The European Breeders' Fund announced it will increase its earliest eligibility payments for yearlings of 2013 from $500 to $600. The deadline for payment at this level is May 1, 2013.
EBF's Co-Ordinating Committee, which sets the fees, said in a statement that the initial $500 fee had been unchanged for over 20 years, and the timing was right to raise it. If the May 1, 2013, deadline is missed, nominating payments of $3,000 by Feb. 14, 2014, or $6,000 by June 30, 2014, may be made. Both the later fees remain unchanged from previous years.
Cross-registration between the EBF and Breeders' Cup ended on Dec. 31, 2010, so the EBF introduced a new system that allows any yearlings by a sire outside the EBF area to become eligible by one of two methods:
— either a Northern Hemisphere-based stallion is entered into the EBF International Stallion Scheme by paying half the nominating fee, or a Southern Hemisphere-based sire pays one-quarter of the nominating fee. Progeny conceived the year the payment is made are automatically EBF eligible without further payment.
— or, the progeny of stallions not in the EBF International Stallion Scheme may be made eligible by paying the $600 fee by May 1 of their yearling year, $3,000 by Feb. 15 of their 2-year-old year, or $6,000 by June 30 of their 2-year-old year.
The EBF program consists of 1,200 races in Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Germany that are restricted to EBF horses. The federation adds €4.5 million to the value of these races. Italy is not part of the EBF program but some EBF races are offered in Turkey, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, and Slovakia.
Termination of the cross-registration Common Fund arrangement with Breeders' Cup created a transition period, particularly for stallions that had been nominated in 2010. Under the transition terms, any foal of 2011 by a Common Fund stallion became EBF eligible without payment. Any 2011 foal by a stallion that stood outside both the EBF and Breeders' Cup areas may be made eligible by paying the $3,000 fee by Feb. 15, 2013, or $6,000 by June 30, 2013.
"It is quite a problem getting across seemingly complicated arrangements which had to be introduced following the termination of the Cross Registration and Common Fund Agreements," said Charles Henri de Moussac, chairman of the EBF Co-Ordinating Committee. "My committee discussed these arrangements at length, and I think we have arrived at a fair and flexible result, which should appeal to breeders hoping to sell their stock to European interests, and owners racing in Europe. The racing program in Europe provides a 'playground' for a large number of horses sired outside the EBF area."
De Moussac said anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the EBF office at info@ebfhorseracing.co.uk. or at +44 (0)1638 667960.