Forum calls for industry co-operation to advance database
The
National Equine Forum, held in London last month, called for all
members of the equestrian industry to work together to ensure the
future success of the National Equine Database (NED).
Graham
Suggett OBE, DL, Consultant Director of Breeding British Equestrian
Federation, presented a comprehensive paper on The National
Equine Database at the Forum, provoking an enthusiastic response
from attending equestrian organisations, with the majority expressing
a strong desire to see the project work effectively.
Defra
is working in partnership with the equestrian industry to develop
NED, which will be the only complete equine database. The equine
identification details needed for the database are being obtained
by mandate through the provision of the Passport Order but owners
need only supply additional valuable breeding and purchase information
on a voluntary basis. If all owners, breed societies, stud books
and competition disciplines are willing to release this additional
information to the NED, it will result in the production of a single,
multi-functional and leading edge information source which will
be safely accessible to all sectors of the equestrian industry.
Clearly
the Forum is very familiar with the concept and the benefits of
the equestrian industry working together, said Graham Suggett.
The National Equine Database will only succeed if all organisations
provide the voluntary data. What we need now is a ground swell of
pressure from members to ensure that their organisations
do supply data. Defra is funding the capital costs of establishing
this database and for the industry not to co-operate fully would
literally be looking a gift horse in the mouth.
The
National Equine Forum is the only independent conference for the
horse world in the UK. It is not a lobbying organisation. Its major
function is to identify important topics and provide an opportunity
to hear all sides of complex issues. An invitation-only event, it
has become so popular that the spacious venue was full to capacity
this year.
Further
information on the National Equine Forum can be obtained from Ailsa
Chambers, NEF Secretary, ACHAMBERS@WARKSCOL.AC.UK
.
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