Impact of trainer and judges in the mare performance test of Warmblood Horses

Abstract

Data of the mare performance test of the Mecklenburger Warmblood Horses were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic (co-)variance components. The data set included the records of 1628 mares tested on station in the years 1993 to 2004. The pedigree contained information of 9560 horses. The investigated traits were trot, canter, walk, manner, ability and ride ability, according to trainer, judges and foreign riders. The estimated heritability coefficients, genetic and phenotypic correlations are in the range of the results report by other authors. The ride ability earns an exception position because a very low heritability was found. A comparison of the heritability coefficients between the trainers' scores and judges' scores makes very evident that the trainers are more able to evaluate the breeding value of the mare. This can probably be caused by the longer observation time of trainers during the stay of the mare on station lasting 14 days in comparison to the judges having only approximately 10 minutes. The current weights of trainers' scores and of judges' scores with 0.5 to 0.5 to generate the total score is not optimal. A stronger emphasis on the scores of the trainers promises an increasing breeding success of approximately 5 to 7 percent.