The European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations has said it will vigorously contest France Galop’s decision to open the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to geldings after its 2026 AGM in Istanbul.
The summit, held on June 26, brought together representatives from European breeding nations and placed the Arc rule change near the top of the agenda.
France Galop’s move has already been framed as one of the most significant recent shifts around Europe’s premier middle-distance race, with breeders now pushing back over both process and principle.
According to a Thoroughbred Daily News report, the EFTBA expressed disappointment that the decision appeared to have been taken without wider industry consultation.
Arc row sits alongside wider welfare concerns
The meeting also covered proposed EU Animal Welfare in Transport Regulations, a package the organisation believes could carry major consequences for the breeding industry if passed in its current form.
MEP Hilde Vautmans, chair of the MEP Horse Committee, recently visited Coolmore Stud and received updated EFTBA recommendations.
The organisation also discussed medicine availability, the re-testing of mares arriving from continental Europe before covering, West Nile Fever risks and rising equine influenza cases in France, Ireland and Britain.
For breeders, the immediate flashpoint is the Arc. But the AGM showed the geldings debate is now part of a broader fight over who shapes the rules around Europe’s thoroughbred industry.
