The Traditional Cob Registry in the UK (Referencing TGCA)

The Traditional Cob

The Traditional Cob is the generic term for the Traditional Cobs of Ireland and the UK (the Irish Cob and Gypsy Cob).

The Irish Cob

The Irish Cob (the Traditional Cob of Ireland) is a distinctive breed that that was developed in Ireland by Irish Travellers as their perfect caravan/wagon horse.

Although the Irish Cob Studbook was officially recognised in Ireland in June 1996, it was not until 1998 that the Irish Cob Society (ICS) was officially approved by DAFM in Ireland to maintain it as the studbook of the origin of the breed (mother studbook) in respect of which Irish Cob Studbook passports could be issued. The Irish Cob Studbook was officially founded on the basis of the first Traditional Cob breed standard – The Irish Cob Breed Standard.

The Gypsy Cob

The Gypsy Cob (the Traditional Cob of the UK) is a distinctive breed that was developed in England by Romani people who used the Traditional Cob of Ireland (Irish Cob) as the foundation breed to develop the Gypsy Cob as their perfect caravan/wagon horse.

It is because the Gypsy Cob (the Traditional Cob of the UK) was derived from the Irish Cob (the Traditional Cob of Ireland) that there are two Traditional Cob breed types (the Traditional Cobs of Ireland and the UK).

In the early 2000s the Gypsy Cob Society (GCS) was approved by DEFRA in England (the UK) to maintain the first Gypsy Cob studbook as the studbook of origin of the breed (mother studbook) in respect of which Gypsy Cob Studbook passports could be issued. The Gypsy Cob Studbook was officially founded on the basis of the first Gypsy Cob breed standard – The Gypsy Cob Breed Standard.

In 2005 the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook was founded in England (the UK) by the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA) as an independent registry. It was not until 2012 (after GCS lost its DEFRA approval) that TGCA could be officially approved by DEFRA in England to maintain the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook as the studbook of the origin of the breed (mother studbook) in respect of which Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook passports could be issued. The Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook was officially founded on the basis of the Traditional Gypsy Cob Breed Standard (which is in fact a second Gypsy Cob breed standard and third Traditional Cob breed standard – the first Traditional Cob breed standard being The Irish Cob Breed Standard).

TGCA Endangering The Irish Cob

Although TGCA is a Gypsy Cob breed society, from the time TGCA was founded in 2005, TGCA has been registering both Irish Cobs as Gypsy Cobs as Traditional Gypsy Cobs, and in doing so TGCA has been ‘re-branding’ Ireland’s Irish Cob as an English breed. 

Although for showing purpose TGCA also uses the generic term the ‘Traditional Cob’ (which covers both Traditional Cob breed types), the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook can only have one breed standard for a single (purebred) breed and the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook breed standard is a Gypsy Cob breed standard.

So, because the Gypsy Cob and Irish Cob are different, an Irish Cob could only partly conform to the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook breed standard. TGCA should therefore not be registering Irish Cobs, not only because it is endangering the Irish Cob, but also because it is threatening the purity of both Traditional Cob breed types.

The TGCA’s Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook has never actually been a single breed (purebred) studbook (which an officially approved studbook is meant to be). The TGCA’s Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook can therefore be viewed as a varied breed type studbook for ‘hairy’ cobs the same as a varied breed type studbook for ‘coloured’ horses which can include ‘hairy’ cobs. However, it must be pointed out, that becuse the Irish Cob and Gypsy Cob are the same breed (Traditional Cob), no registry could be accused of being wrong for registering Irish Cobs and Gypsy Cobs as the same breed. It was not until the last 10 years or so that the Gypsy Cob has been strongly promoted by the Romani people in England as their own unique Traditional Cob breed type, so it is only since then that it has become necessary to have a registry that recognises and registers the Traditional Cob as two distinctive Traditional Cob breed types with their individual defining breed standards.

Terms

Having regard to the fact that ‘Cob’ is a generic term for a stocky horse with large joints and the term ‘Gypsy’ is a historical name for the Romani people, and having regard to the fact that the Gypsy Cob was developed in England (the UK) by the Romai people, the term ‘Gypsy Cob’ was used by the Gypsy Cob Society (GCS) in England to found the Gypsy Cob Studbook. GCS was approved by DEFRA in England (the UK) before TGCA was approved by DEFRA. 

TGCA is not the original breed registry or society for the Traditional Cob (Irish or Gypsy) in Ireland or the UK. 

