For owners and breeders in Japan
European horses, bought for owners in Japan
Hokkaido farm, Tokyo office or anywhere in between: we find, check and buy the right mare, yearling or horse in training at the European sales or privately, and hand it to your licensed trainer or your farm. You keep your schedule. The airport coffee is ours.
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Japan breeds some of the best racehorses in the world, so why buy abroad at all? New blood. Breeders want European mare families, and owners sometimes want a horse with turf form from another country. We find it, check it and buy it to your written limit. We also sell Japanese-bred horses to buyers in the Gulf.
Who this is for
- Breeders and farms looking for fillies and mares from European families.
- Owners who already hold a JRA or NAR registration and want a yearling or a horse in training from Europe.
- Sellers of Japanese-bred horses who want buyers in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
- Owners aiming at the Gulf: the Saudi Cup meeting in Riyadh and the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan. Japanese-trained horses have won both in recent years. We are based in Dubai, so that part is home ground.
- Buyers of Arabians and sport horses. Thoroughbreds come first for us, but we help here too.
What we do for you
- Shortlists. 3–5 horses that fit your budget, your trainer or farm, and Japanese rules, with form, pedigree notes, video and our honest pick.
- Catalogue and vet review. We read the catalogue pages, inspect on the ground and arrange independent X-rays and a wind scope. You get every report.
- Bidding to your limit. At Tattersalls, Goffs, Arqana and the other sales we buy from, in your name, never above the price you set in writing.
- Private purchases. Some of the best horses are never in a catalogue. We negotiate quietly with owners and trainers.
- Shipping to Japan. We coordinate with specialist horse shippers: export papers, insurance, the flight and the quarantine booking.
- Placing with your trainer. Licensed trainers train. We hand the horse to your licensed trainer or your farm, and step back.
Owner registration in Japan (checked 22 Oct 2026)
To race a horse with a JRA trainer, the owner must be registered with the JRA. Non-residents of Japan can apply, but only through a liaison officer who lives in Japan, with a large set of documents. The JRA screens every application for financial standing and integrity. Source: JRA, owner registration.
Local racing (chihō keiba) is overseen by the National Association of Racing (NAR), which has its own owner rules. We cannot get a JRA or NAR registration for anyone. Breeders who only want mares for their farm usually do not need one.
Some races in Japan have conditions for foreign-bred horses. Your trainer confirms what a horse can enter before we buy. A beautiful horse that cannot enter your target race is just an expensive lawn mower.
Import to Japan: the basics
Japan's Animal Quarantine Service (part of MAFF) handles horse imports. The importer must send a notice 90 to 120 days before the expected arrival, so start early. Horses can only arrive at designated ports and airports, such as Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Shin-Chitose. Then the horse spends a period in quarantine set by the rules. Health conditions depend on the exporting country. Sources: Animal Quarantine Service, import notice and AQS, livestock import.
Free 20-minute video call
Tell Sami your budget, the horse you want and your trainer or farm. He will tell you honestly what is realistic. At a time that suits Japan.
Selling a Japanese horse to the Gulf
Japan's own sales are world-class. The JRHA Select Sale is held each July at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido (TrueNicks). Gulf buyers notice Japanese horses. Selling a horse in training or a breeding prospect? We show it privately to owners who race in Dubai and Riyadh. List your horse: free to list, 5% only if it sells.
Currencies and time zones
Our fee is quoted in US dollars; you pay the sales company in its own currency (guineas, pounds or euros) through your bank. We are in Dubai (GMT+4), five hours behind Japan, so our morning is your early afternoon. Email gets a reply within 24 hours, usually the same day. On sale days we update you by email and phone.
Fees
5% fee (min US$5,000), agreed in writing. You pay the seller directly; your money never goes through us. If we are ever paid by both sides, both are told in writing first. Budgets from US$50,000 per horse. Vetting, insurance, shipping and quarantine are quoted before you commit. Full details: fees and process.
What we cannot do
We cannot register you as an owner, choose your races or promise a win. The JRA or NAR decides the first, your trainer the second, and the horse the third. We promise careful work, plain answers and no surprises in the paperwork.
Questions owners in Japan ask
Can you get me a JRA or NAR owner registration?
No. Only the JRA and the NAR decide who may own a racehorse in Japan. Non-residents apply to the JRA through a liaison officer who lives in Japan, and the JRA screens every application carefully. We help once you are registered, or with breeding stock that does not need one.
How does an imported horse get into Japan?
In general: health papers from the exporting country, a notice to Japan's Animal Quarantine Service 90 to 120 days before arrival, a flight into one of the designated airports or ports, then quarantine on arrival. Your shipper books it; we coordinate and check the current rules for each horse.
Can a foreign-bred horse run in every race in Japan?
Not always. Some Japanese races have conditions for foreign-bred horses. Your trainer and the JRA or NAR confirm what a horse can enter before you buy. We do not guess.
Can you sell my Japanese-bred horse to buyers in the Gulf?
Yes. We are based in Dubai and know the buyers who race at Meydan and in Riyadh. List the horse privately on our site or email us. 5% fee (min US$5,000), agreed in writing.
How much do you charge?
5% fee (min US$5,000), agreed in writing. You pay the seller directly; your money never goes through us. If we are ever paid by both sides, both are told in writing first.
Looking for a European horse?
Email Sami first: your budget, the horse you want and your trainer or farm. He reads every message himself. A free video call can follow, at a time that suits Japan.
Phone +971 52 311 2385 (Dubai, GMT+4). WhatsApp as backup: +971 52 311 2385.