From Tradition to Biotechnology: How a Centre of Excellence in Equine Reproduction Was Born

The story of Béligneux Le Haras is the result of a long journey, built over time, in which tradition and innovation have gradually come together. At the heart of this evolution stands Sébastien Neyrat, a figure who embodies a modern vision of sport-horse breeding and equine reproduction, integrating horsemanship, scientific rigour and entrepreneurial expertise.

His roots lie in a deeply equestrian world, experienced not as an initial professional choice, but as a natural environment.
As he explains himself:

“I was born and raised in a family deeply connected to horses and breeding. From a very young age, I was immersed in the world of broodmares, foals and stallions, long before it became my profession. This true horseman’s culture gave me a profound respect for the animal and a taste for work done properly – two values that still form the foundation of Béligneux Le Haras today.”

It is precisely this balance between passion and method that led him to pursue scientific studies, not to move away from horses, but to understand them better, particularly from a reproductive standpoint.

Neyrat’s career took shape in the field, in close contact with horses and breeders, through a continuous learning process that evolved from daily hands-on work to increasing managerial responsibilities.
As he explains:

“After completing science-oriented studies, I chose to specialise in equine reproduction and stallion management. I began as head of insemination and stallion operations, working directly with mares and breeders, before gradually taking on greater responsibilities within the Châtenay reproduction centre, which has been run by my family for several decades.”

This direct experience soon highlighted a structural weakness within the sector: the fragmentation of skills and services. Too often, breeders are forced to deal with multiple operators, losing both an overall vision and project coherence.

From this observation came the idea of building a truly integrated reproduction centre, capable of bringing together clinical expertise, stallion semen management and advanced biotechnologies.
Neyrat identifies this step as a decisive milestone:

“One of the key moments in my career was the development of a truly comprehensive reproduction centre, capable of combining the expertise of a clinic specialised in equine gynaecology with high-level stallion management: all forms of insemination, embryo transfer, and the collection and use of fresh, chilled and frozen semen.”

This structure was conceived as a genuine partner for breeders. For Neyrat, every reproductive decision must be thought of as a medium- to long-term project, in which genetics, sport and the market are in constant dialogue.

As he emphasises:

“When we advise on a mating, our first reflex is not to talk immediately about pedigree, but to ask what the breeder’s project is. Producing a horse for an amateur rider, for a professional, or for a very early commercial market are completely different equations.”

The real turning point came in 2019, with the introduction of ovum pick-up combined with the ICSI technique. A decision that Sébastien Neyrat describes as strategic rather than improvised, as it requires extremely high scientific standards and expertise. It was in this context that the collaboration with Avantea, an international reference laboratory in equine reproductive biotechnology, was born.

Neyrat recalls:

“In 2019, we took a decisive step forward with the development of ovum pick-up combined with the ICSI technique. We knew this technology would become a fundamental tool for certain mare and stallion profiles, but we did not want to improvise. We were looking for a partner with complete mastery of these techniques, and that is how the collaboration with Avantea came about.”

The relationship with Avantea goes far beyond the simple outsourcing of laboratory work. It represents a genuine path of training, know-how transfer and the development of shared protocols.
As Neyrat explains:

“Avantea trained us, sharing their protocols, their standards and a results-driven culture. Together, we then built a very structured organisation: we manage all the clinical and operational aspects, while Avantea handles the laboratory component, with constant exchanges on results, protocols and specific cases.”

Thanks to this synergy, Béligneux Le Haras experienced extremely rapid growth, becoming within just a few years one of the three leading ovum pick-up centres in Europe, the market leader in France, and a structure offering a truly unique service.

Neyrat underlines:

“In just a few years, we have become one of the three largest ovum pick-up centres in Europe, the leader in France, and the only one offering a truly all-inclusive service: from stallion selection right through to foaling, with top-level neonatal care.”

At the same time, Neyrat’s vision has been shaped by his dual role as both reproduction centre manager and breeder. Béligneux Le Haras produces dozens of foals every year, an experience that feeds continuous reflection on genetic selection and the relationship between sport and breeding.
As he states:

“We operate on two levels: on the one hand as a reproduction centre and stallion management structure, and on the other as breeders in our own right. This dual perspective profoundly influences the way we select and advise breeders.”

A central pillar of this philosophy is animal welfare, which for Neyrat is non-negotiable. Every protocol and organisational choice is assessed in terms of its impact on the mare, an athlete today and a broodmare tomorrow.
As he explains clearly:

“Animal welfare is absolutely inseparable from our work. When we develop a new technique or adapt a protocol, the mare’s comfort and safety are decisive elements right from the start.”

Looking to the future, Sébastien Neyrat sees Béligneux Le Haras as a bridge between different worlds: top-level sport, responsible breeding and advanced biotechnologies, with Avantea continuing to represent an essential scientific reference.

His ambition is clear:

“Putting technology at the service of life, and not the other way around. Biotechnologies are not an end in themselves, but tools for producing elite sport horses, while respecting the horse, the breeder, the rider and an increasingly sustainable vision of breeding.”

And it is precisely from here that the next step takes shape. If this first chapter tells the story of the birth of a vision and an organisational model, the next in-depth feature will delve into the heart of the strategy that has turned Béligneux Le Haras into a European benchmark: OPU–ICSI as a concrete tool for genetic planning, the key role of Avantea in the laboratory, and the real impact of these technologies on modern sport-horse breeding.

The second part will be dedicated to understanding how and why OPU–ICSI today is no longer just a technique, but a true breeding strategy.

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