ARTICLE I - CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION

A.  Only purebred Norwegian Fjord Horses that have proven Norwegian Fjord Horse parentage can be registered. Required documentation of this is a photocopy of the original or official pedigree of the sire and dam that shows the horse’s previous three generations with exceptions for the following horses providing they meet all the other criteria for registration:

 

1.       Horses whose sire and dam are registered with the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry.

2.       Horses registered with The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry before April 21, 1984.

3.       Canadian and American Foundation Stock horses, i.e. horses whose registration number or name includes the initials “CFS” or “AFS” and their offspring.

4.       Horses registered with the Norwegian Fjord Association (NFA) prior to the merging of the NFHR and NFA.

 

B.     Only NFHR members in good standing are allowed to register horses.

 

1.       The owner to be identified on the horse’s Registration Certificate must be one or more natural person(s) over the age of eighteen or an entity.

2.       If there is more than one owner, all owners must sign the initial registration application designating either “and” or “or” between the names, which shall indicate whether either or all must sign subsequent documents such as transfers.

3.       If a horse is to be registered in the name of a corporation or other entity the entity must send the NFHR Registrar a document identifying the name and contact information for the natural person(s) with authority to bind the entity with respect to the horse. Such documents and any amendments thereto must be signed by all owners of the entity who must also certify that they are all the owners of the entity. The NFHR Registrar may rely on such documentation. The entity has the obligation to provide the Registrar with notice of any changes in the ownership of the entity and/or the designated agent with authority to bind the entity. All such notices must be signed by all owners of the entity.

C.     Inbred horses cannot be registered.

 

1.       For the purpose of these rules, horses foaled between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 2013 are considered inbred if the same horse appears in their pedigree more than once in the previous two generations.

2.       For the purpose of these rules, horses foaled after December 31, 2013 are considered inbred if the same horse appears in their pedigree more than once in the previous three generations.

 

D.     OUTCROSSING PROHIBITION:

 

1.   The NFHR prohibits NFHR registered horses from being outcrossed with other breeds of horses. This includes other breeds of horses as well as any other animal in the family Equidae or genus Equus.

2.   If an NFHR registered horse, mare or stallion, has been proven to have been used for outcrossing with another breed of horse or other animal in the family Equidae or genus Equus, the NFHR Registrar will withdraw that horse from the Registry and so remove any registration privileges to that horse and to any future progeny of that horse.

 

E.      The NFHR will not allow registration of any horse produced by cloning, gene splicing or other artificial enhancement or manipulation of the equine genome.

ARTICLE II - ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION, EMBRYO TRANSPLANT and TRANSPORTED SEMEN

 

A.  The NFHR recognizes and approves the use of ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI) and EMBRYO TRANSPLANT (ET) provided the following criteria are met:

 

1.   Effective January l99l, all stallions used for transported semen for AI breeding must be assigned a Semen Transport Permit Number prior to the transport of the semen.  This number may be obtained from the Registrar by filing an application for a Semen Transport Permit and paying a one time fee. This number must appear on the required NFHR forms accompanying each shipment of semen and on any appropriate paperwork, including the Certificate of Service. See the Registration Fee Schedule for current pricing.

2.   DNA typing of the stallion must be on file before a Semen Transport Permit Number will be issued.

3.   DNA typing of the mare to receive AI service or the ET donor mare must be on file with the NFHR before the resulting foals can be registered.

4.   The foal resulting from AI or ET must be DNA typed before it is registered.

5.   A Receipt for Transported Semen form must be completed and signed upon receipt of each semen shipment by the person inseminating the mare. This certificate must be returned to the stallion owner or their agent who must keep this record available for inspection.

6.   Semen collected and inseminated fresh on site with both the stallion and the mare present will not require a Receipt for Transported Semen nor will the stallion be required to have a Semen Transport Permit Number.

7.   Each embryo transplant must be accompanied by a Transplant Report filled out by the licensed veterinarian performing the procedure and filed with the Registrar.

8.   The resulting foals will not qualify for registration with the NFHR unless the above conditions have been met.

 

B.   The following requirements, in addition to the above, must be followed to ensure registration of foals conceived by the use of imported semen (frozen or other):

 

1.   A three generation pedigree,  the name,  address and  phone number of the stallion owner or their agent in the country of  origin and the Semen Transport Permit Number for the stallion to be used must be on file before the insemination.

2.   The semen must meet current USDA requirements.

 

ARTICLE III - REGISTRATION NUMBERING SYSTEM

 

A.  Prior to 1/1/2007 The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry registration numbering system consisted of four groups of letters and/or numbers.

