USEF Horse Recording

[not again]

Well, I just got this year's foal crop of lifetime recording certificates and I sure am underwhelmed. Simple blue card--horse's name and USEF number, owner name and address, date of birth, gender, breed and owner. NO DESCRIPTION. No Line for Birth registry number.

NO line for Breeder!!!!!!

Overall it looks unimportant; it is a half-size bit of blue paper, no seal or signature for the USEF officer,and I guess it is. The UELN has taken a great backseat.:no:

[Fairview Horse Center]

The 2005 ones were really nice, but I was upset last year when the paper came out, but at least it had more information on it, like breeder. We should be moving FORWARD toward more information, like a passport, not back to just a card.

[Tasker]

Just chiming in as I opened the first envelope (mom was driving) and I was horrified by the quality of the form/paper/information. It is so informal and looks more like a submission to change ownership/name than anything else with no sire/dam/breeder/markings...

The actual form we filled out required registration #s for sire/dam/damsire and this doesn't even acknowledge all the writing that went into submitting the registration form!!!! ARGGH Maybe they have stored it in a file or database but it sure doesn't look like it from reading the new Certificates...certainly not like the old ones from the 80's, 90's and earlier this century. :no: :(

[Ladybug Hill]

Yes, this is my first year recording lifetime with USEF. I too was extremely unimpressed. Can't they get their heads out of their "you know whats" and realize what the customer wants and expects??? Even the VPBA gives official looking papers at only $5 per registration!

[Jaegermonster]

I got a really nice certificate when I had my mare recorded in 2004. It's 8x10 with a seal and all kinds of nice fancy stuff on it.
I do wish they would print your horses ID # on your membership card though, or at least a card with their number on it. It would make it easier at the shows and stuff.

[Samotis]

I have a foal due Feb. 20th, so I will be getting a lifetime USEF number for the foal. Do you record them when they are a year old?

That is dissapointing about the quality. Maybe we should all send them letters with some better examples.

[PineTreeFarm]

I do wish they would print your horses ID # on your membership card though, or at least a card with their number on it. It would make it easier at the shows and stuff.

If you go to this site: http://www.eqverification.org/index.php?pageid=1
you can print your membership card, farm id card, horse id card all on one
page. No need to take all the paperwork with you to the show, just print
a sheet when you need it.

[Jaegermonster]

ok thanks, I never thought to do that

[Rubs Not Pats]

I hate to be the voice of reason here but really what are you going to do with the certificate anyway that you care how it looks? Let them send out cheap things and put their money into things that matter like better databasing of results, Compiling of CORRECT information, year end awards, etc. All I use mine for is taking up space in the horse's folder. I print the copies for the horseshow from the authorised user's menu.

[Ladybug Hill]

You have a very good point, but have you actually seen the cert yourself? It looks like something that could easily get thrown away. If the whole process is computerized, it should be very easy to include all pertinent info at very little expense.

[Fairview Horse Center]

A decent looking document is more likely to stay with the horse when it is passed from owner to owner. It is not like a decent document takes any more than a few pennies of print paper/ink than a crappy one.

If they want to send a card, then it should be magnetic strip and bar coded with all information so the show secretaries can just scan with their card reader.

[M.K.Smith]

I'm still waiting on mine... I faxed mine in on 12-31... they charged the card on 1-9. USEF always seems eager to charge your card, but slow to send you the goods. Maybe they'll be in the mail tomorrow... I'm sure they had a huge end of the year push, but I'm used to the card getting charged when goods are processed & shipped.

The last lifetime number that I got was in 2004. It had the US flag on the backgroud and was very attractive. It lists sire & dam & markings, but not breeder.

Now my AQHA papers for Amber were a total disappoinment... I almost complained, but figured it wasn't worth my time... they appeared as if they were done on a dot matrix printer that should have had the toner/cartridge replaced quite a few printings ago... it barely photocopies. That was issued in 2004... I would think that a major breed like AQHA would 1. have some form of quality control & 2. have something with better printing quality. My other AQHA mare is a 1995 model & her papers look the same except the printing is darker.

[PineTreeFarm]

A decent looking document is more likely to stay with the horse when it is passed from owner to owner. It is not like a decent document takes any more than a few pennies of print paper/ink than a crappy one.

If they want to send a card, then it should be magnetic strip and bar coded with all information so the show secretaries can just scan with their card reader.

If the horse changes hands then that should be reported to USEF and new documents issued so the document won't be staying with the horse, it will be replaced.

Why would a card with a magnetic strip be of any use? I can't think of a single show in my local assoc ( 75 USEF member shows ) that has a magnetic reader or has any software that could do anything with that data. So no value at this time.

I'd think that many of you have papers from a registry anyway so why do you care what the USEF documents look like?

If you are concerned that the breeder isn't recorded or the pedigree is nissing from USEF's records simply do a recording and/or a results search to check the info.

[vineyridge]

Maybe it's something in the air of Lexington. :)

Bad customer service from the Jockey Club and from the USEF.

