Member Report from Turkey
REPORT MADE AT 2014 WAHO CONFERENCE:
Dr. Ilker Altintaş, Turkey: My name is Dr. Ilker Altintaş, I am Stud Book specialist at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Turkey. Before I begin, we would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club for this WAHO Conference.
Since our membership of WAHO, Turkey has published five Volumes of Stud Book. The fifth volume was published in 2013, and it covers the years between 2006 and 2009. We are working on the sixth volume. In addition, information of all the registered horses is published on our website, our website address is www.ykk.gov.tr. The number of registered living Purebred Arabian Horses in Turkey is 13,850. Approximately 1,500 purebred Arabian Foals are registered per year. In the last few years there was a small increase in the number of registered living horses. In recent years the number of broodmares used in breeding is 2,000 and the number of stallions is 260. In the last few years the numbers of imports has not shown any differences but exports increased. Import and export operations are continuing in the regulatory framework.
Until the end of the year 2005, blood-typing was used for parentage verification in registering horses. Since November 2005, DNA typing began to be used. There is no other genetic testing. Microchip, which has hidden code and its ISO number 11784 or 11785, was initiated with the foals born in 2006. Since the year 2005, UELN and the life number were put on usage. By 2009 there were no purebred Arabian horse without microchips.
There are only flat races organized by The Jockey Club of Turkey under the Authority of The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Apart from flat racing, there are local races organized for Purebred Arabians. Our Ministry supported the Arabian Horses’ Beauty Contest held in 2008 by the Turkish Association of Purebred Arabian Horse Breeders and Owners. Purebred Arabian Horse Breeding is promoted in Turkey. The most important promotion was that 2,172 races with 61.5 million US dollars in prize money and 11.5 million US dollars in Breeders Premiums were allocated for Purebred Arabians in 2013. The Ministry purchases horses with superior performances in races as stallions. Broodmares of the private breeders can visit the stallion stations to be covered by the Ministry’s stallions for a low cost.
Courses and seminars are organized by the Ministry in our country to educate the people for horse care, feeding and training. The licence is given to participating riders, trainers and attendants. Working without a licence is forbidden in racing. A special commission formed by the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock will select WAHO Trophy winners from participating Arabian horses and will inform the secretariat of WAHO. Thank you for your attention.
REPORT MADE AT 2011 WAHO CONFERENCE:
Mr. Erdal Celal Sumaytaoglu, Turkey: My name is Erdal Celal Sumaytaoglu, I am the Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture and Vice President of the Board of High Stewards which is the Horse Racing Authority and responsible for the Turkish Stud Book. Mr. President, members of the Executive Committee, distinguished guests. Before I begin I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani for organizing this wonderful WAHO Conference in Qatar, and for their hospitality. Mr President, I would also like to thank your working team for their extraordinary effort which they have made in this Conference.
Since the Membership of WAHO, Turkey has published four volumes of the studbook, the fourth volume was published in 2006 and it covers the years between 2002 and 2005. We are working on the fifth volume and it will be published by the end of this December. In addition we have an online studbook which is updated on a daily basis and the website for this is www.ykk.gov.tr. Information on the foals and the other issues in Arabian horses will be found on this website. The number of registered living purebred Arabian horses in Turkey is 12,600. Approximately 1,200 purebred Arabian foals are registered per year, in the last years there was a small increase in the number of registered living horses. In recent years the number of broodmares used in breeding is 1,800 and the number of breeding stallions is 260. In the last years the number of imports has not shown any differences, but exports increased in Turkey. Until the end of the year 2005 blood-typing was used for parentage verification in registering horses. Since November 2005, DNA typing started being used. Microchips which have hidden codes and which are ISO compliant 11784 or 11785 were initiated with the foals born in 2006. Since the year 2005, UELNs were put into use. Since 2009, there has not been a purebred Arabian horse in Turkey without a microchip.
For activities, flat racing for purebred Arabians is organized by the Jockey Club of Turkey under the authority of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Our Ministry-supported Arabian horse beauty contest took place in 2008, organized by the Association of Arabian Horse Breeders and Owners. Purebred Arabian horse breeding is encouraged in Turkey, the most important stimulus was that 1,808 races, with 41 million US dollars in prize money and with 7.7 million US dollars in breeders’ premiums, were allocated for purebred Arabians in 2010. The Ministry purchases horses with superior performance records in races, to become breeding stallions. Broodmares of the private breeders can be covered by these stallions at a low cost. Courses and seminars are organized by the Ministry in our country, to educate the people in horse care, feeding and training. The licence is given to participating riders, trainers and attendants. Working without a licence is forbidden in racing.
A special commission formed by the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock has selected the filly named Hayatim, from a number of candidates, as the winner of Turkey’s 2010 WAHO Trophy. Hayatim showed very good performance on the racetrack in the years 2008 to 2010, when she took part in a total of 55 races. Of these, in a country where the racing is very competitive, she achieved the excellent record of 20 wins at racetracks all over Turkey, this included one Group One win, four Group Two wins, and seven Group Three wins. However, unfortunately this year she died because of a tragic car accident.
