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When discussing the running speed of a racehorse, most people immediately point to the Thoroughbred. This is because the breed is known for its explosive sprint and stamina on the track.

In Indonesia, crossbreeding is carried out by mating local horses with imported Thoroughbreds. This approach aims to improve genetic quality while elevating the performance of domestic racehorses to a more competitive level.

This awareness of the importance of improving racehorse quality encouraged the Indonesian Equestrian Sports Association (PORDASI) to hold a Horse Breeding Workshop during its 3rd National Congress on 26 September 1975.

One of its key decisions was the establishment of the Kuda Pacu Indonesia (KPI) through a grading-up program, in which local mares were gradually bred with Thoroughbred stallions to produce crossbred generations such as G1, G2, G3, and so on.

According to Danang Eko Yulianto, S.Pt., M.Si., Secretary of the Racing Commission of PP PORDASI, the Thoroughbred stallion import program at the time even received full support from the government.

One important study titled Tracing the Performance of Grading-Up Crossbred Horses in the Development of Indonesian Racehorses Over the Last 40 Years by Hasanah, Muladno, and Utami (2018) examined the progress of grading-up horses using PORDASI National Championship data spanning more than four decades.

The study found that with each early generation of crossbreeding, either height increased. This was also followed by improved race performance in Derby classes—although only up to a certain generation.

Uniquely, the study’s linear regression analysis revealed that height was one of the most influential factors affecting running speed. Conversely, factors such as lineage (breed) and sex did not show a significant impact in the research model.

These findings indicate that although Thoroughbred blood is introduced through crossbreeding programs, not all genetic components from the imported breed immediately enhance performance. In practice, physical characteristics such as wither height can have a greater influence on racehorse speed.

Another study titled Heritability of Running Speed and Body Height of 2-Year-Old Racehorse Foals Using the Intraclass Correlation Method by Trisya T. Makalalag, Manopo J. H., H.F.N. Lapian, and U. Paputungan also offers important insights into how racehorse quality is shaped in Minahasa.

The research calculated heritability, breeding value (PBV), and Most Probable Producing Ability (MPPA) to assess the genetic potential of each horse.

In simple terms, heritability shows how much a certain trait—such as speed—can truly be passed from the parent to its offspring. A high heritability value indicates that genetics play a strong role in shaping performance.

Meanwhile, breeding value represents the likelihood that a horse will pass on superior traits to its offspring. In other words, horses with high breeding value are considered more suitable to be stallions or broodmares.

The study found that the genetic variation of racehorses in Minahasa is highly diverse. Even for key traits like speed, heritability levels ranged from low to high.

This means that for some horses, their fast performance is influenced by genetics, but for others, factors such as training, nutrition, and management play a more dominant role.

These findings reinforce the idea that every horse has different inherent potential—potential that can be utilized to build a more structured and competitive breeding program for the local racing industry.

For comparison, a study in the United Kingdom titled Genetic Improvement of Speed Across Distance Categories in Thoroughbred Racehorses found that the heritability of speed in Thoroughbreds is relatively low.

Even so, the breeding value for speed has continued to increase from generation to generation. This confirms that genetic selection still occurs and produces real effects, even if the progress is gradual.

Drawing on the studies above, crossbreeding has clearly had a significant impact on the quality of local racehorses, especially in terms of speed and aerobic capacity.

However, genetic improvement does not work alone. Strong genetics are only one of the foundational factors.

Crossbred racehorses must still be developed through structured training, proper nutrition, well-organized stable management, and consistent breeding selection.

When all these elements work in balance, the genetic advantages gained from crossbreeding can finally translate into competitive performance on the track.

In the end, the success of the crossbreeding process depends on how well all these supporting factors are managed and optimized.

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