FEI Horse Name Changes Guidelines update

The FEI has announced changes to their Horse Name Changes Guidelines which will be effective as of 1 August 2016. Please note fees still apply to any horse name changes for horses already in the FEI Database

There are two important changes:

Addition of Breed or Breeding associations’ initials

The addition of breed or breeding association initials to the Horse’s Birth Name will now be invoiced at 200 CHF instead of 1000CH2

National Sport Name

The use of a National Sport Name as the Current Name of the horse will now be possible for all horses registered with the FEI for the first time and if the National Sport Name fulfils specific criteria as detailed below. 

National Sport Change Criteria :

EA members will be eligible to use the Horse’s National Sport Name as the Horse’s Current Name free of charge in accordance with the following criteria:

• The horse is being created in the FEI database for the first time
• The National Sport Name (Current Name) must be different to the Birth Name
• The horse must have competed regularly at a national level within Australia for at least 12 months under the National Sport Name
• The National Sport Name does not fall into any of the criteria outlined in the Horse Name Change Guidelines (i.e. removal or addition of stables prefix)
• A horse may only have one National Sport Name entered into the FEI Database as its Current Name. Any additional changes will be invoiced as per the Horse Name Change Guidelines.

Example below:

Horse #12345678 was registered with EA as Bubblegum Pedro (BIRTH NAME) 

A few years later, the horse’s name was changed to Phillipe Bubble (NATIONAL SPORT/CURRENT NAME)

Phillipe Bubble has been competing at a national level under this name for 12 months and would like to compete at FEI Level

There will be no invoice for a change of name since this horse is being created in the FEI Database for the first time and has results at a national level over 12 months under the name ‘Phillipe Bubble.’