August 11, 2020
Bente (Alwin 469 x Fabe 348) and Tsjarina Diana A.B. (Alwin 469 x Heinse 354) Photo: Katrin Schwan
Breeder of Friesian horses Katrin Schwan from St. Sebastian in Germany couldn’t believe her luck when mid June her Alwin mare Tsjarina obtained the Crown predicate in the short ABFP Test, along with a very favourable Jury report. Schwan followed it all via livestream. ‘Not being able to be personally present at a moment like this feels weird, but I felt just as happy all the same.’ And barely 48 hours later Schwan’s other Alwin 469 daughter Bente earned the Star predicate at the location inspection in Diever.
ABFP Test of 79 points
In the Short ABFP Test in Wergea Tsjarina Diana A.B. (Alwin 469 x Heinse 354) was presented by Ludo van der Weide and was given a total score of 79 points. ‘A very pleasing horse to look at’, the Jury commented in their report. Schwan bought Tsjarina in 2019 when the mare was five years old, but she had already spotted Tsjarina in 2018 when she took part in the Overall Championship at the Central Inspection. Like Bente, Tsjarina is trained by Merle Veurink at Stud Friese Visser. ‘Tsjarina has a super work attitude but is also a very sweet horse. Standing at 1.74m she is quite tall so we factored that in for her training. We gave her the time to gain strength.’
A different spring
Actually, the plan was to start Tsjarina and Bente (Alwin 469 x Fabe 348) in competitions early this year. ‘We were all geared up and the horses were perfectly ready, but then Corona happened and completely changed the horizon. Still, it was a good thing that the inspections could go ahead in this alternative way. Although it was odd that I could only watch my horses via livestream, but in the space of two days I had a Crown- and a Star mare.’
Breeding type essential
The 4-year-old Star mare Bente is just as hardworking and sweet as Tsjarina, Schwan tells us. ‘Last year Bente received a 3rd premium at the inspection in Hamm, but I was convinced she could make it to Star.’ In Diever, Bente was just a mere ½ point short for a 1st premium, but she was given an 8 for breeding type. ‘I am very proud of that. My goal is breeding good-quality sport horses while preserving the breeding type of the Friesian breed. Both my mares got pregnant after the first insemination by Waander 512. He is great for passing on breeding type, power and movement.’
Website with Friesian stallions
Schwan effortlessly recounts the pedigrees of her breeding products. Her love for Friesian horses started when her parents took her for a holiday in Friesland as a little girl. ‘I was fascinated by a big black horse that I was allowed to stroke, although at the time I had no idea that this was the approved stallion Jochem 259.’ On breeding days and at competitions Katrin can often be spotted with a photo camera in hand, as she is the person behind the website kfps-hengste.de. She has already posted countless photos of Friesian Studbook stallions and their offspring onto the site, regularly moderating the site with new information and footage. She has already been taking photos to this end for 25 years, but owners are also welcome to send in photos of their breeding products. ‘Instead of just relying on breeding values this site gives breeders a chance to literally see how a stallion breeds. I absolutely believe this is of added value.’