 

1.   First set of letters - not more than 3 or less than 1 - is the breeder identification letters.  Imported horses are given a letter designating the country they were imported from.

2.   Second set of letters - year of birth by letter starting with 1982 as the 22nd letter (V)

3.   Third set of numbers - registration number of animal starting with 001.  Mares and stallions each have their own set of numbers.

4.   Fourth set of letters - S, G or M to represent Stallion, Gelding or Mare.  Registration Certificates may have SG that indicates that the horse was originally registered as a stallion and was then gelded.

 

B.    As of 1/1/2007 The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry registration numbering system consists of groups of letters and/or numbers.

1.       First set of numbers - consists of 2 digits.  These digits are the last 2 digits of the year the horse was born.

2.       Second set of numbers - sequential registration number of horse starting with 5255.

3.       Third set of letters - S, G or M to represent Stallion, Gelding or Mare.  Registration Certificates may have SG that indicates that the horse was originally registered as a stallion and was then gelded.

ARTICLE IV - REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

 

A.  DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR REGISTRATION

 

1.   A photocopy of the original or official pedigree of the sire and dam that shows the previous three generations of the horse presented for registration with exceptions for the following horses providing they meet all the other criteria for registration:

a.       Horses whose sire and dam are registered with the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry.

b.       Horses registered with The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry before April 21, 1984.

c.       Canadian and American Foundation Stock horses, i.e. horses whose registration number or name includes the initials “CFS” or “AFS” and their offspring.

d.       Horses registered with the Norwegian Fjord Association (NFA) prior to the merging of the NFHR and NFA.

2.   A Certificate of Service unless the owner owns the mare, stallion and the foal.

3.    If the person applying for registration does not own the dam at the time of breeding or have a lease agreement for the dam in place at the time of breeding, then a bill of sale for the offspring being presented for registration with the signature of the dam owner at the time of breeding, the date of birth of the offspring and the name of the dam and sire will be accepted.

4.   DNA typing of the sire and dam must be done for any foal born after October, 1985.

5.   DNA typing is required for all horses presented for registration after January 1, 1996. 

a.       DNA typing kits may be obtained by sending the necessary funds to the Registrar along with the name, sex, foaling date, dam and sire of the horse to be DNA typed.

b.       Hair samples from the mane or tail must be pulled so the root is part of the sample.  DO NOT CUT the hair. Send the sample and paperwork to the laboratory noted on the DNA kit.

c.       After the DNA typing is completed and the results received by the Registrar from the laboratory, the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry will notify the owner of the results if further information is necessary, or complete the registration of the horse and send it to the owner.

d.       The Registry may at any time request DNA typing of any mare, stallion, gelding and/or foal.

6.   A Registration Application completed in full, signed and dated along with the applicable fees.

7.    See Article I Criteria for Registration for any questions.

 

B.   DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR TRANSFERS FROM OTHER REGISTRIES

 

1.       Transfers from foreign Registries are permitted as long as the Rules of Registration and Transfers for the foreign Registry are consistent with NFHR registration requirements. The NFHR Registrar reserves the right to request any supporting registration documentation for any horse being presented for transfer to the NFHR.  Documentation can include, but is not limited to, Certificate of Service, Stallion Reports, Bills of Sale, DNA profile reports, copies of Registrations showing pedigrees, passports, or other proof of ownership.

2.       Horses eligible for registration with the transferring registry but not actually registered must be registered according to the Registration Procedure under Article IV. Section A.

3.   A photocopy of the original or official three generation pedigree.

4.   A Registration Transfer Application completed in full, signed and dated along with the applicable fees.

5.   Pregnant mares must have a Certificate of Service from the stallion owner or the transferring registry in order to register the foal.

6    DNA type results must be on file with the NFHR registrar for horses being presented for Registration Transfer after January 1, 1996.  (Geldings are exempt if registered before 01-01-18 unless requested by the Registrar.)

7.   Inbred horses cannot be registered.

a.       For the purpose of these rules, horses foaled between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 2013 are considered inbred if the same horse appears in their pedigree more than once in the previous two generations.

b.       For the purpose of these rules, horses foaled after December 31, 2013 are considered inbred if the same horse appears in their pedigree more than once in the previous three generations.

8.   Horses registered in Foreign Registries that have been used for outcrossing may not be transferred to the NFHR except in the following circumstance:

a.       If the horse was outcrossed to another breed, and that horse’s home Registry does not prohibit such outcrossing, that horse may be transferred to the NFHR with the stipulation that future outcrossing of that horse is prohibited and violation of that prohibition would result in the same penalties as those described in Article I, Section D.

