handbook - American Haflinger Registry

World Haflinger FederationThe World Haflinger Federation was founded in 1976 by Otto Schweisgut. The WHF has written statutes(ByLaws) that go back to its founding, and have been only slightly modified since the beginning.From the Statutes:Aims and ObjectivesThe Federation aims to form and maintain a union of Haflinger breeding organizations for the promotion,improvement, and distribution of the Breed. The achievement of these aims will be attempted by:• Breeding the Haflinger around the world as a purebred all-purpose horse.• Setting the distinguishing breed features that are fundamental for the breeding of the Haflinger horse,and from which it is not permissible to deviate.• Setting up common rules for registration and regulations for breeding.• Collaboration among the breeder organizations.• Information• International measures for promotion.Quoting the President in recent years – “The WHF is primarily a forum for discussion and collaboration, notan authoritative administrator of rules”While the statues state that there shall be only one representative per country, there have been and arecertain exceptions. Since 1998, meetings of the members have been held annually. The WHF met in the USAin 1988, and again in 1997.The organization consists of a President, elected every six years, and four Vice Presidents, elected every fouryears, along with a General Secretary. Headquarters is at the Fohlenhof in Ebbs, Austria. Administrativeservices are provided free of charge by the Tirolean Breeders Cooperative.Otto Schweisgut was elected the first President in 1976, and served continuously until 2000, when he retireddue to failing health. Hannes Schweisgut was elected President in 2000.All members pay annual dues as follows:• Annual Fee 145 Euros• 0.36 Euros per breeding stallion• 0.07 Euros per breeding mareBecause of our large number of horses, The American Haflinger Registry currently pays the highest dues inthe WHF.Probably the major impact of WHF is the maintenance of the written “Breeding Objectives for the Haflinger”,which are recognized world-wide. “Pure Breeding” is the primary guideline. Since 1999, this has been definedas containing not more than 1.56% outside blood. This means that on a true six generation pedigree, wherethe sixth generation shows 64 ancestors, only ONE may be a non-Haflinger.As of 2004, there are 22 member organizations in WHF, representing 18 countries. All major Haflingercountries are members with the exception of Germany.45