Weatherbys

What Weatherbys does

Weatherbys is a privately-held, seventh-generation family business founded in 1770 that serves as the central administrative authority for Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding in Great Britain and Ireland. The company registers every Thoroughbred foal in the two jurisdictions, issues unique passports, maintains the General Stud Book (first published in 1791), and publishes the Racing Calendar (fortnightly since 1773). It also serves as Secretariat to the International Stud Book Committee (since 1976) and operates as the Jockey Club's appointed administrative presence under a contractual relationship formalised in 1901.

The business operates through five distinct service divisions: (1) Racing and Breeding Administration, including GB and Ireland registrations, ownership transfers, and ePassport issuance; (2) Proprietary Digital Platforms, notably GSB Online (launched 2017), the ePassport (launched 2021), Weatherbys Digital Solutions, and a digital stud book platform supplied to Stud Book Authorities; (3) Data Supply and Licensing, monetising Europe's largest racing and breeding database; (4) Weatherbys Scientific, providing DNA parentage verification (since 2001) and precision genomics services; and (5) Commercial Services, including print, marketing, and event sponsorship of major racing fixtures. Banking and financial services operate as a separate corporate entity (Weatherbys Banking Group, spun off in 2005). Revenue is generated through registration fees, subscription data licensing, one-time publication sales, professional services for genomics, and licensing/sponsorship of named races. GTM is sales-led via direct account management for enterprise customers (racing authorities, racecourses, major breeders) combined with website-based self-service for registrations, publications, and e-commerce.

Name

Weatherbys

Legal name

Weatherbys Limited

Website

https://weatherbys.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1770

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Weatherbys is a 1770-founded family-owned administrative authority for Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding in Great Britain and Ireland, providing foal registrations, passports, the General Stud Book, Europe's largest racing database, DNA/genomics services, and digital platforms under a Royal Warrant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian / Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Administration Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Technology & Timing/Tracking Infrastructure (MPAEADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Horse Racing Media, Data & Handicapping Content (MPAEADAF), Breeding & Bloodstock (Stud Farms, Sales/Auctions) (MPAEADAH)

Keywords

• Thoroughbred registration services
• Bloodstock pedigree data
• Equestrian administrative services
• Equine genomics testing
• Racing industry publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellingborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Racing & Breeding Administration Services: Fees for registration services, passport issuance, and administrative support to the horse racing and breeding industry including GB and Ireland foal registrations, ownership changes, and compliance services
2. Bloodstock Services & Publications: Sale of bloodstock publications, pedigree information products, and print services for the racing and breeding industry including the Racing Calendar and Bloodstock Sales Review
3. Data Supply & Licensing: Access to the racing and breeding database, the largest in Europe, sold to industry participants for insights and analytics
4. Banking & Finance Services: Private banking, racing bank, and insurance services provided through Weatherbys Banking Group (separate entity since 2005)
5. Weatherbys Scientific: DNA testing and precision genomics services for animal identification and breeding decisions
6. Commercial Printing & Marketing Services: Print, marketing and communication services for businesses, sporting organisations, trainers, racecourses, and breeders
7. Event Sponsorships: Naming rights and sponsorship of horse racing events including the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, Weatherbys Super Sprint, Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup, and other industry fixtures

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Weatherbys delivers comprehensive administrative, registration, publication, data, digital and scientific services to the Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industry, plus specialist banking through its group structure. Core offerings include registration of every Thoroughbred in Great Britain and Ireland with unique passports (including the ePassport digital system), pedigree and bloodstock information via the General Stud Book and bespoke publications, the largest racing and breeding database in Europe, DNA testing and precision genomics through Weatherbys Scientific, commercial print and marketing services, and digital platforms for racing and stud book authorities.

