Purebred animals eligible for registration must be the offspring of two KHSI registered parents. The coat of registered Katahdins must not require shearing and is preferably completely free of permanent wooly fibers.

To apply for registration, the Animal Registration Form should be completed (except for KHSI # in column 1 and coat and poll type) and be sent to the KHSI Registry office. If information is missing or inconsistent, the form will be returned.

Animals born before January 1, 1998 must be classified as coat type "A" or "B" by a certified inspector of KHSI to be eligible for permanent registration. (See "Animal Inspection" below.) Animals born before January 1, 1998 who have a temporary registration certificate but have not been inspected will have a "T" preceding their registration number. No offspring from any sire and/or dam with a "T" number will be accepted for KHSI registration until the parents have been inspected.

Animals who are not fullblood Katahdins may be recorded with the KHSI Registry. For sheep that 50% or more purebred Katahdin ancestry and are progeny of an upgrading program, each generation must be recorded with the Registry and a certificate will be issued that indicates the percentage Katahdin blood. The Animal Registration Form is to be used for recorded sheep also.

Females of at least 87.5% (7/8) Katahdin blood are eligible for registration upon inspection after one year of age, if the previous generations have been recorded. Males must be at least 87.5% blood, be inspected after one year of age, and also have a dam inspected with an "A" coat to be eligible. (See "Animal Inspection" below.) The 87.5% (or greater) blood animals must be classified as a coat type "A" or "B" to be registerable; if they are classified as coat type "C," they will be recorded as described above.

All sheep must be continuously identified by ear tag, tattoo, or other permanent ID. Each member is required to register a unique two-or three-letter flock prefix with KHSI which will be part of the identification of all KHSI registered or recorded animals originating in that flock. The complete identification as indicated on the KHSI certificate--"Sheep ID"--must be physically on the animal as well (Though not necessarily wholly in one ear). A back-up identification is encouraged on each animal. A registration or recordation number will be issued for KHSI purposes. But the individual sheep ID will identify the animal in the flock.

Inspections are requested through the KHSI Operations office by May 15 of each year and are conducted during the summer and no later than October 1. The KHSI inspector verifies that an animal is at least one year old, the Sheep ID on the animal matches the certificate, there are no gross defects, and then classifies the coat and poll type of the animals. For each animal inspected, the inspector will fill in spaces for coat type and poll and sign and date either the KHSI certificate or Animal Registration Form (if not already registered/recorded). The owner will then submit the papers to the Registry office and a permanent certificate will be issued. Inspectors are reimbursed for their mileage by KHSI and the breeder inspected is billed for his/her share.

The coat type of animals that are inspected will be classified in the following categories:

A type--Naturally sheds all long woolly fibers seasonally.

B type--Coat predominantly free of long woolly fibers but maintains some patches, the total area not to exceed 1/4 of the upper half of the body, that do not shed for at least one year.

C type--Patches of long unshed woolly fibers, the total area of which exceeds 1/4 of upper half of body; ineligible for registration.

All animal ownership transfers are to be recorded with KHSI and one of the parties to a transfer must be a paid KHSI member. The seller of a KHSI-registered or recorded animal is to complete the date of sale, signature and buyer name/address on the certificate at the time of the sale and is encouraged to submit certificates and payment to the Registry. If at the time of original registration, the owner of an animal is different than the flock of origin, transfer fees will apply. KHSI encourages the seller of an animal to submit the registration forms. The Registry will process and send certificates to the new owner unless requested otherwise.