USLR Requirements and Procedures Handbook

The United States Lipizzan Registry Board of Directors has compiled the following rules, procedures, guidelines, and practices to carry out the policies set forth by the USLR Membership in the Rules and Regulations Policy document. This handbook is keyed by topic to the policy section, and provides information and instructions for members and others interested in registering horses.

I. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION

1. STALLION LINES. The USLR recognizes as purebred, Lipizzans descended uninterruptedly in every stage of their origin from the six stallion lines: CONVERSANO, FAVORY, MAESTOSO, NEAPOLITANO, PLUTO, and SIGLAVY. In addition, the stallion lines INCITATO and TULIPAN are equally recognized as long as that in the lineage of the sire and in the lineage of the dam there are five (5) consecutive generations of exclusively pure-bred Lipizzan without interruptions.

2. MARE LINES. The USLR recognizes as purebred those horses descended uninterruptedly in every stage from the classic mare lines, plus the additional mare families which have been introduced through traditional breeding procedures according to a plan of the individual European studs. The additional mare families are equal to the classic mare lines, provided that five (5) or more continuous generations of the sire’s lineage and of the sire’s lineage on the mare’s side are stallions belonging to the six classic stallion lines or to the Incitato or Tulipan lines.

3. RECOGNIZED EUROPEAN BREEDING EXPERIMENTS. The horses of Arab, Andalusian, Kladrubi, or other breeding are occasionally accepted in the pedigree of a Lipizzan, PROVIDED that these horses were incorporated in a traditionally recognized stud breeding program in Europe and are approved on an individual basis by the USLR Board of Directors with the advice and consent of the Registration Review Committee. No American breeding experiment will be accepted as a purebred Lipizzan.

4. CROSSBREDS. The USLR recognizes as Lipizzan Crossbreds, horses with half or more Lipizzan breeding. One parent must be purebred Lipizzan and eligible for inclusion in the USLR official records. The non-Lipizzan parent must be of the species equus caballus (horse). There are two categories of crossbred Lipizzans; Registered Crossbred (those who are blood typed) and Recorded Lipizzan (those who are not blood typed).

5. GRANDFATHER CLAUSE. Prior to November 1986, only those Lipizzans whose pedigree was traceable back four (4) generations or ultimately to an official stud farm in Europe were eligible to receive a USLR Certificate of Registration. To bridge any gap created by the requirement of five (5) consecutive generations uninterrupted as set forth above, all horses previously registered as purebreds with the USLR as of January 1, 1990 will be accepted as purebred, but it and its descendants will appear in the Appendix Section of the USLR Stud Book if the pedigree is incomplete as to five (5) generations uninterrupted.

II. BREEDING REQUIREMENTS
1. Natural breeding, including pasture breeding, is permitted. Artificial insemination (AI) of fresh, frozen, or transported semen (TS) is permitted (see further rules, including limitations on numbers of mares bred by one stallion using TS in a breeding season, in the section entitled "Transported Semen").

2. All breeding Lipizzans, prior to their offspring being registered with the USLR, must be blood typed by a USLR approved laboratory. An official copy of the blood typing report shall be on file at the USLR office.

3. All foals/horses (both Purebreds and Crossbreds) that are eligible to be registered must be blood typed prior to a Certificate of Registration being issued. In addition, the sire and the dam of a horse born on January 1, 1992 or thereafter must be blood typed. In the case of an imported horse born on January 1, 1992 or thereafter, where it is not possible to obtain blood typing of the sire or of the dam, the Board of Directors, with the advice and consent of the Registration Review Committee, will decide on a case by case basis whether to waive this requirement for registration. A foal’s/horse’s blood type must be in harmony with that of its sire’s blood type and that of its dam’s blood type. Blood typing of the horse to be registered must be done by a USLR approved laboratory. An official copy of the blood typing report shall be kept on file in the USLR office. (See section entitled "Blood Typing" for further information and requirements.)

4. The Breeder’s Certificate portion of the Registration Application must be completed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the mare, or by the agent of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the mare. If the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the dam on the Registration Application is different from the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) on record in the USLR files, then a sale or lease agreement, signed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of record, must accompany the Registration Application.

