Day 2 of the stallion show – MAGNIFICENT
Adel retires
We just got back from the Friday evening event. It was AWESOME. There were dressage exhibitions, marathon driving, the history of the Friesian horse, pas de deux, even a little foal with a puppet strapped astride it (yes, that is correct!). I have loads of video but I will have to process it when I get back to a big computer.
Of all the incredible events, the one that stuck out to me was the retirement ceremony for the stallion Adel 357. Adel was approved to breed but was disapproved on offspring (too much white) a few years ago. Nevertheless, it is thanks to Adel and his prowess in dressage that Friesians started being noticed at all as a riding horse. Adel was an incredible ambassador of the breed, competing effectively at the very highest levels.
Last year he became ill with an infected spine and quit competing. Showing his true fighting spirit though, he came back and competed once more. Tonight he was permanently retired, at age 17. He has two sons who excel at dressage and they came out with him. One son, Cas, will most likely be approved as a breeding stallion in 2009 (he only has to do the short test since he is already a dressage master).
Peter Spahn, Adel’s rider, did a short routine with Adel tonight. Then they brought out his two sons and presented Adel with a basket of apples, carrots and sugar cubes. The crowd gave him a standing ovation and I do not think I was the only one with tears.
Thank you Adel. All of us who love Friesian horses owe part of that love to you.
Here is a video of Adel’s final routine. Wen I get back I will try to lighten it up.
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.
Day 2 of the stallion show – 3rd round results
Today started with a couple of clinics. Unfortunately, we missed out on some of them – mom and dad were so tired that they had a hard time getting out of bed. Regardless, there was a good session on breeding. I just missed out on an excellent session on judging, but this summer there3 is to be a 5 day clinic here in Friesland. I am going to try very hard to save enough money so I can attend.
Starting at 2:30pm, the yound stallions who had not already been eliminated from contention were shown in hand in the 3rd round. Those that pass this step will make it to the coveted final 70 day performance testing to be held next fall in Ermelo, Friesland. Obviously, this is a huge deal for the breeders and owners of these 3 and 4 year old horses. The horses still have a massive obstacle to cross before they are allowed to breed, but look how far they have come! Already they are in the top 2% of all Friesian stallions in their age group.
The judges comments are intereting. For most horses eliminated, the common themes were “built downhill” and “no enough use of rear” or “too heavy on forehand”. It is obvious they want more athleticism and lightness of foot. Also, these guys are much taller than I remember from the groups just a few years ago.
I have recorded the results for you. The horses who made it through the 3rd round and will enter performance testing next autumn:
1 Volkert ut ‘e Reiden (Jacob x Oltman)
2 Talent fan Henswoude (Abel x Riemer)
3 Thomas van de Sanning (Folkert x Pike)
4 Vasco van Plexant (Olrik x Oltman)
5 Thymo JH (Onne x Rypke)
6 Tsjalf fan Fjildsickt (Mintse x Brandus)
7 Trotske L van de Sprong (Tsjalke x Ouke)
8 Tjardo V (Time x Lolke)
9 Theodor van Visser (Wikke x Feitse)
10 Vlip C (Beart x Anton)
11 Tjeerd vd Peester Hoeve (Beart x Djurre)
12 Tinus RM (Beart x Bonne)
13 Tjeerd fan de Wijde Blick (Bente x Oege)
14 Thorn van de Noeste Hoeve (Andries x Lefftert) – son of mare owned by US Lisa Schuler
15 Titus L ((Andries x Leffert)
16 Tesse fa ‘e Coulissenhoeve (Andries x Melle)
17 Thijs (Doaitsen x Jasper) – video in cage in my blog yesterday…
18 Tsjerk Lauwers (Doaitsen x Jurjen)
19 Timme Z (Felle x Djurre)
20 Tsjelke RK (Felle x Jillis)
21 Ulrik fa ‘e Vesta Hoeve (Dries x Tsjerk)
22 Tomke ‘fan Panhuys (Jasper x Fabe)
These 4 year olds made it too. Since they are more mature, their 70 test will be this spring rather than in the fall:
23 Reinder fan Augsbuurt (Andries x Oltman)
24 Reinder (Aan x Sierk)
25 Ruben van Erve Pootstad (Aan x Fabe)
26 Sjouke V (Doaitsen x Jelte)
I personally really like the Mintse son (6 above), the Doaitsen x Jurjen (18 above) and I have to root for a horse from a Melle mare (16 above).
An interesting side note: the KFPS selected a set of stallions at ramdom for drug testing afterwards. I had not heard of that before (of course, this year we have an english translation headset so I understand more of what is going on). BTW, the english siml-cast translation is being done by Anneke and she is *fantastic*.
Day 1 – Finals of the stallion show competition
Thursday evening is holding a very special treat that I did not expect. Over the past several months, approved stallins have been competing against one another in dressage and/or harness. These test results were compiled and the final was held tonight. I thought this was fantastic because it allowed me to see the stallions in actual sport competition, and to hear what the performance judge had to say about the horse’s strong and weak points. The long tests culminated in te naming of winners in various categories. Very prestigious indeed! It was a great show, but not well atteneded due to te scheduling veyr late on Thursday night. Hopefully they think it through better next year.
The completitors here were the best of those competing, In brackets I am showing how these guys placed in eth overall competition as it came to a close. Also, in a few cases I took video of the tests. This video still needs to be processed, but at least I have it!
It is starting with the less advanced horses at the European Level L.
* Meije 440 [Champion]
* Gjalt 426
* Norbert 444 [Reserve]
* Maurits 437 [top 10]
* Olgert 445
* Michiel 442
* Felle 422
Next was a group of stallions slightly more advanced, at Level M
* Doaitsen 420 [top 10] – video
* Jesse 435 [top 10]
* Loadewyk 431 [top 10]
* Beintse 418
* Jense 432
* Haitse 425
* Hinne 427
* Jisse 433 [top 10] – video
* Jorn 430 [Champion]
* Jerke 434 [reserve]
Level Z
* Rindert 406
* Arjen 417 [champion] – Video
* Dries 421
* Eibert 419
Driving competition
* Wierd 409 [champion]
* Bente 412 [5th place]
* Harmen 424 [3rd place]
* Lutger 436 [4th place]
* Maurus 441 [2nd place]
To me personally, the biggest surrise was how fantastic the Tsjerk sons were at dressage. I am not sure of what I expected, but it was not that. I thought Norbert was really aewsome, and gorgeous. In the driving completition I once again fell in love with Harmen, That guy is just wonderful. The judges pick on him a bit because he is more “old style” with lots of bulk and hair and shorter front legs. But maybe that is just what I like about him. Michiel, the stallion who was approved in Amwerica last year and is now standing in the Netherlands, is really a lovely horse too and I was very impressed by him. I sure wish he would come back to America. Wierd did not have an especially good test tonight, but he had a really good lead going in, so he still won the overall competition. Young Maurus was darned impressive though.
Well, I am typing this at midnight Thursday. Hopefully I can get something posted tomorrow – the internet connect at the stadium is abyssmal, which is killing my plans. Well, we shall see.
No sleep in 36 hours is finally taking it toll.
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.