 

C.   The Registrar reserves the right to challenge the parentage of any horse presented for registration with the NFHR. The cost of verifying parentage will be borne by the owner. As stated in the NFHR Bylaws, the Registrar may at any time refuse or revoke the registration of any horse found to be ineligible for registration, misrepresented or registered in violation of the NFHR Rules of Registration and Transfers.

 

 

ARTICLE V - TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP

 

Before a change of ownership can be recorded by the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry, the following must be received by the Registrar:

 

A.     The original Registration Certificate or an official NFHR Duplicate Certificate.

 

B.     The transfer report located on the back of the Registration Certificate signed and completed by the seller or sellers (if jointly owned.) If the original certificate is the old style that does not have the Transfer Report on the back of the Registration Certificate, then use the Transfer Report form found on the NFHR website.

 

C.     The correct transfer fees must accompany the transfer request.

ARTICLE VI - NORWEGIAN FJORD HORSE NAMES

 

A.  In keeping with the Norwegian ancestry of the Fjord Horse, the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry requests Norwegian names are used.

 

B.   Horses presented for original registration in the NFHR will not be allowed to use an existing name. A roman numeral will be added to duplicate names if not submitted with an identifying farm name, prefix or suffix.

 

C.  Farm names, prefixes or suffixes may not be duplicated without permission from the original user. The first individual to use a specific farm name, prefix or suffix has sole use of that designation unless they release use of it to another.

D. Imported horses presented for NFHR registration that have duplicate names, farm names, prefixes or suffixes within the NFHR shall be subject to the following:
     a. The foreign registration number will become part of the horse's name.
     b. Duplicate prefixes, farm names or suffixes will be removed if already in use within the NFHR.

E. Names already listed in any Registry will not be allowed to change whether the Registry is in the U. S., Canada or other foreign countries with the exception of ARTICLE VI, B or D above.

F. The NFHR Registrar has final approval of all names, farm names, prefixes and suffixes.

ARTICLE VII - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

The Certificate of Service is to be completed by the stallion owner and given to the mare owner following stallion service.  This certificate must accompany the application for registration of the foal unless the sire, dam and foal are owned by the same person.  For AI and ET breeding, completion of AI/ET Service section is required.

 

ARTICLE VIII - DEATH OF AN ANIMAL

 

The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry requires that the Registrar be notified in the event of the death of an animal so that the NFHR records may be kept up to date and accurate.

ARTICLE IX - CASTRATION OF A STALLION OR COLT

 

The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry requires that the Registrar be notified when a stallion or colt is castrated. The Registration Certificate should be returned to the Registrar within 3 months of the procedure.  This is necessary for the Registration records and the Registration Certificate to be accurate.  The Registration Certificate will be returned to the owner once gelding is recorded on it.

ARTICLE X - DUPLICATE REGISTRATION PAPERS

 

The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry will issue a duplicate Registration Certificate only in the event that the original papers are destroyed or lost. The new Registration Certificate will be marked as 'Duplicate'.

ARTICLE XI - APPEALS REGARDING REGISTRATION, TRANSFERS AND FEES

A. Decisions regarding Registration, Transfers and Fees may be appealed to the Board of Directors.

 

B. Process for Appeal

 

1.       The appellant must state in writing to the Board of Directors the decision they wish to appeal.

2.       The appellant should submit to the Board of Directors all documentation to support the appeal.

3.       The Board of Directors in consultation with the Registrar and Executive Director will review all the information available.

4.       The Board of Directors may use various methods to determine the validity of an appeal. Any costs involved will be borne by the appellant.

5.       The Board of Directors, after careful consideration, will inform the appellant of their decision.

 

C. Hardship Situation

 

1.       The definition of a hardship situation is as follows:

a.       The inability to provide the required paperwork due to:
*Death or incapacity of a required signer.
*Inability to locate a required signer.

b.       Other hardship situations as identified by the NFHR Registrar and Board of Directors.

In any hardship situation, proof of parentage will not be waived. In the case of a hardship situation appeal, the appellant must make a diligent effort to locate the required signer and disclose their process and findings to the Registrar and Board of Directors.

 

D. The Board of Directors will not be involved in disputes between parties.

 

1.       Final court orders determining ownership will be honored in accordance with their terms.

2.       Any person or entity presenting an order to the NFHR Registrar as a final order shall be liable to and indemnify the NFHR for any claims resulting from any misrepresentation regarding such order.

 

E.  The decision of the NFHR Board of Directors shall be final.