5. In the case of natural service, the Stallion Service Certificate is completed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the stallion, or by the agent of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the stallion, at the time of the breeding(s). If the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the stallion on the Stallion Service Certificate is different from the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) on record in the USLR files, then a sale or lease agreement, signed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of record, must accompany the Registration Application. Stallion Service Certificates are obtained from the USLR office.

6. TRANSPORTED SEMEN. Transported semen (TS) is semen that is shipped off the breeding farm or collection center for insemination.

A. A limit of thirty (30) Lipizzan mares per Lipizzan stallion may be bred by transported semen each breeding season. There is no limit for breeding non-Lipizzan or Crossbred mares.

B. A TS Permit, good for one season only, must be obtained from the USLR office. The TS Permit must be completed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s), or the agent of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s), of the stallion and the so designated copies shipped with the semen.

             7.   STALLION BREEDING REPORTS.

                                A.   On or before December 31 of each calendar year, the stated owner(s) or lessee(s), or the agent of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of each purebred Lipizzan stallion to which mares have been bred or exposed during the preceding year must submit a Stallion Breeding Report on a form provided by the USLR. This form must be returned to the USLR office and be postmarked no later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the breedings have taken place.

B. The Stallion Breeding Report shall include the name of the stallion, as well as the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the stallion, and the name of the mare, as well as the name of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the mare, all breeding dates or dates of exposure, and the designated indication signifying if a mare had been artificially inseminated (AI).

C. If the breeding was by natural cover, the appropriate copy of the Stallion Breeding Certificate for each mare that was bred must accompany the Stallion Breeding Report.

D. If semen was shipped, the appropriate copy of the TS Permit for each mare that was bred by AI must accompany the Stallion Breeding Report.

E. Each Stallion Breeding Report shall be signed by the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of record of the stallion, or by the agent of the stated owner(s) or lessee(s) of the stallion.

F. No foal shall be eligible for registration unless the Stallion Breeding Report covering that foal has been received by the USLR office. The information pertaining to an individual foal must be identical in both the Stallion Breeding Report and on the Stallion Breeding Certificate or the TS Permit that accompanies the Registration Application.

G. A separate Stallion Breeding Report for each stallion is to be submitted.

H. Stallion Breeding Reports received bearing a postmark after December 31 will be subject to a penalty fee.

8. IMPLANTED EMBRYO. Implanted embryo (IE) by fresh, frozen, or otherwise preserved embryo is permitted according to the following rules:

A. A donor mare shall produce a limit of ten (10) purebred Lipizzan foals by IE in her lifetime.

B. A donor mare shall produce a limit of twenty-five (25) total offspring by any method, including natural, AI, or IE, in her lifetime.

C. An IE Permit shall be obtained from the office of the USLR. It is good for one breeding or one year only, and is not transferable.

D. The recipient mare(s) must be identified.

E. Blood typing of the recipient mare(s) must be done by a USLR approved laboratory. An official copy of the blood typing report shall be on file at the USLR office.
III. PROCEDURE TO REGISTER ELIGIBLE HORSES. Requests for all forms (for which there is no charge) or for blood typing kits should be sent to the USLR office. In addition to the instructions below, all horses must be blood typed to be registered. Send the completed required paper work and fees to the USLR office.

1. LIPIZZAN BRED IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, OR MEXICO.

A. A fully and accurately completed Registration Application;

B. If registering a foal (up to one year), a fully and accurately completed copy of either a Stallion Breeding Certificate or of a TS Permit;

C. Photocopies of the four (4) generation pedigree of the sire and of the four (4) generation pedigree of the dam if registering a foal (up to one year), or of the five (5) generation pedigree of the horse itself if registering a horse over the age of one year;

D. Appropriate fees.

2. IMPORTED LIPIZZAN.

A. A Registration Application completed as far as is possible;

B. Photocopy of the horse’s five (5) generation pedigree from a recognized stud farm;

C. A photocopy of the horse's exportation/importation papers.

D. If the foal/horse was imported in utero, a photocopy of the four (4) generation pedigree of the sire from a recognized stud farm or from a recognized registry, and a photocopy of the four (4) generation pedigree of the dam from a recognized stud farm or from a recognized registry, together with a letter or certificate from the stud farm or registry certifying the breeding;

