REPORT AT 2011 WAHO CONFERENCE:

Anne Heiloo, Austria: Dear Mr. President, members of the Executive Committee, delegates, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Anne Heiloo and I am the President of the Austrian Arab Horse Society. I would like to thank the State of Qatar for hosting the WAHO Conference 2011.

In 2010, 105 foals were born. 1,260 is the total amount of living Arabians in Austria. 24 horses were imported and 50 horses were exported. We have been microchipping since 1993 for all horses, and all horses are DNA-typed and we have a passport according to the EU requirements.

Austria has one National Championship Show and two International Shows. In sport, we have the Austrian Championship recognized by the National Equestrian Federation, of which we are very proud. Austria has 22 endurance rides a year with approximately 20 Arab horses participating, these 22 endurance rides are for all breeds. This year, an Arab horse became Austria's Overall Endurance Champion and we are very proud of that. Thank you.

STATISTICS FOR 2011:

Foals registered: 126

Horses exported: 50

Horses imported: 49

REPORT MADE AT 2009 WAHO CONFERENCE:

My name is Elisabeth Chat from Austria, I have the pleasure to give you now the report for Austria. Our stud book is up to date, it is produced every second year, the Supplement 2007/2008 to Volume 3 is now out. We have always printed 5 generations with strains and lines in these stud books. The number of foals registered in 2008 was 105, we imported 8 horses in 2008 and exported 36. The estimated number of living Arabians belonging to members of the Association was 1,304 in 2008. This is similar to the amount in 2006, and a little less than in 2004.

We have done the DNA parentage verification for foals and breeding horses since 2003, before that we used blood-typing. The identification of breeding horses by microchipping has been in use since 1993, and from 1st January 2008 all foals will also have to be microchipped, we use the chip system: ISO-CHIP AEG. This microchipping has to be handled only by a veterinarian, who at the same time also takes the blood for DNA and does the outline drawing, description, and diagram markings issued in the EU (FEI) passport.

In 2008 the Austrian WAHO Trophy was awarded to the Reserve Champion in Dressage at the European Championships in Sports, Padrons Khen Saabi.

As regards promotion, we have shows which are the Austrian National Championships and also an International ‘A’ Show held in Wels in the end of May each year. This is run by run by VVÖ and also the Breeding Association and we see approximately 55 horses entered. These horses are also sponsored by the Austrian Breeding Association with money donations to make it more easy for the breeders to participate. In sports activities, these are very well organized in Austria, for 14 years we have held the Austrian Sports Championships under the rules of the Austrian National Riding Association, which is an FEI member and it is run by VVÖ. We have every year approximately 30 horses taking part. We will also have a Championships for Lower Austria too. The Austrian team at the European Championships for Sports shows approximately 20 horses and has been very successful.

We had approximately 15 Arabian races last year and we had 10 horses in training. The endurance rides are organized by the National Riding Association and we have 20 official endurance rides each year with approximately 20 Arabians in these rides.

Austria has been the host country for the European Championships for Sports Arabians for the last 8 years, in 2009 the dates will be July 30th to August 2nd, in the middle of Austria in the very famous riding and sport facility at Stadl Paura. The event includes all equine sports, including dressage to jumping, driving and western.

The Breeding Association has a home page on the internet which you can find at www.vvoe.at where you can get also all this information, including details of all our members and their horses together with horses for sale, free of charge for members, and a lot of information about sports and show results. Our Breeders Association has also created VVÖ Banners which are on several websites and displayed at shows and sports events to promote the Arabian horse.

Every second year we print a Breeders’ Catalogue, in which every breeder is listed together with all their horses and their contact details, this is free for anybody. We also have a library with about 150 books, which can be visited free of charge by our members, we also have a magazine called Araber Weltweit which contains a lot of information and which is free of charge for our members. The Breeders Association also founded, some years ago, a Riding Association, and this was a very good decision, membership is free for the sports competitors and they can enter our competitions free of charge as well, their entry fees are paid for by VVÖ. And as for the show horses there is a donation for every participant at the National Sports Championships as well, from the Association. Thank you for your attention.

PREVIOUS REPORTS:

The Austrian Arabian Horse Society Riding & Breeding Association has a total registered living stock of 1,309 horses which are in the possession of 349 members. 63 stallions and 172 mares were used for breeding in 2006. Within the two-year period of 2005 and 2006, a total of 209 foals were registered.

In 2005, 44 horses were exported and in 2006, 35 were exported. In 2005 we imported 38 horses, and in 2006 we imported 29.

Every two years a Breeders’ Directory is produced. Parentage verification of all foals is by DNA. We issue both Passports and Registration Certificates and we do use the UELN number system. Artificial insemination and embryo transfer are both accepted, although we do not allow multiple foals per mare per year by embryo transfer. Each year there are 3 Shows, 15-20 races and approximately 30 endurance rides. Arabian horses also take part in riding, driving, dressage, showjumping and western riding competitions.