HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) has introduced hefty changes to the cost of registering foals in 2024, along with heralding the introduction of its new e-passport system.
With regard to costs, increases have been applied across the board (see table) with foal registration going up from €98 (up to November) in 2023 to €147.60 (up to September) in 2024, a 50% increase. It goes up further to €172.20 from September, which is a 47% increase on the pre-November 2023 price of €117. With naming included, the price is €159.90 up to September this year (a 23% increase on the pre-November 2023 price of €129) and €184.50 from September on, which is a 25% increase on the post-October 2023 price.
Yearling passports have gone up 23% to €369 and passports for two-year-olds and over have also gone up 24% to €442.80. Change of ownership will cost €49.20 this year, a 64% increase. Last year, first time naming cost €62 and name change cost €80. In 2024 the cost for either of those services will be €98.4. Passport amendments have gone up 23% to €18.45 and passport endorsements have also gone up 23% to €61.50. Prefix registration will cost €79.95, a 29% increase. A new service fee introduced for 2024 is 'Add Pedigree to Existing Passport' which will set owners back €310.
The heftiest of the increases by far applies to the 'urgent' fee which applies on top of the service fee in cases where a 24-hour turnaround is required. Last year this fee was €50 and in 2024 it is €150, a 300% increase.
In the interest of clarity we would like to point out that the prices above and in the table include the cost of VAT at the rate of 23 %, which is not included in the prices HSI has published.
In response to questions regarding the reasoning behind the increases a HSI spokesman said: "The passport service has been a loss-making activity for many years. This is not sustainable so unfortunately, we have no choice but to increase prices for this year.
"To put our prices in context, even with this year’s price increase, our prices are still almost 25% cheaper than the cost of a passport from KWPN (Royal Dutch Sport Horse) - €120 (ex VAT) v €148 (ex VAT).
E-Passport system
In addition to the passport price hikes, HSI has announced that it's new e-Passport system is expected to go live in June this year.
The new system will, according to HSI, improve self-service functionality for breeders, improve passport application turnaround times and has new functionality that will allow breeders to apply for, and track, the status of online applications.
With regard to foal passports, if the sire and dam are already SNP DNA tested, DNA results will take on average of 19 working days once received. Thereafter, the studbook will require seven working days to produce the passport, if the application is correct and free from omissions or errors.
If the sire and/or dam is not SNP DNA tested, MS testing may be required at an additional fee of €31.50 (ex VAT) and can take up to 15 additional working days.
Breeders have been asked to note that if they plan to sell foals in 2024, sufficient time must be given to allow for DNA testing and the production of the passport.
Issuing of Kits
To support the changeover to the new e-Passport system, foal kits will be issued for 2024 foals as per the following:
•HSI will issue kits based on cover certs and mare declaration submitted by next Friday, April 26th.
•HSI requests that these animals’ samples and marking charts are received by HSI no later than May 15th to ensure sufficient time for the passport production.
•HSI encourages breeders to pay for their passport applications on IHR Online. Online payments improve both the security of customers’ information and the speed of application processing.
•Where kits are not received by HSI by May 15th, the breeder must restart the foal registration application on the new system on or after June 1st. New sample kits will be issued thereafter, and the original April-issued marking chart will no longer be valid.
•For all remaining foals, kits will be issued in June via the e-Passport system. HSI encourages all breeders to continue to declare coverings for this year’s foals on IHR Online if they have not already done so.
As reported in these pages last week, HSI has also reiterated that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has instructed that the use of 'Sales Letters' for the sale of horses with incomplete passport applications is not permitted under EU Animal Health Law.