The Connemara Pony Breeders' Society are offering our breeders' the oppportunity to avail of free HWSD sampling for their ponies which are not tested for Hoof Wall Seperation Disease.  This project is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the CPBS. Applications for the Free HWSD Testing will open online via the CPBS website www.cpbs.ie on Tuesday 12th July at 9am.  Owners/breeders are only permitted to apply for a maximum of two free tests. Applications are limited. Please read the below information before applying and ensure the pony is in your ownership at time of application. ******************************************************************************************************************* FREE TESTING: There will be no cost for testing to the breeder/owner if eligible to participate. Your eligibility for free participation will depend on four factors:

• your consent to allow the CPBS to use the sample of your pony already held on file in Weatherbys Scientific laboratory databank from initial registration as foal;
• the viability of the sample currently held by Weatherbys;
• pony is not previously tested for HWSD with the CPBS; and
• the passport being in your ownership.

  The CPBS require your consent to use the initial sample submitted to Weatherbys’ Scientific.  Weatherbys Scientific will test this sample for HWSD and the results will be reported back to the CPBS. On receipt of the result, we will write to inform you and publish the result on the CPBS database. Your pony’s passport will be eligible for a CPBS HWSD stamp of the reported result(s). All progeny that are then N/N by default – ie. their Sire & Dam both being tested N/N with the CPBS – will be notified and their passport will also be eligible for stamping as a consequence of the result. In some circumstances the sample in the laboratory may no longer be viable or it may return as undetermined in which case, unfortunately, the CPBS will not be able to proceed with the test for your pony as it would fall outside the parameters of this free testing programme, and breeders will be notified accordingly. There is no financial obligation required for the testing of the sample – the project is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society (CPBS). However, you will be required to submit your passport for stamping after the test and this is the only cost (ie. postage) that will be incurred by you. Only two free tests per owner/breeder Please help the future and reputation of the Connemara pony by participating in this project by following these two simple steps:

• giving your consent to use the DNA samples already held by Weatherbys Scientific Laboratory

Applications and consent forms will open on Tuesday 12th July at 9am via www.cpbs.ie    

Click here to complete your application