Product overview

Weatherbys is a diversified services organization operating as a single entity with multiple distinct service lines rather than a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings span: (1) Racing Administration Services covering racing services, point-to-point events, and digital products for racing authorities; (2) Breeding Services including General Stud Book registrations (GB and Ireland), pedigree services, the proprietary Stud Book Authorities digital platform, and publications; (3) Digital Products including the ePassport (revolutionary digital horse passport system), GSB Online (for registrations), Weatherbys Digital Solutions, and the Digital Racing Calendar; (4) Commercial Services for businesses, sporting organisations, racecourses, trainers, and breeders; (5) Weatherbys Scientific (DNA testing and genomics as a separate division); and (6) Banking & Finance services. The company also publishes the Racing Calendar (since 1773), the General Stud Book, and bloodstock publications. Key digital transformations include the ePassport system, GSB Online, and 30-Day Foal notification. Weatherbys also partners with the British Horseracing Authority on the Racing Digital initiative to modernize racing administration systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Racing Services Comprehensive administrative services that power British racing for trainers and owners, including race entries, ownership registration and transfers, and raceday support.
• Breeding Services (GB & Ireland Thoroughbred Registrations) Registration of every Thoroughbred in Great Britain and Ireland with issuance of a unique passport; managed in Ireland through the Dublin office opened in 1973 to run the Irish General Stud Book.
• ePassport Revolutionary Weatherbys digital horse passport that brings animal identity and welfare into the digital world, providing electronic identification and welfare tracking for Thoroughbreds.
• Weatherbys Scientific Pioneering DNA testing and precision genomics services for the racing and breeding industry, operating as a separate division focused on animal identification and breeding decisions.
• Banking & Finance (Weatherbys Bank) Private banking, racing bank and insurance services offered through the Weatherbys Banking Group entity (established as a separate entity in 2005) for high-net-worth individuals and racing industry participants.
• Commercial Services Print, marketing and communication services for businesses, sporting organisations, trainers, racecourses, breeders and stud farms, supporting their day-to-day operations and marketing needs.
• Bloodstock Publications Industry-leading bloodstock publications providing authoritative information for owners and breeders to make successful breeding decisions, including the Racing Calendar, General Stud Book, Bloodstock Sales Review, Return of Mares, and Stallion Book.
• Digital Racing Calendar Online access to the latest and previous issues of the Racing Calendar, the official industry almanac first published in 1773 and still published fortnightly.
• Pedigree Services Pedigree research and bloodstock information services providing the most accurate information about Thoroughbreds to help owners and breeders promote their horses.
• GSB Online Digital platform launched in 2017 enabling all General Stud Book registrations to be made online, streamlining Thoroughbred registration processes.
• Stud Book Authorities Platform Proprietary digital stud book platform that ensures the highest levels of integrity in Thoroughbred breeding records, provided to stud book authorities in the UK and internationally.
• Racing Authorities Digital Products Digital products that streamline and automate racing processes for racing authorities, including those developed as part of the joint Racing Digital programme with the British Horseracing Authority.
• Data Supply Supply of data from the Weatherbys racing and breeding database - the largest in Europe - providing a wealth of information to help derive industry insights and analytics.
• Weatherbys Digital Solutions Digital software solutions and products for the racing and breeding industry, launched alongside ePassport in 2021 as a broader digital transformation initiative.
• 30-Day Foal Notification Notification system introduced in 2018 requiring foals to be notified within 30 days, streamlining the Thoroughbred foal registration process.
• Event Sponsorships (Weatherbys Champion Bumper, Weatherbys Super Sprint, Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup, etc.) Event naming rights and sponsorship of major British horse racing fixtures including the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, Weatherbys Super Sprint, Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup, and the Weatherbys Hamilton Pipalong Stakes.

Quantifiable outcome

• All foals in GB and Ireland registered with Weatherbys have been microchipped since 1999
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• British Horseracing Authority (BHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeatherbys co-leads the Racing Digital initiative with the BHA, a flagship modernisation programme to replace legacy administrative systems with a centralised digital hub. The programme has seen costs rise to £5.9 million with full launch pushed to 2027 following leadership changes.
• International Stud Book CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeatherbys was appointed Secretariat to the International Stud Book Committee in 1976, overseeing global stud book standards.
• The Jockey ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1770, Weatherbys has served as the Jockey Club's Secretary and Keeper of the Match Book. Originally provided clerical assistance as formalized in 1901; Jockey Club later transferred governance to BHA but Weatherbys remained as administrative presence.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Arqana: French bloodstock auction house providing pedigree, sales data, and breeding industry services — comparable to Weatherbys' bloodstock publications and pedigree services in the European breeding market.
• Deutscher Galopp: German Thoroughbred racing industry association administering racing regulations, registrations, and the German Stud Book — comparable in function to Weatherbys but operating in a different European geography.

Broad incumbents

• The Jockey Club (UK): Largest commercial horse racing organisation in the UK and historical principal of Weatherbys; while governance transferred to BHA, The Jockey Club remains a customer and adjacent incumbent in British racing administration and racecourse operation.
• Irish National Stud: State-owned Irish Thoroughbred breeding operation and visitor attraction; operates the Irish Stud Book alongside Weatherbys' Dublin office and is an adjacent incumbent in Irish breeding administration and tourism.
• Hong Kong Jockey Club: Operates a vertically integrated horse racing, betting, and club business in Hong Kong, combining regulatory administration, racecourse operations, customer database, and digital wagering — a broader scope than Weatherbys but the closest full-service racing administration analogue globally.

Direct peers

• Equibase: North American Thoroughbred racing data, statistics, and racing administration company providing the central database for US and Canadian racing — directly comparable to Weatherbys in providing authoritative racing/breeding data and pedigree services to the industry.
• France Galop: French Thoroughbred racing authority administering racing and breeding regulations, registrations, and the French Stud Book — comparable to Weatherbys in its role as national racing administrator and registry.
• Racing Australia: Australian national racing industry body responsible for the Australian Stud Book, racing data, and registration systems — directly comparable to Weatherbys in administering national Thoroughbred registration and breeding records.
• Tattersalls: Leading European bloodstock auction house providing pedigree, sales, and breeding-related services; comparable to Weatherbys in serving the Thoroughbred breeding ecosystem with data, publications, and pedigree information.

Others

• Godolphin: Global Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation owned by Darley/Stonestreet/Maktoum family interests; a major customer of Weatherbys' registration, pedigree, and DNA services, and an adjacent global player in the same breeding and racing ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/weatherbysltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/weatherbysltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weatherbys-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/weatherbysltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Weatherbys