E. Appropriate fees.

3. REGISTERED CROSSBRED LIPIZZAN. A foal or horse, whose sire is a Lipizzan stallion but whose dam is of a different breed, or whose dam is a Lipizzan that was bred to a stallion of a different breed, is a Lipizzan Crossbred and by no means will be considered a purebred Lipizzan. The Lipizzan Crossbred and its descendants will be registered as such. A Registered Crossbred Lipizzan is one who has been blood typed and whose Lipizzan parent has been blood typed in compliance with the blood typing rules. Registered Lipizzan Crossbreds are eligible for USLR awards.

A. A fully and accurately completed Registration Application.

B. If registering a foal (up to one year) and if the sire of the foal to be registered is a Lipizzan, a fully and accurately completed copy of either a Stallion Breeding Certificate or of a TS Permit;

C. Photocopy of the Lipizzan parent’s (sire or dam) four (4) generation pedigree and the name, as well as the pedigree if available, of the horse with which the Lipizzan was bred if registering a foal (up to one year), or of the five (5) generation pedigree of the horse itself if registering a horse over the age of one year;

D. Appropriate fees.
4. RECORDED CROSSBRED LIPIZZAN. A foal or horse, whose sire is a Lipizzan stallion but whose dam is of a different breed, or whose dam is a Lipizzan that was bred to a stallion of a different breed, is a Lipizzan Crossbred and by no means will be considered a purebred Lipizzan. The Lipizzan Crossbred and its descendants will be recorded as such. A Recorded Crossbred Lipizzan is one who is not in compliance with the blood typing rules. Recorded Lipizzan Crossbreds are not eligible for USLR awards. In order for the status of a Crossbred Lipizzan or its descendants to be changed from Recorded to Registered, both the horse initially classified as a Recorded Crossbred and its Lipizzan parent must be blood typed.

A. A fully and accurately completed Registration Application.

D. Appropriate fees.

IV. GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF THE HORSE AND VERIFICATION OF PARENTAGE.
Currently, blood typing is the scientific method used by the USLR for establishing the identity of an individual horse, and of verifying its parentage if the blood types of the horse's sire and of its dam are on record.

1. All foals/horses (including Crossbreds and the Lipizzan parent of a Crossbred born in 1992 and thereafter) that are eligible to be registered are required to be blood typed prior to registration. (Blood typing is not required for Recorded Crossbreds.) All stallions who sired foals in 1987 and thereafter must be blood typed in order for their get to be registered. All mares producing foals in 1988 or thereafter must be bloodtyped in order for their produce to be registered.

2. Requests for a blood typing kit along with the appropriate fee must be sent to the USLR office.

3. Blood typing must be done at a USLR approved laboratory. The horse being blood typed must be correctly identified. An official copy of the blood typing report shall be on file at the USLR office. A notice of completion shall be mailed to the horse owner.

4. The Registration Review Committee, when it is deemed necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the records, may request that blood typing be done, by a USLR approved laboratory, of any horse that is registered with the USLR, or of its sire (if living and whether or not such horse is registered with the USLR) or of its dam (if living and whether or not such horse is registered with the USLR). Failure of an owner to comply with the blood typing request may lead to the horse being reclassified (e.g. to the Appendix section of the Stud Book, or to a Lipizzan Crossbred) or to losing its USLR registration altogether. Any change in classification of a horse will necessarily also affect the classification of the horse’s descendants.

V. NAMING OF THE HORSE. The registered name of the horse may not be changed.

1. An imported Lipizzan shall keep its original name.

2. Purebred Lipizzan foals/horses born in the United States, Canada, or Mexico shall be named using USLR rules when being registered with the USLR:

A. Stallions. Every stallion has a double name, the first being that of the lineage name of his sire and the second being the name of his dam. In the case of more than one breeding of the same sire to the same mare, or in the case that a different stallion from the same stallion line is bred to the mare, resulting in a duplicate name for two or more horses, in order to distinguish the stallions, the USLR, at the time of registration of the stallion, will add appropriate numerals to the name, which will then be a permanent part of that stallion’s name.

