North American Foal Crop Now Under 10,000
By Bill Finley
According to statistics provided by the USTA, the North
American foal crop in 2011 was just 9,796. That marked the
eighth straight year the foal crop had declined.
Numbers for 2012 are not yet available.
The USTA supplied numbers going back to 1987 and,
during that period, this is the first time the crop has slipped
below 10,000. The foal crop was 22,911 in 1987.
Starting in 1997, below are the years and numbers:
Foal Year North American foals
1997 14,249
1998 14,001
1999 13,717
2000 14,475
2001 14,683
2002 15,031
2003 15,197
2004 15,256
2005 14,909
2006 14,106
2007 13,149
2008 12,228
2009 11,452
2010 10,567
2011 9,796
Here is a breakdown of some of the more noteworthy
states and provinces:
California: Without slots and with
only one track left in the state, the
breeding industry in California
has been hit hard times. There
were 754 horses born in California
in 1987. The number in 2011
was down to 55.
Illinois: Like California, the Illinois
breeding industry is finding it hard
to make things work without slots.
The 1987 foal crop there was
2008. It was down to 502 in 2011.
Indiana: One of the few states
experiencing growth, Indiana has
remained strong. There were
1,719 foals born in the state in 2011, an increase of 160
from the year before. In the pre-slots area, Indiana was
producing 200 to 350 foals a year. Indiana trails only
Pennsylvania in the U.S. in number of foals born in 2011.
Maryland: A once vibrant breeding industry has all but
disappeared. There were 11 foals born in the state in
2011. There were 756 Maryland breds in 1987.
Michigan: No slots, (almost) no foals. There were 44 Michigan
breds in 2011.
New Jersey: At least it
