Meinse 439 at Dressage in Lexington
Yesterday my friend Sara and I went to Lexington VA to a dressage show. We went explicitly to see the KFPS approved stallion Meinse 439. Meinse, imported to America last year, is a 5 year old son of Heinse 354. People who know me know how much I loved Heinse, who died this past spring. Heinse is the father of my new filly Freya and was father of the colt Wikke, who was bred by us and born at our barn (Sara now owns him).
Anyway, I am interested in breeding my Cori to Meinse and wanted to see what he was like. I am lucky that Iron Springs Farm in PA competes their Friesian stallions in dressage, and often in Lexington. I get to see them in person. More importantly, I get to talk to the owner, riders and grooms about the stallions so I can get a better sense of the horse’s work ethic and temperament. These traits are very important to us in our breeding program and the only way to know about the traits is to be with the horse.
As an athlete, Meinse competed at Training Level and won the class with a score of 72%. He is schooling at 3rd level at home and is working on learning flying changes. But on the temperament front, every person there commented on how sweet that stallion is. “He’s just like his daddy” was the comment over and over. The groom said “when he starts to go, he likes to go! Just like his father”. This is in speaking about his work ethic. I petted Meinse for a long time (they brought him out for me) and then stayed by his stall for 30 minutes or so. Sometimes stallions will ignore you or even move away to a corner. But he was just like his dad. He came over to the front of the stall by me and stood there the whole time, looking as if he really wished there were no grate there because he would love to be petted.
I am not sure if I’ll breed Cori to him, I need to do a little more research on the match. But I will say that this guy just stole my heart. And Heinse, when I see your boy I am thinking about you. I sure miss you.
Here is Meinse in his test from yesterday:
Sape, Arjen and Doaitsen from the 2009 Stallion Show
Trying to get a few more videos processed while I am sitting in the airport.
SAPE 381:
ARJEN 417:
DOAITSEN 420
More later….
Stallion Show (hengstenkeuring) 2009 Championship video
I could not help myself. Here is the final 4 in video. I hope it turns out ok.
I really am going to bed now….
Tsjerk 328 at the Stallion Show
I have more of Tsjerk but for now, here is his “show off” moment in the long lines.
Day 3 of the Stallion Show – World Champ Results
The competition for the 2009 world championship began early. Though everything started at 9, the arena was well on its way to being full at 8. They started off with the older stallions. I took a few shots from the “backstage” area and it was definitely like being back stage at a rock concert.
For the actual competition, the classes are broken up by when the stallion were approved. The stallions are judged on their performance tis day and ranked for their class. The top two from each class goes on to the finals. Below are the class rankings.
Class 1: Fully approved (i.e., approved on offspring) up to 12 years old. Note that this group no longer must compete for premies.
1. Sape 381
2. Wobke 403
3. Teeuwis 389
4. Rik 396
5. Tsjalke 397 – inspector said Tsjalke has the best breed type, but just did not perform well in the movements today
Class 2: The brand new stallions, just approved in late 2008
1. Stendert 447
2. Sake 449
3. Norbert 444
4. Olgert 445
5. Pier 448
6. Michiel 442
7. Sjerp 446
Class 3: Stallions approved based on performance (i.e., approved via short test). Note that these stallions are not eligible for the world campionship, so they do not come back.
1. Tsjalf 443
2. Tsjabring 429
3. Tietse 428
Class 4: Stallions approved in 2007
1. Maurus 441
2. Mewes 438
3. Lutger 436
4. Maurits 437
5. Jesse 435
6. Maeije 440
By the way, during a break here, the head of the KFPS (I think Mr. Rosemond) welcomed people by speaking to them in these languages: Dutch, German, English, Spanish and Friesian. And our translator – Anneke, could speak these too. I was impressed, and I also felt horribly ignorant. Like a stupid American.
Class 5: Stallions approved in 2006
1. Jerke 434
2. Loadewyk 431
3. Jense 432
4. Jisse 433
5. Jorn 430
Class 6: Stallions approved in 2005
1. Haitse 425
2. Gjalt 426
3. Harmen 424
4. Hinne 427
5. Felle 422
Class 7: Stallions approved in 2004
1. Eibert 419
2. Arjen 417
3. Dries 421
4. Beintse 418
Class 8: Stallions from 2002-2004 who have been aprroved based on offspring
1. Doaitsen 420
2. Beart 411
3. Aan 416
4. Bente 412
5. Wikke 404
6. Wierd 409
7, Rindert 406
Andries 415 (did not complete. do not know why)
So, the finalists and results:
The group got narrowed down from 14 horses (the top two in each of the classes above) to 8: Doaitsen, Gjalt, Haitse, Jerke, Maurus, Mewes, Stendert, Sape. Then they went down to 4: Doautsen, Gjalt, Maurus and Stendert. Then to two – Champion Maurus and Reserve Doaitsen. There was no doubt about it – Maurus flat out WON the championship. The more the crowd cheered, the better he performed. And the better he performed, the more the crowd cheered.
I am working on video of the final 4 through the end result now. It will take some time on this rinky dinky travel computer. Plus I am really exhausted. I will have lots more tomorrow. I have LOTS of video to process over the next few days/weeks – nearly every stallion. And I plan to take a bunch of Friesland pics tomorrow and the next day.
Time for bed…
