By Chris Gould / CWHBA
Photography: CWHBA

A number of studbooks have instituted video inspections over the past two years as Covid restrictions played havoc with the ability to gather in groups and to travel inspectors – especially across borders. The Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association is no exception.

In 2020 a few regional inspections did take place and the CWHBA offered a provisional breeding license to those stallions that presented at these events; adjudicated by a minimum of three accredited mare inspectors.
In 2021, with no prospect of bringing in international guest inspectors, the CWHBA switched to a video system. At the time of writing, the final adjudication has not yet been completed, however a number of observations may be made about the pros and cons of the system.
First the stallion licensing inspections were hosted across Canada, as before, on a regional basis (Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia). At each site a senior stallion inspector was present to score in person and supervise the procedure to ensure that all guidelines were followed.
Professional videographers were hired and required to comply with standard protocols. Videos were not to be edited to remove any footage while the horses were being viewed. In the end, each stallion had a 25 to 30 minute video.
Once they were uploaded to the internet, the panel of judges reviewed the videos at their own convenience. Finally a Zoom meeting was convened with two guest judges from Europe, the supervising inspectors, and studbook committee members. Each stallion’s video was then shared on line and reviewed with the supervising inspectors awarding their scores, followed by discussion to arrive at a final mark... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber

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