I miss the AHSA. At least they were trying.

[Ladybug Hill]

Actually, I got my JC papers SUPER fast this year--record time I think. 2 weeks maybe? What is up with that?

[not again]

In order to verify information from the original application I tried to look on line, but alas, my youngsters aren't in the USEF database. :(
Maybe in a few days.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Why would a card with a magnetic strip be of any use? I can't think of a single show in my local assoc ( 75 USEF member shows ) that has a magnetic reader or has any software that could do anything with that data. So no value at this time.

Exactly, but our intent is to move forward. We need to get things in place so the database can be a reality at some point in our lifetimes. The system exists. We NEED it on this side of the pond.

Are the 2007 cards barcoded? The 2006 paper did have something that appeared to possibly be a bar code. Anyone know?

[sporthorsefilly]

I have not had a problem with the USEF. I can get my own horses information and that of other people's horses. My registrations arrive on time, and I know how to access them on line. I agree that the older registration forms were more appealing to the eye, but then times change.

What I do have a problem with is that any previous information such as last years scores are NOT available on line from USDF!!! I called to verify a score on someone's horse from 2007...they were kind enough to tell me yes or no...but if you wanted a print out, even of your own horse it is $25!

So the real problem is not the USEF, but the USDF, where everything is OFF LINE and you will be charged for it, if it isn't the current year. Nothing is available in the archives, period.

[PineTreeFarm]

Exactly, but our intent is to move forward. We need to get things in place so the database can be a reality at some point in our lifetimes. The system exists. We NEED it on this side of the pond.

Are the 2007 cards barcoded? The 2006 paper did have something that appeared to possibly be a bar code. Anyone know?

The 2007 horse registrations have the same thing. I'm not sure if it is barcoding or not. I haven't tried to scan it yet.
Individual USEF/USHJA membership cards do not have barcoding.

I'm still waiting for a 2008 life horse recording to be completed by USEF.
I actually paid them in Oct 2007 but they refused to accept JC papers as conveyance of ownership. At the end of Dec they said they would accept JC papers so I sent the copies in. Haven't heard from them but with the convention and all I'll give them another week before I call again. This was a transfer of ownership and an upgrade from a Horse ID to full Life Recording.

On the other hand, the JC was great to deal with last year. They even walked me through the required pictures while I was taking the pics.

I still think you would do better taking your database discussion to USHJA.USEA and USDF. USEF is an umbrella organization representing many breeds and disciplines. The breed restricted divisions ( Arab, Saddle Horse, Hackney etc.) all have their own national registries to issue papers. It would be doubtful if any of those groups actually give a damn what happens in Europe. Asking USEF to devote large sums of money and time to solving a problem that primarily affects WB breeders is not fair to the other USEF members. How would you feel if USEF implemented a program for ASB's and asked all the members to pay for it? USEF's system is a RESULTS system, not a breeding database. I do agree that it has problems in the results department but I also think that having sires lists and breeder lists is about as far as it's going to go without spending a great deal of money. USEF 'papers' are not meant to be registry papers.

Dressage, Eventing and Hunter/Jumper are not breed specific so that's where the disconnect happens. It might be useful if there was ONE WB registry in the US that would issue papers instead of all the fragmented groups that exist today. Maybe like the Canadian model. Just think, you wouldn't have record mares and stallions with multiple registries and pay multiple fees, deal with multiple standards etc.

[sporthorsefilly]

There is a database that everyone can record their WBs to, if they want to show in USEF or USEF/USDF shows, it is called the PHR! Performance Horse Registry.

[Portia]

What I do have a problem with is that any previous information such as last years scores are NOT available on line from USDF!!! I called to verify a score on someone's horse from 2007...they were kind enough to tell me yes or no...but if you wanted a print out, even of your own horse it is $25!

So the real problem is not the USEF, but the USDF, where everything is OFF LINE and you will be charged for it, if it isn't the current year. Nothing is available in the archives, period. You should be able to search scores for past years for any USEF recognized competition, including dressage, for any USEF recorded horse, on the USEF website. You don't need to go through the USDF unless you want exact scores rather than placings.

[Portia]

I have a foal due Feb. 20th, so I will be getting a lifetime USEF number for the foal. Do you record them when they are a year old?

If you life record before the end of their first year -- that is, before January 1 -- then the recording fee is only $35.00. You can still record them at any time after that, but the fee goes up.

[sporthorsefilly]

Thanks Portia, yes, the USEF database does have dressage scores, but the one I was looking for had not been reported by the DSHB show...which is why I went to USDF.

Also any USDF Champions or Res. for past years are not available from USEF.

[Reiter]

I'm still waiting! Send out all the recording stuff in December, so I guess I'm in the bulk of the last minute people, but of course my check has long been cashed.
I also haven't received the breed paperwork (AHS) for one of my foals yet. How does the saying go: the wheels of burocracy grind slowly! ;)

[Kneigh]

I'm still waiting for mine too. And I also waited until early December to send the application in.