From Nisse to Harich and from Helden-Panningen to Buren on Ameland, we have seen thirteen fantastic breeding days in the Netherlands over the past two months. Wonderful opportunities to present the horses in the home region and especially, to meet up with each other and catch up on our shared passion. With at the end of each day the Champion horses as the wonderful icing on the cake.
So all the pre-fun actually already started at the end of June. The anticipation for the Central Inspection. Which mares are en route to a promotion? How are the champions going to battle it out? Will the 3-year-olds that stood out on a number of breeding days claim the day? Or possibly the older horses that so conspicuously manifested themselves this year and captured the champion sashes?
Personally, I look so much forward to the category of Model mares. Here the owners have little more to gain, except maybe our great thanks as spectators for allowing us a glimpse of the studbook’s Crown jewels and to admire them. Besides, all of it oozes durability, care and the love for our horses, something we should actually more often put on display.
It all comes together at the Central Inspection and I can hardly wait to see the best of the best horses together in the same ring. And I’m not just talking about the inspection, but also about dressage with yet again some eighty very talented Friesian horses that have been selected. And showdriving too is a fine addition to the programme. In the past season the buoyancy of this sport discipline attracted full categories and generated huge enthusiasm, also among young people. Attention makes everything grow and showdriving people have truly grasped this principle and have acted on it with gusto. Novices learn from the old hands. Along the inspection ring this is called ‘shadowing’, a fine initiative from YoungKFPS that brings breeders and Jury members closer together.
When recalling the Dutch breeding days we should also mention the Friesian horse festivities in the foreign countries. In Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and so on and so forth. The first three Model mares of 2023 were crowned abroad and a number of these breeders and sportsmen/women even travelled to the CI with their horses. As one breeder put it so eloquently to me: ‘Of course we all want to win, but down in our hearts we are also happy for others to win the Championship.’
Alice Booij
Phryso Editor in Chief
