{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T05:17:20Z","timestamp":1790140640195,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773100800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Valoraci\u00f3n gen\u00e9tica de los caballos de Pura Raza Espa\u00f1ol para caracteres funcionales y morfol\u00f3gicos en el marco del programa de mejora de la raza","award":["PR202304988"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PR202304988"]}]},{"name":"Gesti\u00f3n gen\u00e9tica del programa de cr\u00eda de la raza equina Anglo-\u00c1rabe: valoraci\u00f3n gen\u00e9tica de los reproductores de la raza","award":["PR202304692"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PR202304692"]}]},{"name":"An\u00e1lisis gen\u00e9tico integral del Caballo de Deporte Espa\u00f1ol: estimaci\u00f3n de valores de cr\u00eda y selecci\u00f3n de animales con m\u00e9rito gen\u00e9tico","award":["PR202605662"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PR202605662"]}]},{"name":"Fundaci\u00f3n de Investigaci\u00f3n de la Universidad de Sevilla"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study evaluates performance data and genetic merit of the main horse populations competing in Olympic disciplines in Spain and examines their implications for the optimization of official Breeding Programs. Performance records from 2004\u20132023 were analyzed, including 101,093 participations in Dressage, 319,000 in Show Jumping, and 17,535 in Eventing. These records were combined with pedigree information from 35,589 horses in Dressage, 33,935 in Show Jumping, and 12,102 in Eventing and evaluated using BLUP animal models to obtain standardized Estimated Breeding Values (EBV; mean 100 \u00b1 20) and a Genetic Global Index (GGI). A single unified evaluation model was implemented for all studbooks, enabling a direct comparison of genetic quality across different breeds. Results revealed marked differences in genetic merit and genetic progress among breeds. Similar mean EBVs were obtained for the three analyzed breeds in Dressage in both the complete and the top 10% populations, with positive genetic trends in Caballo de Deporte Espa\u00f1ol (CDE) and Pura Raza Espa\u00f1ola (PRE), while the slope of EBV on birth year was not significantly different from zero in Spanish Anglo-\u00c1rabe (AA). CDE showed the highest mean EBVs and accuracies in Show Jumping (EBV up to 109.27; R up to 0.72), with a clear positive genetic trend. In Eventing, CDE and AA showed similar EBVs, while PRE consistently exhibited lower ones, although with a comparatively more favorable genetic trend. Analysis of selection intensity indicated that PRE breeders applied the most consistent genetic criteria, preferentially using animals with GGI &gt; 100, whereas CDE and AA showed discrepancies between genetic merit and reproductive use. Overall, the unified Spanish genetic evaluation system provides reliable comparative information across breeds and has enabled measurable genetic progress, although improvements in breeders\u2019 decision-making and in the use of genetic information are needed to maximize selection response.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life16030455","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T17:04:24Z","timestamp":1773162264000},"page":"455","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Integrating Performance Records and Genetic Evaluations in Spanish Horse Populations Competing in Olympic Disciplines"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Mar\u00eda Dolores","family":"G\u00f3mez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Agronom\u00eda, Escuela T\u00e9cnica Superior de Ingenier\u00eda Agron\u00f3mica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4357-9908","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9","family":"S\u00e1nchez-Guerrero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Agronom\u00eda, Escuela T\u00e9cnica Superior de Ingenier\u00eda Agron\u00f3mica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2618-105X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Davinia Isabel","family":"Perdomo-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Producci\u00f3n Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s\/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda","family":"Ripoll\u00e9s-Lobo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Agronom\u00eda, Escuela T\u00e9cnica Superior de Ingenier\u00eda Agron\u00f3mica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0594-6076","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ester","family":"Bartolom\u00e9","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Agronom\u00eda, Escuela T\u00e9cnica Superior de Ingenier\u00eda Agron\u00f3mica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1742-550X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mercedes","family":"Valera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Agronom\u00eda, Escuela T\u00e9cnica Superior de Ingenier\u00eda Agron\u00f3mica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Bruns, E., Ricard, A., and Koenen, E. (2004, January 5\u20138). Interstallion\u2014On the way to an international genetic evaluation of sport horses. 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