THE Swedish Connemara Pony Society continues to operate in turmoil as the Swedish Board of Agriculture have refused another application to pass its studbook.

First covered in Irish Horse World last month, the society’s studbook was closed by the authorities in February of this year, meaning they can no longer issue passports, register foals, inspect ponies for classification or record stallion coverings.

The society register between 60 and 70 ponies a year, but no new foals have been registered in 2017.

The latest application, explaining the classification process for geldings, which was accompanied by a letter from the mother CPBS society in Clifden, was also refused. The Swedish society are waiting for a date to meet the Board of Agriculture in the administrative court, and until then, breeders must decide whether they will register their foals with a neighbouring society or wait it out.

Speaking this week, vice chairperson of the Swedish Connemara Pony Society, Madeleine Beckman, said: “We sent in the letter from the mother society relating to the geldings but they still didn’t understand and didn’t approve it. It’s very strange, I work for an authority and this is not common.”

Beckman continued: “Normally in Sweden, the administrative court is by standing document but we have asked to go there in person and talk to the National Board of Agriculture. We hope that will speed up the process but we haven’t got a date yet for that.”

Beckman explained that the breeders in Sweden are becoming increasingly worried, as the problem is affecting trade and causing economic loss. “Breeders have gone to the farmers’ organisation (Federation of Swedish Farmers) in Sweden because it is causing economic loss – it’s against the horse industry.

“Most (breeders) are waiting and if possible they will apply for Swedish passports but in a couple of months they will have to go abroad to get the passports. There is still some hope.”

EU REGULATIONS

The issue came about late last year when, due to new Zootechnical EU regulations, each of the 18 studbooks in Sweden had to apply for a new licence form the Board of Agriculture. Of the 18, the Connemara society was the only one that didn’t pass.

Beckman says the procedure has cost the society over €10,000 and is damaging the trade of Connemara ponies in the country. At the most recent Connemara Pony Sales in Clifden last month, nine ponies were sold to Sweden, but none of them have been registered with the Swedish society.

The Irish Field has made several attempts to contact the Swedish Board of Agriculture but at the time of going to press they were not in a position to comment on this particular case.