The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry considered the submission of a request for the recognition of Terceira Pony breed as "very interesting." The application has the technical and scientific support of the University of the Azores aims to recognise another native breed of the Azores.
Noé Rodrigues also praised the "valuable work developed by the Association of Breeders and Friends of the Terceira Pony in the recovery of a native Azorean breed. This genetic heritage characterises our biodiversity and it may help to enhance the diversity of our rural community that has developed a body of knowledge on agriculture as well as on livestock and horse breeds over the years."
If Terceira Pony is recognised by official entities, it will be the fourth native breed to be recognised after the Ramo Grande cattle, Terceira cattle dog and São Miguel cattle dog. For the government official, this fact evidences "that the Azoreans who have developed their agricultural activities throughout the centuries were truly zootechnical engineers as they have learned to adapt the features of some breeds to regional agriculture."
"This is another hallmark in Azorean agriculture as we are also paying tribute to the work developed by those who settled in the Azores, being a great contribution to the enhancement of the Region's genetic heritage," stressed Noé Rodrigues.