13^th April 2023

Following completion of this year’s Stallion Inspections and Approvals, the SPARKS Kinship Tables for UK Shires for 2023 have been updated.

The Kinship Tables were last published on 21 December 2022. Mare owners should use the updated Tables from now on. See: https://www.shire-horse.org.uk/download-links/

The key change is the list of stallions included in the Tables. The list now include colts and stallions that passed the Society’s inspection in 2023, alongside stallions in the UK that had a Service Book in 2022 (except those no longer available, for example, gelded or exported).

Mare owners must check whether the colt/stallion they select for mating with their mare in 2023 has a Service Book for 2023 before mating. This is a mare owner responsibility. If the colt/stallion does not have a Service Book for 2023, the Society will not be able to register the progeny in the breeding section of the Stud Book.

The list of stallions is based on past information. Their availability and locations are therefore not guaranteed.

The Guidance Notes on using SPARKS should be used alongside the Kinship Tables. The Notes have also been updated and are at: https://www.shire-horse.org.uk/guidance-notes/

For any queries, contact info@shire-horse.org.uk

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