Transfer of ownership - Horse Sport Ireland passport

[Bangagin]

I sent my mare's passport to Horse Sport Ireland at the beginning of June, and after a couple of weeks I emailed them to ask if they had received it safely. They told me they were transitioning to a new online system, and that it had been received and will be processed as quickly as possible. I chased up again via email mid July, and was told their online system was live and was able to complete transfer of ownership and pay online. I received confirmation that this had been paid for. Since chasing several times I have not received my passport back. Has anyone else had experience of this and is it just a very slow process? I am beginning to wonder if I will ever receive it back, and they won't respond to my emails any more. I have tried calling them, but am often in a queue and caller number 8 or 9, and because it's outside the UK the calls are very expensive. It's also very hard to make calls whilst I'm at work.)

 

[EventingMum]

I had a nightmare with passports going missing whilst being sent to them. The online tracking showed them stuck at Dublin Mail Centre for over a month. I eventually managed to contact someone there and was told it was because of customs and they would be sent back to me undelivered. This didn't happen, eventually one of the three came back with new ownership completed and a letter stating the other two had been tampered with and so I needed to apply for replacement passports. Both the "tampered" passports were in good condition when sent with no evidence of any alterations or missing pages so I found that very strange. I had to pay for a vet to redo the markings/description and then resend so overall it cost me a lot. I then discovered several UK PIOs could do the change of ownership and since then I have sent any to the BEF which costs far less and gives a British overstamp too.

 

[Bangagin]

Oh no!! That is not the response I was hoping to read. But at least mine reached them!! I had no idea that ownership could be transferred via another organisation - but at that time I had no reason to think that it wouldn't be a straightforward process. Fingers crossed it gets back to me!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Horse Sport Ireland passport system has become a joke, I am constantly reading angry and fed up posts on various Irish horse sites from both breeders and buyers. I hope you manage to sort it as quickly as possible but I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Shooting Star]

They are a nightmare. I’ve been waiting I think around 12 weeks now for them to add an extra vaccinations page to my passport.

Had an email from them early last week promising it would be sent out by the end of last week & that I’d be able to track its status on their new system but alas no. There is nothing showing on their system.

I still haven’t paid as they were meant to call to take payment as they didn’t have a way to do it online previously, hoping I’ll be able to do it online now when they add it although doubting it as they don’t even seem to be able to cope with “normal” transactions like change of ownership let alone ones they didn’t previously have a form for.

I’m so fed up of chasing them and the lies I get whenever do get a response.

 

[Rowreach]

Sorry but the whole organisation is in turmoil. I've been trying to contact them on a work related matter for months and have had no response from anyone, despite knowing quite a few of the individuals personally (they just refer me to someone else if they do reply).

 

[Bobthecob15]

Definitely get Irish passports overstamped with a UK society, they can to the transfer of ownership instead! We did this and ours was done very quickly, we used sports pony society…there was a list somewhere of societies that do it on here https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-and-welfare/horse-passports/overstamping-a-foreign-passport/ technically you are meant to do it anyway!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Having read numerous frustrated HHO ers experiences last year I had my mares passport over stamped by AES.

 

[MinnieP]

Sorry to hijack the thread.

Oh blimey, this sounds like a nightmare!
Purchased one in May (horse had been in the UK since 2023) and the passport is still showing the breeder records with no update of previous owner).

BHS site says overstamping needs to be done within 30 days of acquiring the animal… I held on to the passport as needed to start FluTet vaccinations.

What do I do now? Any ideas please?

 

[MinnieP]

OK, well I called the BHS (02476 840517 option 4 for passports) and they advised that they can only overstamp/issue for ID purposes only. If there’s breeding on the passport, you’d still need to go back to Horse Sport Ireland - but use their new online system… doesn’t help those that have had their passports go missing in the post though.

Once the name change is complete, you can then get it overstamped by Sports Horse of Great Britain. BHS said they’re very good.

Hope that helps.

 

[MinnieP]

Home

 

[Bangagin]

Ah well I won't hold my breath! I've just logged in on their marvellous (much sarcasm intended) online system and cannot see any way of tracking. I had to chuckle though, because under the FAQ section it states that change of ownership takes 1-2 weeks!!!

 

[MinnieP]

Ah well I won't hold my breath! I've just logged in on their marvellous (much sarcasm intended) online system and cannot see any way of tracking. I had to chuckle though, because under the FAQ section it states that change of ownership takes 1-2 weeks!!!

Well I used it yesterday and it’s pretty dire. You still have to send the passport to them so will have to use Royal Mail tracked. 61.20EUR for the privilege!

I gave up trying to do it in joint names. And it wouldn’t let me do an additional name change of the horse either, so she remains ‘Unnamed’. Hmph.

 

[AandK]

You can use any other PIO listed to change ownership, e.g. BEF will do change of ownership if the original PIO is not in the UK: https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/equine/passports/national-passports

 

[Bobthecob15]

Sorry to hijack the thread.

Oh blimey, this sounds like a nightmare!
Purchased one in May (horse had been in the UK since 2023) and the passport is still showing the breeder records with no update of previous owner).

