Australian Highland Pony Breeding Up Program
Below is an explanation of the rules & processes that is involved in the breeding up program for Highland Ponies in Australia.
The breeding up program was originally introduced due to the very small numbers of Highland ponies in Australia and the very limited gene pool. As only 2 stallions were originally imported to Australia and 4 mares, it was necessary to introduce this program to ensure the survival of the breed in Australia.
The Breeding Up Program started out with 4 levels, FS, FS1, FS2 and finally purebred AHL. Mares entering into the program were to be a cross of a purebred Highland Pony over a registered Australian Pony mare of good build and bone.
The Appendix level was later brought in, gaining the program 5 levels and allowing the entry of mares crossed between a purebred Highland Pony and a ponies of pony type.
All ponies under the Australian Highland Pony Breeding Up Program are registered under section 2 of the APSB and have the suffix of AHL after their registration numbers.
The upgrading process was brought in much later allowing ponies that have made made it to level 5 of the program to be able to transfer over to the purebred HL section 1 part of the studbook, upon application
The breeding up program works as follows:
1. An Appendix Highland mare is the bottom of the ladder so to speak. This pony is the female progeny of a Purebred Highland Stallion or
Mare by or out of a pony (of pony type). If you get a male foal as a result of this cross then it must be gelded and registered as a part
bred within the APSB.
2. You then take your Appendix mare and join her to a purebred stallion. The female progeny is then classed as Foundation stock (FS). All
male progeny are to be gelded and then classed as Australian Highland Pony (AHL)
3. You then take your FS mare and join her to a purebred stallion. The female progeny is then classed as Foundation stock 1 (FS1). All
male progeny are to be gelded and then classed as Australian Highland Pony (AHL)
4. You then take your FS1 mare and join her to a purebred stallion. The female progeny is then classed as Foundation stock 2(FS2).All
male progeny are to be gelded and then classed as Australian Highland Pony (AHL)
5. Finally you take your FS2 mare and join her to a purebred stallion. ALL progeny is then classed as Australian Highland Pony (AHL).
Ponies at this stage of the breeding up program can be assessed by the APSB to be transferred to the purebred section of the APSB
Studbook (HL).
All progeny of any upgraded ponies are now treated exactly the same as a purebred Highland Pony and abide by the same rules.
As you can see it is a very long process and will take many years of breeding. But the idea is by the time you get to 5 generations of continually joining to purebred stock the pony is essentially pure and has the full characteristics of a purebred pony.
Within Australia there are currently (as of March 2022) 19 mares that are still alive, in the Australian Highland Ponies Breed Up Program at various levels and 30 geldings alive today.
There is currently 38 ponies in APSB's Highland Pony section 1 studbook at purebred status that are the result of the above breed up program.
Census data collect and provided to the HPA by Amy Young of Beinn Kaldy Highland Ponies.
Appendix Highland mare. The first (base) level in the breeding up program | Foundation Stock (FS) mare The second level in the breeding up program. | Foundation Stock 2 (FS2) mare The fourth level in the breeding up program. Female progeny of FS2 mares can be assessed to be upgraded to 'purebred' status within the Australian Pony Stud Book Society (APSB). |
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AHL mare. The final level in the breeding up program. AHL mares can be assessed to be upgraded to 'purebred' status within the Australian Pony Stud Book Society (APSB). | Australian Highland class at a show. |