USPRE President’s Year End Greeting 2018

It has been my privilege to serve another year as President of the Board of Directors of the United States PRE Association Our association represents over 20,000 registered PRE horses in the United States, serving a community of several thousand breeders, owners and riders We manage a studbook office in Wellington, Florida, which has brought PRE horse ownership to the 21^st century with fast and secure service, and provide support to PRE breed shows and sport programs, both of which are growing every year around the country The PRE is no longer a rare and exotic horse in the US, and the reputation of the American-bred PRE is recognized world-wide as a strong, functional and beautiful animal which is faithful to the breed and comparable to the best products of Spain

While the American PRE herd continues to grow and improve, along with the market for our horse, the US still has its challenges The unique history of the Andalusian horse in America pre- and post-dating the appearance of the PRE horse continues to create confusion about bloodlines, paperwork, registries and approvals Our office has assisted many breeders with complicated cases, untangling sometimes decades-old transactions to allow for as many horses as possible to meet the exacting standards of the LG-ANCCE However, we are not always successful and the process can be lengthy The good news is that these cases are becoming fewer as USPRE, and the PRE horse, continues to dominate the Iberian market and to expand its influence among North American breeders, owners and riders who want the very highest quality equine

In September, Executive Director Tanya Duffey and I met with new ANCCE President Juan Jose Morales, Studbook Commission Head Javier Conde, and Studbook Manager Arancha Rodriguez to discuss ways to improve customer service and communication with our breeders, and to review a number of complicated cases that are still pending As a result of this meeting, USPRE has installed a feedback component to our transaction platform, which will assist our office staff in staying as close as possible to the needs of our users Additionally, we felt that a refresher article on the inter-workings of the association was needed, and I was put to this task Included with this letter is a link entitled “Q and A: How USPRE Works” which we hope will bring our members up to date on how the association functions, and will clarify areas where there may be confusion

At USPRE, we are more than the typical breed registry or horse association We are a community of people with the same passion New owners find that when they purchase a PRE horse, unlike any other breed, they gain also a group of nearby friends, instant opportunities to participate with other owners and horses in shows, sports and education, and a connection to Spain and its centuries-old equine traditions

My hope for 2019 is to see our economy continue to be strong, which always improves the equine sector, and for our members and their horses to prosper in all things I hope to see as many of you as possible for USPRE Week in Wellington, January 22-26, when we bring together friends, aficionados and masters from all over the US and Spain for a week of celebration, meetings, information and two of the best parties in the PRE World! Follow our website or call the office for full details

Happy Holidays and all best wishes!