DNA Verified Genetics


A post of four beautiful horses read:

“What do you get when you combine all these horses together?

The correct answer is awesome! That’s what!” Said the post.

Another correct answer is : “You get the Vanner breed”

Another correct answer is: They are all related toThe Old Horse of Wales” 

The Old Horse of Wales when bred to a skewbald mare in the early 90s produced Gypsy Vanner Horse (GV00001F) Cushti Bok , aka The Log

Cushti Bok is the worlds first selectively bred horse developed by British and Irish Gypsies ever to be recognized as a breed. (Pictured Below)

Cushti Bok, was the highest prized / priced colt in in all of Great Britain and Ireland as a yearling when Tom Price sold him to Roy Evans for 7000 British pounds sterling. ($12,500.00 US) at Appleby horse fair approximately thirty years ago when there was no recognition of a breed anywhere in the world. 

Cushti Bok, a DNA Verified son of The Old Horse of Wales, is therefore also related to the horses pictured above and all simply examples of the Vanner Breed as intended. 

On May 1st, 2013 Cushti Bok and a mare named Jasmine (GV00005F) became the DNA Verified Sire and Dam of WR The Big Son of Bok (GV03310), pictured below

WR The Big Son of Bok, a DNA verified son of Cushti Bok is also the DNA verified grandson of The Old Horse of Wales, andagain, related to all of the horses pictured above.

On May 15th 2019, WR The Big Son of Bok became the DNA verified sire of BPF Little Big Man (GV07095), pictured below at 3 years old. 

BPF Little Big Man is a DNA Verified son of WR The Big Son of Bok, a DNA Verified grandson of Cushti Bok, and a DNA Verified great grandson of The Old Horse of Wales. All are related to the horses in the photos above, and all  are the Vanner breed as intended. 

In 2022, a filly named GG Kiss Me Mary, a full sister to GG Kiss Me Kate, was bred to BPF Little Big Man. 

In 2023, that baby will be the DNA verified Great, Great, Grand filly or colt of The Old Horse of Wales. He or She will be the fifth generation of DNA verified genetics at Gypsy Gold related to The Old Horse of Wales, complete with photos of each animal. 

Just like the horses pictured above, that baby will have the look of The Vanner Breed,  because it’s DNA demands it. 

Today there are approximately 10,000 registered Gypsy Vanner Horses, and “The Old Horse of Wales” name appears in 4,749 of their pedigrees. some, legitimate some not, there must be a progression of DNA to know for sure.  

As mentioned….. at Gypsy Gold, there will soon be five generations of DNA verified ancestors that go back to The Old Horse Of Wales, complete with photos of each animal in a chain of progression that goes back twenty six years to GV00001F Cushti Bok. 

If The Old Horse of Wales is in your horses pedigree, and it probably is, you can or should be able to establish a DNA path of progression back to him top or bottom (sire or dam). Each generation younger should have DNA on file, or a reason why they don’t. That reason could be as simple as, they are not registered – but why aren’t they?  Your horses pedigree is as good as the DNA proof it contains. Proving heritage through DNA protects your investment and increases you horses worth as it manages the breeds future. 

Every ancestor possible should be registered with DNA proof of heritage. 

Horse traders / dealers have dominated the supply of the Vanner breed to date and that is a problem.  Watch for a blog on what you can ask for and receive when you buy a Vanner horse.

You can only be 100% sure of your horses heritage when the chain is not broken back to the oldest horse with a DNA profile. With The Old Horse of Wales, it’s possible to trace relation through 4,749 GVHS registered horses with up to 5 generations of DNA verified genetics. 

If your horse or a horse you are considering purchasing does not have a DNA verified pedigree, with an unbroken chain of ancestors, wonder “why”.

The fact is this: All imported horses can have minimal to extensive DNA Verified heritage with photos of all, but they don’t, because the focus is often on commerce – not DNA heritage.  

See how far your horses pedigree is DNA verified past its sire and dam, and if you can get photos of those DNA verified horses……  Like Nike says, Just Do It! 

The GVHS & Goals

To find more information about your horses pedigree, use the GVHS online data base.

An asterisk * will appear at the top right, next to the sire and dam of every horse that is DNA verified. If your horses parents are DNA verified , then click on them and see if their parents are DNA verified, and so on, and so on,  it will be an educational experience!

The Gypsy Vanner Horse being the worlds first Internet breed has an opportunity through technology to be established with absolute integrity – but that hasn’t and wont happen without programs that reward it. 

The GVHS was established with several goals, including:

#1 ESTABLISH THE BREED WITH THE LOOK ENVISIONED.  (PHENOTYPE) 

#2 ESTABLISH THE BREED WITH THE GENETICS THAT CREATED THE LOOK DNA VERIFIED (GENOTYPE)

Would you like, The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society to develop programs that increase the odds of you getting photos and DNA verified heritage on imported horses? Submit your vote on the Poll to the right.