Pedigree Investigation of Polish Sport Horses in Show Jumping: Insights for Global Breeding

The aim of this study was to characterise the pedigree and genetic structure of Polish Sport Horses competing in Grand Prix show jumping events and to assess the implications for international sport horse breeding. Pedigrees of 513 horses were analysed, encompassing a total of 18,836 individuals over a maximum of 16 generations. The completeness and depth of the pedigrees allowed for a reliable estimation of inbreeding coefficients and genetic diversity. The mean inbreeding coefficient was low (0.645%), yet 82% of the horses exhibited some degree of inbreeding. The greatest loss of genetic variability was observed in non-founder generations, most likely due to the intensive use of a limited number of high-value stallions with domestic mares-a bottleneck effect. The most significant founders contributing to the population were the Thoroughbred stallions Ladykiller and Rantzau, as well as the Anglo-Arab stallion Ramzes, highlighting the international influence on the contemporary population. These findings emphasise the need for systematic monitoring of genetic diversity and the strategic use of pedigree data to minimise inbreeding and preserve the genetic potential of Polish Sport Horses for international breeding programmes.