The Breeder's Certificate:
if you want to register your foal, the APHA needs this piece of paper

The stallion service certificate, commonly called the breeder's certificate, is a key document in the registration of a new foal.

The breeder's certificate certifies that the named stallion was bred to the named mare on the date(s) listed. This certificate is required on all horses, with the only exception being if the person applying for the registration of a foal was also the owner of both the sire and dam of the foal at the time of service. If that is the case, a signed breeder's certificate is not required. However the name of the sire & dam are still required.

Everyone else must use either separate breeder's certificates or those included on Part 2 of the registration application. Stallion owners will receive pre-printed registration applications in the spring following the breeding season reported. (The sire and dam and breeding dates for each exposure will be pre-printed on applications and mailed to the stallion owner.) The stallion owner can then sign it and give it to the mare owner to use when the time comes to register the foal.

A breeding contract cannot be substituted for a breeder's certificate. However, a Quarter Horse breeder's certificate can be used instead of an APHA breeder's certificate. Dates listed on the breeder's certificate, as well as the sire and dam information, must be correct and must correspond with the information on the stallion report. This expedites the registration process.

If a mare is exposed to more than one stallion during a season, there must be at least 30 days between breedings. Breeder's certificates for both breedings, properly completed and signed, should accompany the registration application. It is important to note that if there are less than 30 days between exposures, parentage verification may be necessary before the foal registration can
be processed.

For additional protection, mare owners should call the association before breeding to see if a stallion is in good standing: Is he listed? Is his DNA on file? Are stallion breeding reports being filed as they should? This verification is especially important when breeding to Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred stallions.

To be valid, a breeder's certificate must be signed at the time of service, either by the stallion owner or an authorized agent. What happens with the breeder's certificate after the mare is serviced determines whether her foal may be registered with the American Paint Horse Association.

Breeder's certificates, which are available from the APHA, are issued solely at the stallion owner's discretion. Terms for when the breeder's certificate will be submitted to the APHA vary among stallion owners. Typically, a stallion owner will submit the certificate when:
1. The stud fee has been paid;
2. The mare is pronounced in foal;
3. The mare is picked up by the mare owner;or
4. A live foal is produced.

Essentially, breeder's certificates are the stallion owner's protection against default on the part of the mare owner. For instance, if the mare owner fails to pay all necessary fees, the stallion owner can withhold the breeder's certificate so the mare owner cannot register his or her foal until all fees are paid in full.

Likewise, the mare owner should have a signed stallion contract to ensure that the stallion owner fulfills his or her end of the agreement.

Until recently, mare owners who had grievances about the stallion owner not submitting the breeder's certificate had no recourse through the APHA, as it was considered a civil matter between the mare owner and stallion owner.

Today, mare owners who have a legitimate grievance against a stallion owner can attempt to prove to the APHA that they fulfilled their part of the breeding contract. They may submit cancelled checks or other documents that back up their claims.

If the APHA cannot contact the stallion owner over a reasonable period of time, or if the stallion owner offers no explanation for why the breeder's certificate is being withheld, the mare owner may be allowed to register the foal without the breeder's certificate upon parentage verification.

However, if the stallion owner has a legitimate reason for withholding the breeder's certificate, the APHA will not become involved and the matter is left to civil authorities. (Stallion owners are encouraged to alert the APHA when they are withholding a breeder's certificate so the association knows not to become involved.)

If the mare owner can prove in court that the stallion owner is unjustly withholding the breeder's certificate, part of the settlement agreement should include the stallion owner submitting the breeder's certificate so the foal can be registered.