Introduction
Declining overall numbers of the two intercontinental herds is cause for concern. Despite the willingness of the North American Suffolk Horse Society (NASHA) to engage in collaborative co-operation, the UK Suffolk Horse Society (UK SHS) continues to maintain two separate Registries for any NASHA equine in the UK for this continuing critically endangered breed.
The UK SHS recalcitrance continues to regard any potential imports of Suffolk Punch mares from the NASHA Registry as in need of grading-up. Registered NASHA Stallions are not eligible until they are the product of what was a three-generation grading system. Strangely, it is now being mooted in these days of dwindling foal production in the UK, as reverting to what was previously a four-generations. And this despite the continuing small numbers of UK stallions breeding: the ‘Elite Sires’ continue to dominate; the Effective Population Size continues to fall, to even more minuscule levels.
Foal Numbers in both the UK and North America are on a downward trajectory, although there is the strange anomaly that NASHA still consistently produce almost 75% of the worldwide Suffolk Horse mare population while only having a little over 12% of the UK SHS Membership.
Another powerful disparity is that UK SHS owners and breeders are able to access considerable subsidies for breeding both stallion and mare, and free registration for any foals which comply with stringent requirements. Each year the UK SHS receives substantial funding especially for breeding stallions and mares.
By contrast NASHA owners and breeders receive no subsidies whatsoever.. All costs are borne by the breeders.
When Suffolk Punch Australia’s first article was published by the Heavy Horse Magazine, Summer Edition July 2009, some UK SHS members mistook the suggestion that the Suffolk Horse throughout the world should be seen as one herd, to mean one Global Stud book, rather than co-operative collaboration. (See: the article Running out of time on this website). Some 13 years later it is even more urgent, more desperate, given the RBST UK prediction of genetic extinction of the Suffolk by 2027. Yet it often feels that Nero is alive and well, fiddling away while Rome (aka entrenched UK Suffolk views) burns to ashes.
In 2017, long time UK based owner and breeder Randy Hiscock, commented on the Obituary of that magnificent imported stallion Garrettand’s Golden Eagle 3036-S (2001-2017).
‘I believe the only way the Suffolk horse will survive the 21st century is if all the populations in the world today work together, trusting and respecting each other’s records. With modern science and DNA there is no honest reason not to move forward together’. Randy Hiscock, p.13 Heavy Horse World, Winter 2017
North American Suffolk Horse Owners and Breeders
Owners and Breeders in the United States of America and Canada have good cause to feel pride in their achievements.
NB: One measure in stock breeding is the ratio of females to males, as this is true of horse breeding. In the same breeding season, one stallion can impregnate several mares: many more if frozen semen is utilized. One mare usually produces one foal. It is rare in the heavy horse world that Embryo Transfer would enable more than one foal per breeding season.
With the average gender ratio of 50 : 50 male and female, there are many colt foals produced who will live a highly productive life as geldings – “rather a good working gelding than a poor stallion”. This is reflected in older stud book registration numbers: the Compilation UK SHS Stud Book which details the years 1960-1985. It lists Horses with the registration numbers 8403-8673, and Mares 27,852-28,211.
The UK SHS registers all foals born.. For the breeder he/she is subsidised for breeding costs as an incentive to register this incredibly rare breed.
Suffolk Horse Society Breeding Grants
The UK SHS introduced the SPARKS Database from 2019 and, subsequently the Breeding Grants for both Stallion and Mare owners, financially encourages matings via the following:
See: https://suffolkpunchaustralia.com/sparks-selecting-the-optimum-pairing-of-sire-and-dam-for-the-maintenance-of-genetic-diversity/ and click on the link for the 83 page presentation compiled by Dr Andy Dell for the 2018 Rare Breeds Survival Trust UK Equine Breeders Seminar .
Tables 1 and 2 below are a summary of the 2022 potential breeding grants to the owners, provided adherence to the strict conditions are in full compliance. See: https://suffolkhorsesociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Addendum-15d-Grants-2022-Drafts-17.12.2021-for-magazine-27.01.2022.pdf for full explanation of conditions.
One has to query, however, why Breeding Grants are paid for the Red category “Matings to avoid at all costs” for both the Stallion and the Mare.
With no subsidies for the NASHA breeder, the colt foal has to show great promise to remain entire and become a future stallion.
Examining the Worldwide Herd In Combination
In urging a considerable change in attitude to regarding all the Suffolk Horses in the world as just the one herd, it may prove helpful to examine Figure 2.0 below, and reprinting Table 1.0 from the recent article, Where are we now? August 2022.
and reproduced from previous article:
NASHA’s foal production rate is much higher than ASHA as the above table shows.
