Question on Registration Papers

Mikki79 · Postby **Mikki79** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:02 am

I have a horse that I got last year, Take the Plunge, who came to me without his registration paperwork. The lady I got him from was going to see if she could find out where his papers were and get them to me but I never heard back from her. Now i'm ready to start showing him and the issue that I am running into is without his papers i cannot prove he is a registered TB. Does anyone know how I could find out who the last owner is and see if I can get new papers issued or is there some way I can get new papers without tracking down the last known owner? Any advice would be grealty appreciated.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:54 am

If you indeed have the 2001 gelding, Take the Plunge, he was a pretty good racehorse. He will have a lip tattoo, which is all is that is needed to prove that he is a registered Thoroughbred. The first letter of the tattoo decodes to the year of birth, which in his case will be an "E". The rest of the tattoo is the rest of his registration number. If the horse you have does not have a lip tattoo, then you do not have Take the Plunge.

Crystal · Postby **Crystal** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:00 am

if she got him off the track, without papers there is a chance they are still in the racing office.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:47 am

Take the Plunge last raced in 2006. He seems to have been mainly run in West Virginia.

LB · Postby LB » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:27 am

I can't think of any kind of show that requires a TB to have registration papers. Are you sure it's necessary for you to have them?

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:34 am

Even the all tb show run by New Vocations requires only a tattoo if you dont have the papers since alot of people destroy them to prevent the horse from being raced again.

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:15 am

I was thinking the same thing.
Any horse show ASHA (or whatever it is called now) usually will accept a lip tattoo as proof.
All of the thoroughbred horse shows will accept a lip tattoo as proof as well.

Mikki79 · Postby **Mikki79** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:55 am

It is indeed Take the Plunge. I was told he was a pretty good race horse and is an absolutely brilliant riding horse. He did indeed come off the track and sat untouched for two years until I got him last year. I live in PA (back woods as you can get) and in order for them to allow him to show in the 4H and county fairs as a TB his registration paperwork has to be available. They do not scan tattoos there. It's almost a crime to have this guy listed as grade just because I do not have his paperwork. It also proves ownership as well which they are quite big on you showing that you actually own the horse you are taking to the show. I am just wondering if there is some way for me to get them or request a new set of papers.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:42 am

Generally speaking, no.

In the course of having gone through the processes to replace registration papers, I have encountered problems more often than success. The Jockey Club does not maintain, nor disclose, ownership information. To have papers reissued is a long, treacherous process that can be expensive if there have been numerous intermediate owners. The Jockey Club Will Not Reissue papers if there is a chance that a set exist for that horse. You have to PROVE that the papers were lost and have a signed affidavit from the person who lost the papers. The only other way is in the case of abandoned stock/board not paid, and that requires that you file an agister's lien, then a lawsuit, and then have a sheriff's sale to gain ownership of the horse. The sheriff's receipt is proof for the Jockey Club.

I don't really understand - the 4H shows here in KY don't ask for the horse's registration PAPERS, just the number, which is on his lip tattoo. Proof of ownership is your bill of sale when you acquired him.

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:43 am

I dont know any 4 h shows that have classes just for Tbs either so why need registration papers? Just doesnt make sense.

LB · Postby LB » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:21 pm

Possession of registration papers is not proof of ownership--if it was, the person who currently has your horse's papers would be his owner--and the Jockey Club would be the first to tell you that. Your bill of sale is your proof of ownership--but again, I've never shown anywhere that required me to own the horse I was showing, or to provide proof.