BHS site says overstamping needs to be done within 30 days of acquiring the animal… I held on to the passport as needed to start FluTet vaccinations.

What do I do now? Any ideas please?

Send it anyway, yes it should be done in 30 days but people don’t! Just get another society to overstamp it, don’t worry that its over 30 days x

 

[Bangagin]

Well despite receiving a confirmation of payment in July, I received a phone call from Horse Sport Ireland today saying they had been trying to call me several times (no missed calls on my mobile though!) so that I could pay for transfer of ownership!!

The lady I spoke to also told me I had paid for the wrong service and was due a refund - and then rang me back to say I hadn't paid for the wrong service but still could find no record of my payment! As well as a confirmation email from them with an order number, I have proof that the transaction went through via my banking app.

The lady was lovely - but I am gob smacked at the general chaos despite having a wonderful new online system. She said that I should have my passport back within two days - if she can find that it has actually been paid for!

I am still not holding my breath.

 

[onemoretime]

Well despite receiving a confirmation of payment in July, I received a phone call from Horse Sport Ireland today saying they had been trying to call me several times (no missed calls on my mobile though!) so that I could pay for transfer of ownership!!

The lady I spoke to also told me I had paid for the wrong service and was due a refund - and then rang me back to say I hadn't paid for the wrong service but still could find no record of my payment! As well as a confirmation email from them with an order number, I have proof that the transaction went through via my banking app.

The lady was lovely - but I am gob smacked at the general chaos despite having a wonderful new online system. She said that I should have my passport back within two days - if she can find that it has actually been paid for!

I am still not holding my breath.

Oh for God sake!!

 

[jules9203]

We've had the same problem. Sent the passport back in May and still not received it back. They have not responded to emails at all. Have managed to get through on the phone twice. Once in the beginning of July when we were told they had received it but didn't know where it was in the system (that call cost us £10). Got through again this week and got told it should have been done by now and they would chase the person who should have dealt with it. Guessing that will be another £10 on the phone bill.

 

[Shooting Star]

Another week gone & still waiting for mine too , still haven’t even been able to pay for it & they’ve had it 3 months now. They’re a total joke of an agency, I’m really not sure how they’re allowed to be a passport agency!

 

[jules9203]

Ours came back today!!!!!

 

[Bangagin]

Ours came back today!!!!!

Fabulous!! I bet you are relieved.

 

[Bangagin]

I am hopeful! I had a notification that my order from DPD Ireland will be delivered this afternoon!!!

 

[clairebearfur1]

I sent my mare's passport to Horse Sport Ireland at the beginning of June, and after a couple of weeks I emailed them to ask if they had received it safely. They told me they were transitioning to a new online system, and that it had been received and will be processed as quickly as possible. I chased up again via email mid July, and was told their online system was live and was able to complete transfer of ownership and pay online. I received confirmation that this had been paid for. Since chasing several times I have not received my passport back. Has anyone else had experience of this and is it just a very slow process? I am beginning to wonder if I will ever receive it back, and they won't respond to my emails any more. I have tried calling them, but am often in a queue and caller number 8 or 9, and because it's outside the UK the calls are very expensive. It's also very hard to make calls whilst I'm at work.)

They are a nightmare. people constantly saying this on face book

 

[khalswitz]

As a note, anyone with an ISH can get change of ownership done by the Irish Draught Horse Society GB as well as the overstamp, as they have an agreement with HSI apparently. I sent mine off to HSI for change of ownership and then to IDHSGB but they said they could have done both!

Remember to get the over stamp done as otherwise the horse isn’t registered in the UK and it’s a legal requirement. Mine hadn’t had the passport updated since she was bred in Ireland and she’s 17

 

[Bangagin]

As a note, anyone with an ISH can get change of ownership done by the Irish Draught Horse Society GB as well as the overstamp, as they have an agreement with HSI apparently. I sent mine off to HSI for change of ownership and then to IDHSGB but they said they could have done both!

Remember to get the over stamp done as otherwise the horse isn’t registered in the UK and it’s a legal requirement. Mine hadn’t had the passport updated since she was bred in Ireland and she’s 17

This may sound like a very dim question - but what does the overstamp look like? I got my mare's passport back yesterday, but didn't have much time to look through it properly. All I really noticed was a sticky label with my name and address - which seemed ridiculous for the amount of time and money it took! I'm concerned now that they didn't do the overstamp so will have to remember to check when I get home.

 

[Bangagin]

This may sound like a very dim question - but what does the overstamp look like? I got my mare's passport back yesterday, but didn't have much time to look through it properly. All I really noticed was a sticky label with my name and address - which seemed ridiculous for the amount of time and money it took! I'm concerned now that they didn't do the overstamp so will have to remember to check when I get home.

Oh well Google now tells me that it needs to be done in the UK. So I'm guessing I have to pay for something else now.

 

[chattygoneon3]

You can use any other PIO listed to change ownership, e.g. BEF will do change of ownership if the original PIO is not in the UK: https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/equine/passports/national-passports

Just wanted to say thank you for posting this . I recently bought a new horse with a Leisure Horse Ireland passport. Because of this thread I sent it to British Equestrian and they have been brilliant.