TBA Launches New Traceability Animation and Dedicated Learning Resource
- A Horse's Paper Trail: Thoroughbred Traceability Explained – VIEW HERE
- Traceability Matters: Responsible Ownership and Breeding of the Thoroughbred - VIEW HERE
Following ongoing studies into the lifetime traceability of the 2018 and 2019 British thoroughbred foal crops, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) has released a new animation and supporting free-to-view learning resource on TB-Ed to improve understanding of the key traceability touchpoints throughout a thoroughbred’s life.
Launched during National Racehorse Week (22–31 August), the new resources provide a timely opportunity to educate both those working within the industry and the wider public about how thoroughbreds are tracked throughout their lives, why accurate and timely information is so important, and the shared responsibilities involved in achieving comprehensive lifetime traceability.
The animation follows the journey of a thoroughbred bred for racing, from birth through the different stages of its life, highlighting the key points at which ownership, location and status information should be recorded and kept up to date.
Designed to be simple and accessible, it aims to improve understanding of the collective role that breeders, owners and other industry participants play in ensuring that an accurate record of a thoroughbred’s journey is maintained throughout its lifetime.
The new resources build on the TBA’s ongoing work and analysis of the 2018 and 2019 foal crops, which highlighted an average of 81.5% of registered foals went into training in Britain or abroad, with an average of 70% going onto have racing careers in Britain or abroad.
The ongoing studies, led by the TBA and facilitated by Racing Foundation funding with the support of the Horse Welfare Board and BHA data analysis team, have identified areas where gaps in data and traceability remain and are being used to help develop practical measures to help close them, improve the quality and consistency of data captured throughout a horse’s life and support the longer-term ambition of achieving complete lifetime traceability.
Kate Sigsworth, Deputy Chair of the TBA, commented: “Achieving comprehensive lifetime traceability is a shared responsibility across our whole industry.
“These new resources are about making those responsibilities clear, practical and easy to understand. Good traceability is not simply about recording data; it underpins our ability to demonstrate responsible ownership, support the health and welfare of the thoroughbred and better understand what happens to horses throughout their lives.
“The ongoing work undertaken on the 2018 and 2019 foal crops is a good start and has given us much needed data and a clearer picture of where gaps remain. Our focus now must be on turning that evidence into practical action for the whole industry, and we hope these resources will help everyone involved in breeding and owning thoroughbreds understand the part they can play in improving lifetime traceability.”
Tansy Challis, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation added: “Racing has a collective responsibility to our equine athlete throughout its lifetime and as part of this we need to have the fullest possible traceability for Thoroughbreds that have been bred for racing. We are delighted to be supporting the valuable work being undertaken by the TBA, which includes identifying traceability data gaps and developing practical measures to address them as part of a cross-industry, long term ambition to achieve complete lifetime traceability.
“The free-to-view resources that have been developed will enhance understanding and provide practical guidance on traceability requirements and we hope those who work in the racing and breeding industries will access them via the available platforms. It’s great to see the resources being launched during National Racehorse Week, another initiative we have supported since inception to raise wider public awareness of the industry’s commitment to lifetime care of our horses.”
A key part of this work is ensuring that breeders and breeding operations have a clear understanding of their own responsibilities. To support this, a new dedicated educational resource, Traceability Matters: Responsible Ownership and Breeding of the Thoroughbred is now live on TB-Ed, the TBA’s online education platform.
The free-to-view resource provides practical guidance on the traceability requirements relevant to breeders and breeding operations, helping users understand when information needs to be recorded, updated or transferred and the important role this plays in creating a more complete picture of a thoroughbred’s lifetime journey.
The animation will also be made available across a range of industry platforms, including HorsePWR, helping to extend its reach across racing, breeding and the wider equestrian community.