CHAPS registration?

[Nudibranch]

I've never been involved with coloureds before but am just about to buy a foal. He's going to be passported by the HPA, there seems to be a bit of a question with parentage so no breed society involvement. But he looks like he's going to be a lovely middleweight sports horse, and is very nicely marked. So I'd like to register him with CHAPS and do the odd local show while he's growing up. The website isn't 100% clear about the process so can he be registered with them any time once he has his HPA passport? Or could he just be registered straight to CHAPS?

Any suggestions welcome!

 

[Maesfen]

If he's coloured then I definitely would go straight to CHAPS and wouldn't use HPA at all, in fact I wouldn't use them for anything TBTH, their passports are seriously rubbish with very little security even if you have no verified breeding, I would use any other PIO in preference to them.
CHAPS will register the foal as breeding unknown, that shouldn't be a problem at all and you will need two side and a head on photograph to send with the application. You can then, if it'll make over 14.2, overstamp with SHBGB to enter hunter in hand classes and so on but CHAPS registration should see you through most things I think.
If you can persuade the owner/breeder to use CHAPS, even with unknown breeding, so much the better IMV; the passport will be better produced and will gain you access to coloured classes too without any further costs; an HPA one would just be flimsy, unrespected and would mean you'd need to pay extra to overstamp to go in both coloured and sports classes.