Taking into account this information we would like to express another issue, which is very important for us. 1,808 races for purebred Arab horses were run in Turkey in 2010. In 2011 that number has been increased to 1,900. The half-bred Arab horses and purebreds competing together leads to an unjust competition which gives rise to inequality. The participation of half-breds with unknown pedigrees “D.B.” with purebred Arab horses in races is giving rise to worldwide disputes, in terms of the reliability of particularly betting-based games, and significantly, taints the racing industry. In the case the system is tainted, purebred racing will come to an end point worldwide. In order to prevent such discrepancies, in line with the backdated resolution of France Galop not to accept purebreds the past generation of which is unknown, as of April 27 2011 and as Turkey holds the highest number of purebred races of racing organizations, we have resolved not to accept in races such purebreds the past 4 generations of which are unknown. We demand that a resolution to be made to implement such resolution by WAHO member countries where purebred races are held. Thank you very much.
REPORT MADE AT 2009 WAHO CONFERENCE:
My name is Associate Professor Muzaffer Aydemir. Since joining membership of WAHO, Turkey has published 4 Volumes of our Arabian stud book. The fourth volume was published in 2006 and it covers the years 2002-2005. We are planning to publish the fifth volume in 2010. We have also got a website, which is www.ykk.gov.tr
The number of living registered purebred Arabian horses in Turkey is 10,200. Approximately 1,100 purebred Arabian foals are registered each year, in the last few years there has been little reported difference in the number of registrations. In recent years the number of broodmares used in breeding is 1,600 and the number of breeding stallions is 250. The numbers of exports and imports within the past 5 years has not shown any difference.
Until the year 2005, blood-typing was used for parent verification in registering horses. Since November 2005 we began to use DNA typing. Use of microchips, which have a hidden code, ISO 11784 or 11785 standard, were initiated with the foals born in 2006. Since the year 2005, UELNs have been put into use. In 2009, there will be no purebred Arabian horse in Turkey without microchip. Artificial Insemination is allowed in Turkey and the foals born are registered. In 2006 a semen freezing laboratory was established in Karacabey, Bursa. The laboratory has started activity.
There are a large number of flat races for purebred Arabian horses, organized by the Jockey Club of Turkey under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Our Ministry has also supported an Arabian horse show held in 2008 by the Turkish Association of Purebred Arabian Horse Breeders and Owners.
The racing of purebred Arabian horses is promoted in Turkey as the most important activity. There were 1,646 races with total annual prize money of US $40 million, and annual breeders’ premiums of US $5 million were allocated for purebred Arabians in 2007. The Ministry purchases horses with superior performance in races, to become stallions and broodmares in the State Studs. Stallions are offered to private owners of broodmares at special stallion stations, at low stud fees. Courses and seminars are organized by the Ministry in our country to educate people in horse care, feeding and management. Licences are given to participating riders, trainers and grooms, it is forbidden to work in racing without a licence.
A special Commission formed by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has selected the colt Ayabakan from a number of candidates as the winner of Turkey’s 2008 WAHO Trophy. Ayabakan showed very good performance on the racetrack in the years 2007 and 2008, when he took part in a total of 15 turf races. In a country in which racing is very competitive, Ayabakan achieved the excellent record of 13 wins at racetracks all over Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara and Adana, including six Group I wins, two Group II wins, and two Group III wins.
REPORT MADE AT 2007 WAHO CONFERENCE:
Since our Membership of WAHO, Turkey has published 4 volumes of its stud book. The first volume covers 1995 and all previous years; the 2nd volume covers 1996-1999, the 3rd volume covers 2000-2001 and the 4th volume covers 2002-2005. This volume was published in 2006. We plan to publish and distribute the 5th volume in 2010.
The number of registered living purebred Arabian horses is about 8,500. In the years 2005 and 2006 combined, a total of over 2,400 purebred Arabian foals were registered with 1,340 in 2006 and 1,081 in 2005. In recent years, there have been no important changes in the number of foals registered. In 2006 the number of stallions used in breeding is about 300, and the number of broodmares is about 2,000. The number of imports and exports over the past 5 years has not shown any marked differences, remaining low in numbers. In 2001, we imported 17, in 2002 we imported 12 and in both years we exported none, in 2003 we imported none and exported 13, in 2004 we imported none and exported 1, in 2005 we imported 5 and exported none. In 2006 we imported none and exported 5. Until the end of the year 2005, blood-typing was used for parent verification in registering horses. Since November 2005, DNA-typing has been used. The use of microchips, which have a hidden code and ISO number 11784 or 11785, was initiated with the foals born in 2006. Since 2005 the Universal Equine Life Number system has been put into use. Artificial Insemination is allowed in Turkey and the foals born by this method are registered. In 2006 a semen freezing laboratory was established in Karacabey near Bursa.
Regarding activities, there are only flat races organized by the Jockey Club of Turkey under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Apart from flat racing, there are as yet no other organized activities for purebred Arabian horses in Turkey. The purebred Arabian horse racing is encouraged in Turkey, without doubt the most important promotion comes from the prize money. 1,515 races were held in 2006, with 35 million US dollars in prize money and 3 million US dollars on offer in Breeders’ Premiums allocated for purebred Arabians. The Ministry of Agriculture purchases horses with superior performance records in racing as stallions for the State Studs. Some of these stallions are made available to cover broodmares belonging to the private breeders at the Ministry’s Stallion Stations for a low stud fee. Courses and seminars are organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, to educate the people in horse care, feeding and training.
In the year 2007, Turkey registered 1,100 foals, and reported 1 export to iran, with no imports.
Click here to open the April 1997 WAHO Investigation and Inspection Report The Turkish Arabian Stud Book.