The question must now be asked “why did TGCA add the generic term ‘Traditional’ in front of the previously GCS used Traditional Cob breed type name ‘Gypsy Cob". There are two possible answers to this question: -

1. Because at the time the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook was founded in England (the UK) by the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA) which was an independent registry, TGCA could not name it the Gypsy Cob Studbook because the Gypsy Cob Society (GCS) was already approved by DEFRA to maintain the Gypsy Cob Studbook, so TGCA had to use another name for their studbook. TGCA could only be approved by DEFRA to maintain the Traditional Gypsy Cob Studbook in 2012 after GCS lost their approval to maintain the Gypsy Cob Studbook.
2. Because TGCA treats the generic term ‘Traditional’ (as in Traditional Gypsy Cob) as meaning: with full traditional mane and feather. This is the reason why TGCA will not register a Traditional Cob as a Traditional Gypsy Cob if it has had its mane and/or leg feather removed. And, this is the reason why a Traditional Cob that is registered with TGCA as Traditional Gypsy Cob will be re-registered with TGCA as a Part Bred if it has its mane and/or leg feather removed. 

TCR UK Protecting Both Breed Types

Because TCR is an independent registry (like TGCA was from 2005 up to 2012), TCR can have a presence in any country (including the UK). DEFRA has been made aware by the TCR representation in the UK (TCR UK) that TCR will be holding showing classes in the UK and DEFRA has no problem with this because TCR is an independent registry - i.e. is not approved by DAFM in Ireland to maintain an official studbook or to issue passports.

TCR Traditional Cob Registration in the UK

Because TCR is an independent registry, TCR is free to have as many breed standards as necessary to facilitate the different Traditional Cob breed types. That is why TCR (unlike a breed society that is officially approved to maintain a studbook for one breed with one breed standard) is in a position to protect the Traditional Cobs of Ireland and the UK (the Irish Cob and Gypsy Cob).

However, because TCR does not issue passports, a Traditional Cob that is in the UK must have at least a basic identification passport before it can be registered with TCR. Once a Traditional Cob is registered with TCR, its online TCR registration profile – including its breed, pedigree (if provided) and PSSM test result and/or colour gene test result (if provided) – will be linked to its passport by the cob’s microchip number. Digital registration and digital passports are the way of the future.

The TCR motto is: Horse breeding is not about passports; it is about horse breeding.

Although TGCA is officially DEFRA approved to issue passports, unlike TGCA which treats the generic term ‘Traditional’ (as in Traditional Gypsy Cob) as meaning: with full mane and leg feather, TCR treats the generic term ‘Traditional’ (as in Traditional Cob) as meaning: the original (Traditional) Irish Cob and the original (Traditional) Gypsy Cob. So, even if a Traditional Cob (Irish or Gypsy) has its mane and/or leg feather removed TCR will register it as Traditional Cob (Irish or Gypsy).

TCR Showing Classes in the UK

The aim of TCR in the UK (TCR UK) is to have in-hand showing classes in the UK that recognise the original (Traditional) Irish Cob and the original (Traditional) Gypsy Cob even if they have had their mane removed.

Although Traditional Cobs (Irish & Gypsy) can be shown in TCR in-hand classes with their mane removed (but full mane is preferred) Traditional Cobs must have their full leg feather to be shown in TCR in-hand classes. Traditional Cobs (Irish & Gypsy) can have their mane and/or leg feathering removed if shown in a TCR ridden classes, unless they are TCR ridden classes that specify full leg feathering as a requirement.

TCR has an ‘elite’ Judges Panel which includes experienced UK judges who joined the TCR Judges Panel because they support the aim of TCR to recognise, register and show the Irish Cob (Irish type) and Gypsy Cob (English type) as two different Traditional Cob breed types with their own defining breed standards. The reason for this is because Traditional Cob showing class line-ups are so varied in type that it is not possible to judge them as a single (purebred) breed. The animals in a showing class line-up of a single (purebred) breed should all look the same in type.

What complicates judging further is the modernisation the Traditional Cob (Irish and Gypsy) which also adds to the variation of types in Traditional Cob showing classes. Judges understandably need the Traditional Cob breed types defined and segregated so as to be able to judge them correctly and fairly according to their appropriate breed standards.

It is only when TCR showing class line-ups of first, second, third and fourth placed Irish Cobs are (for comparison) put ‘side by side’ a TCR showing class line-up of first, second, third and fourth placed Gypsy Cobs that owners, exhibitors and spectators will be able to see (in the flesh) the difference between the two Traditional Cob breed types and therefore understand why they both need recognition and protection.