In the
past, all Namibian stud breeders used to be members of the South
African Stud Book and Livestock Improvement Association. With
Namibia’s independence in 1990, the then South African Livestock
Improvement Act was amended to make provisions for the
establishment of autonomous breeder’s societies in Namibia.
On the 1st of October 1994, the Vice-Chairperson Mrs
Gisela Uijs, chaired the inauguration meeting of the Namibian
Breeders Association “Telersvereniging”. There on the
Showgrounds, with only a handful of breeders and but a few
pure-bred Arab horses in Namibia, the Arab horse breeders
started to organize themselves. Mrs Helga Aschenborn, breeder
of excellent Asil Arab horses in SA and mother of Mrs Gisela
Uijs, who was also the driving force behind the organization,
was elected to lifelong Honory-President of the Namibia Breeders
Association.
The fact that the Namibian climate can be compared to that of
the Arab countries, where Arab horses originate from, and the
fact that the Arab horses are absolutely pure-bred throughout
the ages, makes them a unique breed to offer to the Endurance
Riding community.
With the Endurance Riding sport going from
strength to strength and riders becoming more competitive on
both a National and International level, our Namibian bred Arab
Horses, helped to place the riders on the international
endurance riding rankings.
Today, the Arab Horse Breeders
Society, is a well organized, actively functional society,
promoting the Namibian Arab Horse Breed on only in Namibia but
also internationally.
