Nineveh documents newborn and newly purchased horses in push to build national registry

NINEVEH — Nineveh’s Directorate of Agriculture on Wednesday carried out a field visit to record newborn and recently purchased horses in Tel Kaif district, part of an effort to expand Iraq’s official animal registry and issue formal identification documents for breeders.

The directorate said the documentation process protects owners’ rights and supports the creation of an accurate database for both the governorate and the country. Officials said registration is also a prerequisite for veterinary screening and clearing horses of diseases, a step they described as essential for lifting international restrictions and allowing Iraqi horses to compete abroad.

The effort aims to support Iraq’s horse sector “and the preservation of genetic assets through official documentation,” the statement said, noting the cultural and economic importance of local breeds.

Authorities urged registered breeders to collect their horse IDs from agricultural units and called on unregistered owners to complete the process to gain access to services and help organize the sector in Nineveh. Technical committees will continue field visits across the governorate to build a comprehensive national database.

Horse racing remains a popular pastime across Iraq. In mid-October, fans gathered in Rabia, Nineveh, for a competition featuring riders from the Kurdistan Region, Basra, Najaf and Salah al-Din.