Frequently asked questions

The registration of Brabants in Belgium

The pedigree or registration number has two parts separated by a front slash mark. For exemple, Star van 't Bloemenhof's number is 94/226, meaning he was born in 1990 (94-4=90). The first number should be the year in which the colt was born, but due to the lack of registries for four years during WWII the numbers are all off by four years now. Since 2000 the numbers are correct for the year the foal was born.

The second number is simply the order in which the registration application was received. Colts get even second numbers and fillies get odd second numbers. So that means that Star -with his second number 226- actually was the 113th foal registered that year and the 226th.

Now, what if a horse from France, the Netherlands or elsewhere is registered in Belgium? The first number refers to the year the horse was imported in Belgium, the second number starts in the 2000s.
E.g. Jim van Niesenhof from the Netherlands has a Belgian registration number 100/2008. Jim is born in 1995, but he was imported in 1996 so his first number is 100 (100-4=96).
Since 1982 Belgian and Dutch horses show in both countries and can be freely registered in either country. In Holland, the numbers begin with a K, e.g. Udo van Brandevoort K.2807.

Ardennes horses in Belgium have a separate registry from the Belgians (Brabants) as of 1981, but can still be registered in the Belgian studbook (but not the other way 'round!). Ardennes are registered in the Belgian studbook with the first number being the birth year and the second number starting in the 4000s.

Text by Karen Gruner and Hubert Peffer
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