Long standing NASHA member and owner and breeder Rodney Read pointed out recently, that NASHA’s overall foaling rate has been decreasing.
Figure 3.1 below has appeared before in earlier articles, but this time with the same linear trend line as above. It differs from Figure 3.0 above in that the blue line for colts represents all colts born and registered. 
and Figure 3.2 below is an update of an earlier diagram ‘Figure 1 The Suffolk Horse Effective Population Size 2001-2019‘ published on this website in May 2021 – Where are we now – Part 1, Between a Rock and a Hard Place. (https://suffolkpunchaustralia.com/thirteen-articles-on-the-status-of-the-suffolk-horse/where-are-we-now-may-2021-part-1-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/ )
Suffolk Horse owners in the South West and other areas of England
Thanks to Jools Turner et al, social media in the form of the Facebook page The Suffolk Punch Horse Hub(https://www.facebook.com/groups/233069560150525 ) many UK SHS members are far more accurately informed about NASHA than previous to the emergence of The Hub. It’s also helped by the fact that it is visited by NASHA members in the USA and Canada. Two of the Hub’s Admins. are NASHA members as well. Its membership now stands at 4,800.
Though several discussion threads, several misunderstandings have been corrected with one of the primary ones being that NASHA/ASHA horses are somehow not proper Suffolks Horses. For those harbouring lingering doubts, take a look at: ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/11cV7eWd_JMiWb4QH-tN4lIHLLV0nFxfCwQrU_HfPYVU/edit )
NASHA’s Suffolk Punch Stallion History File
A substantial compilation of Suffolk Stallions in North America (USA and Canada) currently comprising 87 individual histories so far, has been compiled and curated by NASA owner and breeder Leah Haney.
Each stallion file contains its breeding and bloodlines, date of foaling, breeders and owners, often gives it height and weight, number of registered progeny, and most important for UK SHS owners and breeders: a colour photograph of the stallion, showing them in all shades of glorious chestnut.
Many of these stallions are working horses, and many owners stress their benign temperament: easy to handle, good temperament and quick to learn. Other striking features from the photographs, is how well muscled they are and how very few (if any) fat horses.
Most breeding is by natural cover, and many of these stallions are in paddocks with their herd of mares.
This is an ongoing project with yearly update, usually in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
NASHA registered horses in the UK
Garrettland’s Golden Eagle 3036-S was imported to the UK in 2001 by Randy Hiscock. His progeny are over three generations and 41 animals – all of them in the UK. The UK Suffolk Horse Society requires these horses to undergo a ‘grading up’ process, which initially over initially four, then three generations, before, a progeny (subject to inspection) could be removed from the “International Register” and take its rightful place in the full Pedigree section of the UK Stud Book.
Not surprisingly some owners and breeders registered their horses with NASHA.
Grading up takes time. Some owners who had gone through the three-generation process, were stunned to hear that the push was on to replace it with a four-generation rule.
Given that in 2017 the Rare Breeds Trust UK warning of genetic extinction by 2027 was issued, and that we are careering downhill towards that point, for many it is incomprehensible why the return to a four-generation process is being so actively pursued. In short, there really isn’t any more time.
For a young mare to first foal at four years of age, before 2027, that mare would need to be covered this year – 2022.
Figures: 4.0, 4.01 and 4.02 illustrate the projected situation.
A small reminder
The 2009 article, Running out of Time, concluded with these two paragraphs:
‘There is ongoing and growing concern that the UK Suffolk herd is reaching a ‘tipping point” with its prolonged and continuing lack of genetic diversity over five decades. As it is now possible to have a DNA profile for the Suffolk, surely it is only sensible to utilize this and regard all Suffolks world-wide as one genetic reservoir.
Obstacles to the import, entry to the Stud Book and use of American horses, both mares and stallions, is counterproductive. Its continuance runs the very real risk of further jeopardizing the genetic viability of the UK herd. Intransigency to acknowledge and judiciously employ the genetic resource of the American Suffolks will lead inevitably to the demise of the Suffolk Horse in the UK. Based on the breeding and foal production figures from the SHS itself, it seems the inevitable conclusion. We may indeed be running out of time.’
The UK Suffolk Horse Society can no longer rely on past glories. If it truely means to save the Suffolk, in the words of Randy Hiscock to this writer, over two decades ago: “Look to America”.
And genuine collaborative co-operation to view the Suffolk Horse as a global breed is essential to its preservation in the land of its origins.