suggesting that any of the following may have occurred:
- Where a passport is applied for outside of the statutory time limit (6 months of age or before 30 November in the year of birth, whichever is the later). This is with the exception of rescued equines and those who have purchased a horse without a passport.
- Where a passport is applied for when one already exists for that animal.
- Failure of a new owner to update owner details within 30 days. This applies regardless of the length of time the person was in possession of the equine. This includes notification of Loan or Lease (a passport is NOT a deed of ownership)
- Notification of the death of the animal.
- Failure of an owner to return a passport for updating within 6 weeks of notification that the passport does not meet the current legal requirements.
- Signs of unofficial changes to passport details, tampering or fraud
Any BApS issued passports that do not contain Section IX should be returned to the Registrar as soon as possible: without this update the passport is no longer valid. There is a Fee for this update. All such passports will be returned with Section IX signed and stamped to declare the equine is not intended for human consumption.
All Duplicate and Replacement passports will have Section IX signed and stamped as the equine not intended for human consumption, as will all passports where a loss of ownership history/continuity is apparent.
In all cases where a passport is updated or issued for an equine whose original transponder (applicable to equidae identified after 30.6.2009) has failed will be signed and stamped in Section IX by the organisation to declare the equine as not intended for human consumption.
Check out the FAQS page and if you don't find what you are looking for please contact the Registrar to discuss your issues!
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