Warmblood By Scot Tolman
Hengstenkeuring/Stallion Show. For me, and thousands of others of my ilk, this is the time of year when nature beckons us to the trains, planes, and automobiles of the world, and, nearly involuntarily, like migrating geese or leaping lemmings, we begin the trek to den Bosch. I’ve been making this pilgrimage for a decade and a half. This year, my daughter, Michaela, accompanied me. Through the years, I’ve stood at the warm-up ring and watched Johan Hinnemann coach Coby van Baalen on Olympic Ferro, her dressage whip brushing my arm as they passed; I’ve sat in the grandstand thrilled by the extraordinary movement and suppleness of the legendary Krack C; I’ve bowed to the brilliance of Edward Gal and become a follower of the church that is Totilas; and, in general, have on a yearly basis reaffirmed my belief in the KWPN horse and communed with like- minded souls about breeding and dreams and a love of these horses. One particular horse has stood out for me over these many years--a horse I’ve watched develop from a spooky, long-lined three-year-old to a successful Grand Prix horse, to the number one producer of FEI level dressage horses in the world: Jazz. The breeder behind this great stallion is Huub van
T
he first weeked of February, in s’Hertogenbosch, Holland, one of the biggest events of a Dutch breeder’s year occurs, the KWPN’s annual
Jazz was born in 1991, so Mr. van Helvoirt would
have been 68 when he made the breeding decision that produced one of the most influential horses in the history of dressage breeding and sport. 68. His wife, Tiny, died in 2010. Until nearly the end of their days, the two of them did their own chores, handled their own horses, and enjoyed having their mares and young stock on their property so they could see them constantly. Even at the very end, when Mr. van Helvoirt was forced to sell all of his breeding stock, he did so with the stipulation that his favorite mares would remain at his house as long as he did, so he could still see them. This gives me hope, and it inspires me. A life well-lived is a life devoted to your family and your passion. Huub van Helvoirt led such a life. So, it was with a myriad
The KWPN stallion Jazz at age 21. Photo by Meg Cotter
of emotions that I stood and clapped for a sedate, 21-year- old, chestnut stallion being led around the Brabant Hallen’s main arena, as the capping moment to a life well-lived. Jazz is the horse around which I have built my entire breeding program. Huub van Helvoirt has been an inspiration to me and many others. All breeders must think in generations. Next year’s
Helvoirt. In February of last year, at the age of 89, Mr. van Helvoirt attended his last Hengstenkeuring. He died in October of 2011. No breeder has influenced modern dressage breeding more than Huub van Helvoirt. Not only is he the breeder of Jazz, he is also the breeder of Hans Peter Minderhoud’s Tango, Edward Gal’s Sisther de Jeu, the approved stallions, Zuidenwind and Charmeur, PAVO Cup winners, three national champion mares, and the dams of the approved stallions Zhivago and Citango. As a special tribute to Mr. van Helvoirt, the KWPN placed a plaque in his name on the ringside seat he secured each year in February, and then presented some of his top horses to the thousands of us in attendance. It was a lovely tribute.
130 March/April 2012
foals are not an end product; they are progenitors of the future. Mr. van Helvoirt certainly understood this, and he was fortunate to live to see his visions for breeding come to a very full fruition. Perhaps, we can’t all have this kind of impact on the world of breeding sport horses, but we can admire, respect, and grow from those great breeders who come before us. So, in closing, I raise the proverbial toast to Huub van Helvoirt. If there is a heaven, I hope it has broodmares.
Scot Tolman has been breeding
Dutch Warmbloods for over 20 years at Shooting Star Farm in Southwestern New Hampshire. Read more of Scot’s writing at
shootingstarfarm.com.
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