#equestrianata

[mother-of-friesians]

16/∞ gorgeous horses

Hungarian Sport Horse stud Krem (Robin Hood x Szemafor-5 x Paks Maxim-3), born 2010 is available for stud in The Netherlands. Krem jumps at 1.10m level and shows Second Level dressage. His bloodlines in Hungary trace back to Thoroughbreds, Trakehners and the Kisber bloodlines. Credit to Annie Damhof Photography and the stallion station, HS-Meijer where he is available for stud.

[mother-of-friesians]

15/∞ gorgeous horses

One of my favourites, Weihaiwej (Westminster x Grannus x Kronprinz xx), 1984-2019 was a striking chestnut Oldenburg mare. Many of the show jumping fans who followed during the late 80s-early 90s might remember her to this day, with the chrome and blue eyes. Together with Franke Sloothaak they won a gold medal at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games in The Hague. To this day I still find people wondering: "who was that chestnut horse with the chrome again?". Weihaiwej was retired from sports in the 90s and resumed a broodmare career with 7 offspring and 16 grandchildren. Her daughter Asha Di San Patrignano competed at 1,50m and produced several successful offspring herself, under which an approved stud. Weihaiwej passed away in 2019 at a remarkable age of 35 years old.

[mother-of-friesians]

Influential sires: Dutch Warmbloods 

2/ ∞

Born in 1983 to Holstein bloodlines, Burggraaf (Landgraf I x Cor de la Bryere, died 2006) would become a successful influence in the jumping lines of KWPN. Successful in the show jumping ring himself under rider Roelof Bril, Burggraaf competed at 1.60m level and jumped over a 2.10m puissance wall during Indoor Brabant in 1991, of which I failed to find a video. 

Burggraaf would bring a long list of successful jumpers (and occasionally, dressage talents) of which over 30 are approved studs all around the world. Off the top of my head I can name Mermus R as one of them. While Burggraaf sadly passed away in 2006, Team Nijhof still has frozen sperm available for breeding today.  

[mother-of-friesians]

Influential sires: Dutch Warmbloods

4/ ∞

Warmbloods didn’t always use to be the fancy sports horses they are today, a strong influence in their current dominance is the outcrossing to Thoroughbreds. One of such Thoroughbreds that was used to create the ultimate sport horse was the good-looking gray Abgar xx (Abernant xx x Roc du Diable xx). Born in France in 1958, Abgar didn’t prove to be as successful on the track as they would’ve hoped. As a four-year-old however, he did win 8 of his 10 starts in the steeplechase. 

A few years later, in 1964, Abgar xx was purchased and brought to the Netherlands by a man intending to use him to breed Thoroughbreds. In 1967 his offspring appeared on the track. They were not as successful as his owner hoped, partially due to having a difficult personality to work with. As a result, he was sold to a Mr. Vorspaget. Vorspaget was to use him on his Thoroughbred mares, but again his offspring didn’t succeed in impressing him. Still wanting to use the stallion, Vorspaget bred him to a few of his warmblood mares. The halfblood offspring all had strong hindquarters and were of good quality. Vorspaget would only use Abgar on his own mares and those of his friends. 

Abgar had the attention of the other warmblood breeders in the country, and after some time Vorspaget finally decided to allow him to be bred to other mares, but only those he selected and if the breeders agreed to send their foals to the offspring inspection to have Abgar approved for the KWPN studbook. This proved to be a success. Abgar would not only bring good jumpers, but several good dressage horses as well. Today you will still find him in many pedigrees of successful sporthorses in both disciplines, perhaps even cross country. 

[mother-of-friesians]

once upon a time i rode a fjord…

[mother-of-friesians]

mom, please kiss? nose?? 

[mother-of-friesians]

my favourite girl in the whole world

[mother-of-friesians]

Jehannes 484 (right) and Jurre 495 (left) gently nose to nose, posing as champion (Jehannes) and reserve champion (Jurre) of the KFPS older stallion championships at the stallion inspection tonight, 15th of January 2022! Congratulations to their connections :’)