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Another of the thoroughbred breeding industry’s most contentious issues, artificial insemination, also triggered “lively discussion” during last weeks Breeding Business session at the Asian Racing Conference, reported thoroughbrednews.co.nz. Professor Twink Allen, the NZ-born head of the Equine Fertility Unit at Newmarket in England, asserted the thoroughbred industry “is a laughing stock amongst other equine codes in its refusal to properly discuss, let alone implement, artificial insemination. It hasn’t disintegrated those other codes and it’s an issue that we can’t just keep walking away from. I say why not inseminate when there is so much trouble gone to by using other technology.” Dr John Digby, Keeper of the Australian Stud Book, identified a lack of desire to talk or write about the topic: “When you hear people say we shouldn’t talk about it, there is a problem.” Dr Digby & Professor Allen were both of the opinion that, even if artificial insemination was introduced, it would not entirely compromise stallion shuttling. “It would modify shuttling dramatically if it did come in,” Dr Digby said. “Shuttle stallions are here to stay,” added Professor Allen, “because as in the standard-bred code, some stallions would not be able to function by that means due to problems in semen transportation.” Asian Racing Federation chairman Murray Acklin was clear in stating the authorities’ stance on artificial insemination: “The International Stud Book Committee does not support AI. The Stud Book’s duty is to record foalings, not the means by which they eventuate. Until such time as the breeders of the world want artificial insemination, there will be no moves to make regulatory changes. It is a breeders’ issue to implement change. The Stud Book authorities are only the regulators.”

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