STAGBI was formed to be an independent breed society for the Standardbred horse, just like all the other breeds. One society responsible for the Standardbred breed which has been bred in this country since the 1800s.

STAGBI was set up to provide the administration procedures necessitated by horse ownership, which were increasing as DEFRA and other Government agencies brought more and more legislation into being, especially the horse passport and NED database. It responded to cries for more integrity within the "Standardbred industry" by setting procedures for stallion certification, service certificates, foal identification and micro-chipping at mark up, DNA and parental verification if necessary. The whole process designed to create confidence for any buyer of a British born Standardbred.

STAGBI has no direct interest in racing however it is a fact that Standardbreds in this country and bred primarily for racing. As the racing industry calls for more integrity within its ranks, it must be matched by the integrity built into the breeding industry. If harness racing in Britain wants to play on the world stage it is not only the race recording which is important the breeding records have to be based on strong foundations which is why STAGBI insists that their procedures are adhered to.

STAGBI is pushing forward with its "integrity programme" within breeding. One of the most heartening aspects of the formation of STAGBI is the fact for the first time the whole of the British Isles have the same administration, registrations, passports and procedures in place for the Standardbred horse bred or imported into the country. This has never happened before, there have been horses registered by various bodies at various times and with various credentials since 1890, but this is the first time that the registration of a Standardbred is based on pedigree alone.