Where New Stars Shine
The best of North American sport horse breed- ing will be showcased during the September 2014 KWPN-NA Keuring Tour.
By Jennifer M. Keeler
successful breeder and stallion owner Dr. Deborah Harrison of Lio Lomas Dutch Warmbloods in San Juan Bautista, California, agrees. “Tese keurings give breeders an objective opinion of their horses and how they meet the Dutch system’s expectations and goals for their type of horse and sport direction,” she says. “Our goal as judges is to evaluate, educate and advise the par- ticipants at a keuring, imparting as much information as we can. We advise them on what they may need to improve on, since as breeders their goal is always to improve the next generation.” Participation in last year’s KWPN-NA keurings increased
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markedly over previous tours, and both Deborah Sneddon and Willy Arts expect the growth and support for the Royal Dutch Sport Horse to continue among North American breeders. “Tere’s no question KWPN horses are continuing to increase in popularity and are in high demand, causing strong sales for breeders,” she says. “When sales are good breeders get excited about breeding and spend more time planning and researching breeding choices and aren’t stifled by a low budget, which in turn causes quality to improve.” Arts also expects the growth to continue. “Quality is going up every year, and I attribute this to the strict selection system and criteria of the KWPN, as well as the ever-increasing knowledge of our North American breeders,” he says.
roducing the world’s best sport horses is a process which begins long before conception and the annual KWPN-NA keuring (or inspection) tour is an opportunity for breed-
ers to proudly showcase the results of their programs and their dedication to advancing the breed. During a keuring, each horse presented receives an expert evaluation, which helps the breeder and/or rider make decisions about that horse’s riding or driv- ing career and also informs the breeder about future breeding choices.
Tis constant pursuit of improvement within the breed has led to unmatched performance in the competition arena, as year after year the KWPN has held a top position in the studbook rankings of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH). Lana Sneddon of Stonecrest Farm in LaGrange, Indiana believes this success is directly related to the quality of horses bred and presented at keurings. “Te sport starts by pro- ducing a top quality animal, with not only a sound body but also a sound mind,” she remarks. A respected jury of Royal Dutch Sport Horse experts, in- cluding Lana Sneddon and Deborah P. Harrison, DVM will be joined by fellow judges Bart Henstra and Arie Hamoen of the Netherlands in a whirlwind tour of keurings at 13 different sites in the United States and Canada during the month of Septem- ber, looking for the “best of the best” from North American breeders as foals, yearlings, young horses, geldings, stallions and mares are evaluated for conformation, movement and potential talent for sport.
“Te keuring tour is very important for our breeders and for the studbook,” explains Willy Arts, chairman of the KWPN-NA Board of Directors and long-time breeder with DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, California. “Te primary goals are ‘quality control’ for the breed here in North America and to educate both breeders and spectators.” Equine veterinarian, sport horse breeding judge,
50 September/October 2014 SPECIAL KWPN-NA SECTION
Whether presenting a horse or not, a keuring offers sport horse fans a unique educational opportunity. Faith Fessenden of Reno, Nevada travels to a number of keuring locations with the sole purpose of educat- ing members and other interest- ed parties, and several colleges with equine programs have attended her sessions. Sneddon says, “KWPN-NA keurings are so educational because they are an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the KWPN system, mingle with other breed- ers, have their horses evaluated, and see how they compare not only to breed standards but also how they stack up to other North American horses/breeders.” Fellow breeder Jackie Ahl-Eckhaus of Mountain View Sport
Faith Fessenden uses keurings as an educational opportunity.
Horses in San Luis Obispo, California agrees that this continu- ing education ultimately leads to the success in sport enjoyed by so many riders with Royal Dutch Sport Horses. “Te grading of the young horses and mares at a keuring help the breeders improve what they produce, but also the education offered by the KWPN is immensely helpful,” she says. “Te keuring’s jury members are most willing to share their expertise and help with breeding advice, and the KWPN is always applying their research to better the breed for soundness, character, correct conforma- tion and movement.” For more information about the 2014 KWPN-NA keuring
tour, contact the KWPN-NA office, our website
kwpn-na.org or by phone (541) 459-3232.
Bill Wertman
KWPN-NA Courtesy KWPN-NA
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