Te KWPN horses’ blend of physical talent with intellect and character make them the choice of champions at all levels of competition and with riders of all ages. During the 2014 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey in June, 17-year-old Cassie Schmidt rode her KWPN gelding Velasquer (Métall x Wellington) to claim the title of national champion in the FEI Junior division. “Every time I asked for something he gave it to me,” Schmidt said of her 12-year-old mount. “I couldn’t be happier. Winning here is something I have been dreaming of.”
Another talented Dutch Warmblood also carried his rider to
International champion Chester Weber drives his beautiful four-in-hand horses, all of them KWPN bred.
victory as Sundayboy (Kennedy x Zevenaar) and 19-year-old college student Anna Buffini of California dominated the Young Rider division at the same event, claiming the National Champi-
Tish Quirk • Tish Quirk Equine Services, Rancho Santa Fe, CA •
www.tishquirk.com A
fifth-generation horsewoman, Tish Quirk has been producing top-quality hunters and jumpers for more than 30 years. She began with the foundation stallion Best Of Luck and continues the tradition with two of his sons, Just The Best and More Than Luck. Besides her ongoing work with breeding, foaling, training and sales (all based at her farm near Showpark at the Del Mar Horse Park in California), Quirk is also actively involved in regional and national equestrian organizations, including the USEF and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA). Tish’s knowledge and views about breeding, training and sport can be found in articles and interviews published in major equestrian publica- tions, and is also evidenced by both her tenure as co-editor and co-publisher of HORSES magazine in the 1980s and her profes- sional equine photography.
How did you become involved with the Dutch Warmblood breed? My husband John and I imported about 150 horses from Ire-
land, Germany and Holland. We quickly learned that the KWPN horses were exactly the horses that we wanted. When we im- ported Best of Luck (Dutch name, Octrooi) his show ring success eventually led to the beginning of my breeding career and I am now showing the third generation of this great bloodline with significant success. We have been breeding for over 30 years and can see the consistent quality of the horses we produce.
What is the primary focus of your breeding program? We primarily breed hunters and jumpers but have also bred and developed a few dressage horses.
What makes the Dutch Warmblood breed special for you? Our KWPN horses consistently produce beautiful athletes with
great minds. They have correct conformation and stay sound and healthy. They have great temperaments and enjoy their work and give us great pride and pleasure every day. Our goal is always to produce exceptional athletes with great minds and the ability to do the job and fulfill the dreams and wishes of their owners.
If you had to pick a favorite horse from your program, which would it be and why? More Like It, by More Than Luck, was
Tish and stallion Just Te Best.
Reserve Grand Champion and 4-Year- Old Working Hunter Champion at the International Hunter Futurity at his very first show under saddle. Two weeks later he was double champion at the
46 September/October 2014 SPECIAL KWPN-NA SECTION
International Jumper Futurity winning the titles Best Scope and Technique, Best Type and Movement and Reserve Champion in Most Rideable and Consistent. He is cur- rently showing in the performance hunters and has been champion several times in very good company.
Tish’s stallion More Like It with Buffy Lake in the irons.
What breeding lines have been the most influential in your breed- ing program and why? All of my breeding is based on Best of Luck (Octrooi) and his
sons. This is the strongest continuation of the legendary Lucky Boy xx line that originally put the KWPN horses at the top of the international show jumping world. That great blood runs true and continues to produce exactly the horses that meet all of our goals. Best of Luck and his sons, Just The Best and More Than Luck, have all been very prepotent and they have worked well with a variety of mares. We know they will produce the beautiful athletes and the great minds that produce exceptional perfor- mance. We are now showing the third generation stallions and look forward to their breeding careers in the future.
What are some of the major successes of your program? All The Best was Best Young Horse at the Sallie B. Wheeler/U.S.
National Hunter Breeding Championship West and has been champion and reserve champion in the Pre-Green and First Year Green Hunters. Good Luck swept the Hunter Breeding Championships in 2013:
Best Young Horse at the Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship, Top Dutch Horse at the Sallie B. Wheeler, Best Young Horse at the International Hunter Futurity, Best Turned Out Horse at the Futurity and Best Young Horse at the USEF Hunter Breeding division. We have had Circuit Champions at Palm Beach and Indio, Champions at Madison Square Garden and Washington and many shows across the country.
Why should equestrians choose a Dutch Warmblood as their next mount? KWPN horses are beautiful athletes with a great work ethic and
exceptional temperaments and the ability to fulfill dreams and meet goals. They have the conformation, balance, power, scope, movement and attitude to do everything we want to do.
Captured Moment
KWPN-NA Pics of You
BREEDER SPOTLIGHT Courtesy Tish Quirk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68