NEWS
India lifts import ban on U.S. Thoroughbred breeding stock
Posted: Thursday, May 20, 2010 4:04 PM
by Jeff Lowe
India’s Ministry of Agriculture has lifted an import ban on Thoroughbred breeding stock from several countries, including the U.S. and Great Britain.
The ban has been in place for several years because of concerns over contagious equine metritis (CEM), even though no positives for the venereal disease have been reported in the U.S.
“We’re over the moon about it,” said Chauncey Morris, sales associate for Keeneland Association. “That’s a growing place for Thoroughbreds, and the Indian economy has been performing very well. It was really the breeders that were persistent with both our embassy and the British high commission on showing the proper science that this is a manageable disease.
“India was the only country and signatory of the [World Organisation for Animal Health] that was banning British and American imports based on this.”
India had taken no action against horses from Ireland, and Indian buyers were active at sales there through bloodstock agent Hugo Merry, who was the leading buyer at Goffs at both the November breeding stock sale and February sale.
Merry sent 98 mares to India in 2008 and 110 in ’09.
“There’s a perception that [Indian buyers] are much more active, but it’s just that they’re doing it all over a few days at Goffs instead of spreading the love,” Merry said earlier this year.
Keeneland lobbied for the ban to be lifted, along with England’s Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the National Horse Breeding Society of India.
“The implications for British breeders and sales consignors are significant,” Tattersalls said in a press release on Thursday. “In 2009 Indian purchasers accounted for 79 mares at a value of 1.7-million Euros. This is a strong indication of the growing importance of the Indian Thoroughbred industry.”
The import ban did not apply to horses who had never previously been bred. Indian farms secured several stallion prospects this past winter, including Grade 1 winner Dancing Forever from the Phipps Stable and Grade 2 winner You and I Forever from the Edmund Gann estate.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
