Tsjerk 328 at the Stallion Show
I have more of Tsjerk but for now, here is his “show off” moment in the long lines.
From Day 1 – Harmen competes in harness
A lot of you folks have been interested in the stallion Harmen and I admit, I love that guy too. Yesterday he competed in the final harness test. Though the cumulative results for harness competition put him in 3rd place overall, last night he was magnificent.
Here I have a video. It is dark and I am sorry – when I get home on a real computer I will try to lighten it.
He was a real scene stealer last night. The hairy, barouque stallion also stole a lot of hearts.
A quick stallion show post – and we have not even left the USA
I am waiting for my mom, dad and sister to arrive here and pick me up. We’ll then drive about 5 hours to Dulles airport outside Washington DC, park and check in and wait for a 6pm flight. A whole day of traveling and waiting.
Anyhow, to kill the time I looked through some old video tape and came up with Olof 315 from the stallion show 2003. This was taken before they started putting a number on them that matched their stallion number. But I checked the program and in 2003, number 260 was indeed Olof.
The quality with my new camera will be better (I hope). But this video is using the old video tape.
Anyhow, to the lady who wanted to see Olof, here is a short video. It take a few seconds to get going, so be patient.
More tomorrow from the present time, I am hoping.
Stallion News – Brend 413 Coming to America, Remmelt 323 Deceased
First, “The Phryso” magazine has confirmed that the approved stallion Remmelt 323, owned by the Stevens family in Utah, has passed away. Since my Dutch is not very good (and The Phryso is all in Dutch), I am unsure of the exact cause. But my heart goes out the the Stevens family because I know they dearly loved that horse. Cori’s first foal was by Remmelt and I liked him very much. Remmy was known for lovely, good natured foals. We will all miss him very much.
Next, the news hit the internet sites on Saturday that Brend 413, son of Brandus 345, has been purchased by Iron Spring Farm in PA. I believe an “official” announcement will be out early next week, though there are enough unofficial sources that we are certain it is true. Iron Spring is a great horse business and they take their dressage very seriously there. Brend is doing very well in dressage and thus this seems like a great match for Iron Spring, Brend, and the entire Friesian community.
Brend’s breeding is sire: Brandus, damsire: Doeke (from the Age line) and great damsire: Tjimme. Personally, I love this unique combination. Brandus [alive and well] and Tjimme [now deceased] are two of my very favorite old style Friesians – full of heart and desire to work. Superb temperaments. Doeke brings in more rare blood. Another interesting tidbit is that in his stallion scores, Brandus had a 9/10 on the trot – a score nearly unmatched. Doeke had a 9/10 on the walk, which has never been surpassed. And Brend? He and his offspring score very high on the gallop!
Here is the write up from Stal Meijer, the previous owners of Brend:
Brend, a star on the list of descendents of his father! Describes as “A fine horse to work with and one that moves with power and balance!”
At the age of only 8 years he is already very successful in the subtop dressage competitions in Holland. He is selected for the semi finals in the ZZ licht in February and after the indoor Championship he will continue his way to the top in the ZZ zwaar class. In December 2007 he was approved on his offspring with the conclusion that he has a positive effect on the breeding through the exterior and that his offspring has more than average talent for dressage! The star percentage of the young Brends is 45 % The best result in the ABFP testing from Brend was realised by Nienke Ris (Owner: Fam. Rispens), she finished her test with 85.5 points and the received a 1st premium! Brend’s mother is the starmare Meta van de Strubbenhof, she is from a very strong breeding mare line and Brend was her first son, so that is promising! He has the beauty, character, movements and the size! Brend is 1.67 mtr [about 16.2 hands tall].
Once again, as a breeder I am shaking my head at the good fortune at having such nice stallions coming to America. Congratulations to Iron Spring and, indeed, the entire Friesian community.
As a special treat, below is a video I took of Brend just this past January at the Stallion Show in Leeuwarden Friesland.
Beau’s First Day
Today at 5:30 am, Hiltje had her foal by the stallion Wander 352. Hiltje is a wonderful broodmare. She is 14 years old and this is her 7th foal (one died in foalbirth, one was kicked as a baby and had to be put down, and she has 5 living children ranging from 8 years down to this newborn). This is Hiltje’s 3rd foal by the stallion Wander 352.
This fellow is named Beaucephalus, but we shall call him “Beau”. Beau is a wonderful old southern name and when I hear it I think of sunshine on the pastures, a gentle breeze blowing in the trees, and the smell of fresh cut hay. These are symbols, to me, of the Virginia of my childhood. Peace and happiness. Calm.
Like the Virginia countryside and our other Wander babies, Beau is calm and sweet and soothing. He likes people and enjoys being petted. He trusts us. If he is anything like his two full sisters, Cori and Jantsje, he will be easy to train and he will try with all his heart to do what you ask of him, even if he is not particularly suited to the job. He will be what the Friesian farmers call “an honest horse”. Whoever buys him will have a friend and partner until the day he dies.
Beau will likely be very tall, with a modern physique. Although his baby hair is a brownish gray, by the time his adult coat comes in he will be soot black, like his momma. He’ll have a long wavy mane and good feathers on his legs. He will be more suitable as a riding/dressage horse than a carriage horse, though he will pull with the best of them. When the other horses have given up and stopped for the day, Beau will be there happily working for his rider/driver and striving to do his best. At least, that is what his sisters before him have done.
So, little fella, grow strong and tall and listen to your momma. She’s da best! Drink your milk and stretch your legs. Halter training starts soon.
Once Beau is weaned at about 6 months of age, he will be available for sale to an approved home. If you are interested, contact us.
In the meantime, here is a glimpse of Beau on his first day.
