The International Young Breeders Association (I.Y.B.) was formed in 2009 providing a committee structure to oversee development of the association. In 2013 following a significant increase in the number of studbooks wishing to get involved, the Board of the IYB decided that a more comprehensive set of rules, including a Competition Manual and Rule Book for Organisers and a formal constitution was required both of which were developed in consultation with the member studbooks of the IYB and continue to evolve.

The International Young Breeders (IYB) association is proud to be in the family of the WBFSH and to be supported by them.

Current President:
Inge Madsen (Denmark – DWB) Term: 2021 - 2025

Previous President:
Inken von Platen (Germany – HOLS): 2009 - 2021

Current Vice-President:
Lieve de Greeff (Belgium - BWP) 2015 - 2023

Previous Vice President:
Norman Storey (Ireland - ISH) 2009 - 2014

Current Secretary:
Wendy Conlon (Ireland - ISH): 2017 - 2025

Previous Secretaries:
Celia Clarke (United Kingdom) 2011 – 2017
Marcel Koch (France - SF) 2009 – 2011

Current Treasurer:
Carolin Kathmann (Oldenburg, Germany) Term 2017 – 2023

Previous Treasurers:
Thomas Radel (Oldenburg, Germany) 2015 – 2017

The concept of the Young Breeder Championships was born in Germany in 1997 initiated by Dr. Ludwig Christmann, deputy breeding director of the Hanoverian Breeding Society at the time, who wanted to involve the youth more intensively in breeding matters. What started informally, and developing to National Championships in Germany has since mushroomed with World Championships now hosted normally every other year by a different studbook around the globe while individual studbooks host their National Championships or selection systems in advance.

The WBFSH International Young Breeders World Championships provide an opportunity for young persons to compete and benchmark themselves with their peers in various disciplines relevant to sport horse breeding including theory (equine reproduction; nutrition; stable management; health and sport), conformation and athleticism assessment, turnout, and in hand presentation.

The first World Championships was held in Verden Germany in 2001 in tandem with the European Dressage Championships that year. The Belgian Warmblood Studbook hosted at Minderhout in 2003, Danish Warmblood Studbook at Aarhus 2005, Irish Sport Horse Studbook at Kildalton Agricultural College Kilkenny 2009, Selle Francais at Chazey sur Ain Horse Park near Lyon 2011, and Swedish Warmblood Studbook at Flynge National Stud 2013. A collaboration of the Hanoverian Studbook Great Britain, Warmblood Breeders Studbook UK, and Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain hosted the 2015 Championships at Hartbury College United Kingdom. The Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association hosted at Spruce Meadows in 2017, and the Austrian Warmblood Studbook at Austrian Horse Centre Stadl-Paura in 2019. 2022 Championships take place at Ermelo, The Netherlands hosted by JongKWPN.