MDA Awards $1,500 to HSM for Maryland Sport Horse Registry Start-Up Costs

— FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —

Horse Sport Maryland (HSM) is thrilled to announce that the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded it $1,500 from the Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) grant program to help defray the start-up costs of building its Maryland Sport Horse Registry and pedigree database.

According to Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks, the MHIB “grants are vital to the Maryland horse industry and agricultural sector. Reaching a cross section of many horse organizations representing different disciplines and geographic areas of the state is important to keeping this industry thriving.” MDA’s press release explains that the grant applications were “evaluated based on their value to the industry, degree of industry promotion, size and scope of activity, financial need, potential for matching funds, benefits and overall quality of the written presentation.”

The Maryland Sport Horse Registry contains five-generation pedigrees for Maryland-bred sport horses and sport ponies. To be eligible for the registry, the horse or pony must have been born in Maryland and must have competed in at least 3 non-racing competitions, with at least 3 participants, judged by a disinterested judge, under a publicly available set of rules. Breed shows and in-hand shows qualify as competitions.

There are four classes of Maryland Sport Horse:

Class A – a Maryland-bred Thoroughbred.
Class B – a horse or pony of any breed with a Maryland-bred Thoroughbred within 2 generations.
Class C – a horse or pony of any breed that is not Class A or Class B.
Class D – a Maryland-bred dam or sire of a Maryland Sport Horse.

The benefits of registration include:

Access to the Maryland Sport Horse genetic testing panel (coming soon);
Eligibility for inclusion in marketing collateral at major breed shows east of the Mississippi;
Eligibility for free promotional coverage in The Equiery; and
Eligibility for Maryland Sport Horse Awards.

Learn more about the registry here.