B. Mares. The owner of a filly/mare may submit a name up to twelve (12) spaces in length. It must be one word, but may contain a hyphen. It would be helpful if the owner submitted three names in case there is a horse already registered with the selected name. However, if the owner submits only one name, and if there is a duplication, the USLR, in order to distinguish the filly/mare, at the time of registration of the filly/mare will add appropriate numerals to the name, which will then be a permanent part of that horse’s name. The USLR reserves the right to refuse a name it deems inappropriate or unsuitable.

C. Crossbreds may use any name, except that for stallions and geldings they may not use the method described in Section "A" above. The USLR reserves the right to refuse a name it deems inappropriate or unsuitable.

VI. TRANSFER OF CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION INTO A NEW NAME

1. In order for a transfer of the Certificate of Registration into a new name to take place, a horse must already have been registered with the USLR.

2. Further, in order for a Certificate of Registration to be transferred into a new name, the person(s) to whom the horse is currently registered according to the records of the USLR must endorse the Certificate.

3. The Certificate of Registration, naming the person(s) requesting the transfer, along with the appropriate fee, must be forwarded to the USLR office.

4. All transfers of Certificates of Registration must be duly recorded by the USLR.

6. If title to a USLR registered Lipizzan or Lipizzan Crossbred passes to another by reason of death or incapacity of the owner(s), the USLR may transfer the registration of such horse to the new owner upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction or upon other satisfactory proof of transfer of ownership.

VII. CHANGE OF STATUS REPORTS

1. Castration. When a previously registered Lipizzan or Lipizzan Crossbred stallion is castrated (gelded), the Date of Castration line on the back of the Certificate of Registration must be completed by the person(s) to whom the horse is registered or recorded, and the Certificate of Registration then forwarded to the office of the USLR. An endorsement that the horse has been castrated will be indicated on the Certificate of Registration and the Certificate returned to the owner. There is no charge.

2 . Death of a Lipizzan. Upon the death of a Lipizzan or Lipizzan Crossbred, the Date of Death line on the back of the Certificate of Registration must be completed by the person(s) to whom the horse is registered or recorded, and the Certificate of Registration forwarded to the office of the USLR. The Certificate will be returned to the owner after endorsement by the USLR. There is no charge.

VIII. DUPLICATE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE. A duplicate Certificate of Registration will be issued only on affidavit of loss or destruction of the original Certificate. A notarized statement to this effect by the person(s) requesting the duplicate certificate must accompany the application along with the applicable fee, and be sent to the office of the USLR. In addition, if the horse had not been blood typed, it will be necessary to have it done, using a USLR approved laboratory.

IX. USLR CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION AND PEDIGREE POLICY.

1. It is to be understood that the USLR, in its continuing research concerning the background and identification of Lipizzan horses, may discover new information or corrections that affect a horse’s pedigree. In the interests of keeping the pedigrees pure and accurate, the Board of Directors, with the advice and consent of the Registration Review Committee, reserves the right to make the appropriate changes to a horse’s record, even if it results in a change of status for the horse and its descendants. In the event that the USLR does make changes in a registered horse’s pedigree, upon being informed of said change, the owner of record must forward the horse’s Certificate of Registration to the USLR office, whereupon an updated Certificate of Registration will be issued at no charge. The USLR may rescind a horse’s Certificate of Registration if it finds significant or salient information on the Registration Application, or on the pedigree(s) of the horse or of the horse’s parents submitted in conjunction with the Registration Application to be false, whether or not the person knowingly submitted the false information.

2. Any question concerning an individual horse’s pedigree or Certificate of Registration must be directed in writing to the USLR office.

X. POLICY CONCERNING ESTABLISHMENT OF OWNERSHIP. The position of the USLR concerning its policy regarding responsibility and liability for establishing the true ownership of a horse is covered in the USLR Rules and Regulations.

XI. FEES. [fees here]