Lipizzaner breeders concerned over potential changes to breeding standards

Breeders in Croatia are raising serious concerns about potential changes to the breeding program for the Lipizzaner horse, a breed with centuries of tradition and strict breeding rules. Representatives from the Slavonija Horse Breeding Association have warned a parliamentary committee that proposed modifications could undermine current standards and threaten the quality and international reputation of Croatian Lipizzaners.

The association is particularly worried about the actions of the Croatian Central Union of Lipizzaner Breeders (HSSUL), established in late 2023. A recent assembly in Sikirevci, where a new breeding program proposal was adopted, has become a focal point of their concern. The proposed changes include simplifying horse registration, reducing administrative requirements and costs, reconsidering horses previously excluded from breeding, and removing the mandatory height criterion for participation.

Further proposed changes involve introducing "black passports" and allowing the registration of offspring from unlicensed stallions. The Slavonija association warns that such measures could lead to a "dilution" of the breed and increase the risk of undesirable traits appearing in the relatively small Lipizzaner gene pool. They emphasize that strict criteria have been the foundation for preserving the breed's genetic stability and international prestige for decades.

Neighboring countries like Slovenia and Austria have maintained very stringent breeding standards. Croatian breeders fear that lowering criteria in Croatia could devalue the breed and damage the international recognition of pedigrees. They argue that financial and administrative issues in horse breeding should be addressed through separate measures, while the breeding program itself must remain a strictly professional matter. The association has formally requested the parliamentary committee to urge the Ministry of Agriculture to review the new breeding program proposal before its official confirmation, highlighting the Lipizzaner's tradition, which is under UNESCO protection.