The American Hanoverian Society (AHS) announced that the association will recognize Silver Creek Farms in Broken Arrow, OK, as a central stallion testing station in the United States and furthermore will support their first 70-day test that will be held this fall. During a March 18 teleconference call in which the full board participated, AHS Executive Director Hugh Bellis-Jones and Mare and Stallion Committee Chair Suzanne Quarles reported on their recent visit to the facility during the conclusion of Silver Creek Farm's 30-day test. Quarles reported that Silver Creek was found to be a top class facility in terms of stabling, training, management and horse care. Training Leader Harald Hoffman, whom she, Hugh Bellis-Jones and AHS President Doug Leatherdale had met in Germany last October, had developed a personalized training program for each of the horses that participated in the 30-day test. The testing was found to be satisfactory in every area.

Following a full discussion, the AHS board unanimously voted to support Silver Creek's scheduled fall 2009 70-day test as an avenue for AHS provisionally licensed stallions to complete their performance requirements. The AHS shares a reciprocal studbook with Germany, and accordingly, the Hannoveraner Verband (HV) endorses this decision as well.

In making this announcement, AHS President Doug Leatherdale stated, "We are delighted to be able to offer this option to the owners of AHS provisionally licensed stallions. I have heard nothing but excellent reports concerning Silver Creek Farms, and we look forward to supporting Mr. Hoffman, farm president Summer Stoffel, and farm manager Barbara Sikkink. I am certain that this team will work together to produce a testing of which we can all be proud. We are pleased that the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society, which is a division of the German Oldenburg Verband, joins us in recognizing this testing. We hope that other registries that require stallion performance testing will join us in this endeavor."

It is important to note that this proposed 70-day test will not be managed or owned by any registry entity. Rather Silver Creek Farms is being established as a central stallion testing facility open to stallions approved by any of the warmblood breed societies operating in the United States and Canada. As the testing will be held in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FN (German Equestrian Federation) and BMELV (German Federal Ministry), it follows that the results for AHS stallions will have full reciprocity with the Hannoveraner Verband.

For further information, please contact AHS Executive Director Hugh Bellis-Jones at (859) 255-4141 or [email protected]. Please contact Silver Creek Farms directly at (918) 512-3122 for specific details regarding the 70-day test, including cost and dates.