Performance with a conscience: Hubert Terris on reproduction, responsibility and the future of sport horse breeding

At Haras de Hus, reproduction is not a department hidden behind laboratory doors. It is a philosophy and one that Hubert Terris approaches with both scientific precision and moral reflection. “I am a veterinarian, graduated from the University of Lyon in France, and I hold the official “Chef de Centre” license issued by the French National Stud, which authorizes me to perform embryo transfer procedures in France.

At Haras de Hus, I am head of the reproduction unit. We provide a full range of breeding services, including artificial insemination (AI), classical embryo transfer by uterine flush, and  for the past five years; OPU (ovum pick-up) services for breeders. In that time, we have performed approximately 500 OPU sessions. That experience has given us a solid and increasingly precise understanding of the technique and its practical implications.”

Galoubet A

His path toward equine reproduction, however, began long before veterinary school. “It started very early in my life,” Terris recalls. “As a teenager, I was riding with Marie Pellegrin. Her father, Jean-François Pellegrin, was co-owner of the legendary stallion Galoubet A together with Meg Douglas-Hamilton. Through them, I discovered the extraordinary story of that horse.”

Galoubet A was not only one of the best stallions in Europe at the time; he was also a pioneer of artificial insemination. Even after being exported to the United States, semen was transported across the Atlantic so that mares in France could continue producing foals by him. “For a young person, that idea, that genetics could travel across continents and influence breeding programs far beyond the physical presence of the stallion, was fascinating,” Terris says. “It opened my eyes to what reproduction technology could mean for the sport horse industry.”

Performance and ethics

As the veterinarian responsible for the reproduction centre at the renowned French stud, Terris operates at the intersection of high-performance breeding and medical responsibility. The foundation was laid by Xavier Marie, who built Haras de Hus into an international brand anchored in two core values: performance and ethics. Terris sees his work as a direct continuation of that legacy. “Haras de Hus is a brand,” he says. “It has always been about performance — but also about the way we handle horses. That ethical mindset continues in reproduction. We are not changing the philosophy. We are extending it.”

Independence as a principle

Terris’ approach is marked by one defining element: independence. The reproduction centre works with breeders from France, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland, Spain and the United States. Yet despite offering the full spectrum of reproductive biotechnologies — AI, embryo transfer, OPU and ICSI — Terris refuses to promote one technique over another.

“We don’t sell semen. I am not more invested in AI than in OPU. That allows us to remain completely objective.” For Terris, the real expertise lies in what he calls breeding management — aligning the right technique with the right mare and the breeder’s strategic goal. “It’s about adapting the technique perfectly to the mare and to the plan. We try to defend the breeder’s best interest. That is where our added value lies.”

OPU: Between medicine and strategy

Few technologies in modern breeding spark as much discussion as OPU/ICSI. Terris approaches the subject calmly — neither defensive nor evangelical. “There are two ways to look at OPU,” he explains. “Medically and zootechnically.” From a medical perspective, he compares it to human IVF — a gold standard in cases of infertility, particularly when uterine pathology prevents a mare from carrying a pregnancy. “You don’t fix the mare,” he says. “You fix the situation.” For older mares suffering from endometriosis yet still producing viable oocytes, OPU can reopen genetic potential that would otherwise be lost.

From a zootechnical standpoint, the benefits are strategic. Rare semen can be preserved. Stallions with limited fertility can be used. Embryos can be produced in winter and transferred later, allowing year-round activity and greater farm flexibility. “With frozen embryos, you don’t need to synchronise donor and recipient. You can thaw when the recipient is ready. That simplifies management enormously.”

Importantly, Terris rejects a binary view. “It’s not black and white. A mare may do OPU in winter and then return to conventional AI and flushing in spring. It depends on the objective.”

Scientific structure and the Avantea partnership

A key pillar of Haras de Hus’ program is its collaboration with the Italian laboratory Avantea, under Professor Cesare Galli. For Terris, that partnership provided more than technical support — it offered structure. “They gave us a strong framework. Maybe 80% of our system is based on that foundation. The remaining 20% is our adaptation to our reality.” He highlights the laboratory’s reliability and transparency, as well as its unique slow-freezing method for embryos. “When we send oocytes, we know we will obtain the maximum possible number of embryos. The reporting is clear. Communication is fast. That gives confidence — both for us and for the breeder.” For a centre that began with a relatively small team, that scientific backbone was decisive.

Genetics in practice

Ultimately, reproductive technology serves genetics. Terris points to United Touch S — currently among the world’s leading performers and available exclusively via OPU-ICSI — as an example of how technology grants access to elite bloodlines. “If the best performers are only accessible through ICSI, then of course it makes sense.” At the same time, OPU safeguards valuable mare lines, particularly when age or uterine degeneration would otherwise end their breeding career.

After five years and more than 500 OPU procedures, Terris speaks with cautious confidence. “Medically and zootechnically, it works very well. Economically as well. The young horses look promising. For the very highest sport level, time will tell — but I believe we will soon see European champions born through OPU/ICSI.”

Ethics before acceleration

Ethics is not an afterthought in Terris’ work, it is the starting point. Before implementing OPU, he immersed himself in human IVF clinics, observing procedures and speaking with doctors and patients. “I wanted to understand how women experienced it. They told me it was ambulatory; they came in the morning and went home the same day. They did not suffer. For me, that was an important sign.”

For Terris, ethics begins with medical correctness. “It is a medical act. It must be done properly, with respect for protocols and surgery. That is the ethical foundation.” At the same time, he warns against excessive acceleration. “We must find a balance between innovation and the economic ecosystem. Moving too fast can destabilise the system.”

Even developments such as cloning, recently highlighted by cloned horses of Chilli Morning achieving top results in international eventing, are met with measured curiosity. “The future will bring answers.”

A final word to breeders

Terris’ advice to breeders considering OPU/ICSI is pragmatic rather than promotional: “Choose the right candidate. Do not make ICSI just to make ICSI. Use it because it fits your mare and your plan.” The mare must be suitable; physically and mentally. She must accept handling. When those conditions are met, he considers the procedure light, fast and well tolerated.

At Haras de Hus, reproduction is neither ideology nor trend. Under Hubert Terris, it is a disciplined, scientifically grounded tool — guided by independence, structured collaboration and a persistent question: How do we improve performance without losing ethics?

Adriana van Tilburg for Horseshowjumping.tv/Avantea

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