Since the November 2016 Member Council Meeting, Friesian horses that do exceptionally well in sports are entitled to apply for the Elite predicate in addition to the Sport predicate. Up to January the 1st the KFPS received applications for 63 horses already. In this article Phryso puts a few of the new Sport Elite horses in the spotlight.
Tjaarda 483 (Time 389 x Lolke 371) was one of the first stallions to meet the requirements for the Elite predicate. In 2005 Tjaarda 483 was already in proud possession of three Sport predicates. In 2016 Tjaarda 483 crossed the Ocean to the United States where he is standing stud at The Friesian Connection. Lady rider Ellisa Kroll also moved him up the ranks of dressage to Prix St. Georges, which effectively makes Tjaarda 483 ‘Double Elite’.
Jasper 366
Rider Peter Spahn from Belgium made sure that several studbook stallions can now boast the Elite predicate. He started Jasper 366 (Olof 315 x Franke 251) nationally in Belgium up to Prix St. Georges level and in the Netherlands in Subtop competitions. Both with Anders 451 (maternal sire Ouke 313) as well as his sire Adel 357, Spahn excelled in (international) Grand Prix. Anders 451 and his new lady rider Cheré Burger were on the South African Team that took part in the World Equestrian Games in Normandy in 2014. In 2016 Anders 451 left for a permanent stay in South Africa, where he is still active in the dressage scene. Spahn’s new trump card on the highest dressage stage is the imposing Elias 494 (Jorn 430 x Maiko 373), whose performances at Grand Prix level are becoming more and more established.
The Austrian Prexl family, owners of Friesen Exklusiv Stables, also have two stallions with the Elite predicate in their collection: Wirdmer fan ‘e Boppelannen Star (Beart 411 x Jillis 301) and Zen ‘fan Panhuys’ Star (Dries 421 x Fabe 348). With Lisanne Veenje Wirdmer is competing in Grand Prix under the name of Friesen Exklusiv Wirdmer. Zen earned the Elite predicate with Austrian rider Ralph Buchberger in the saddle.
Fan é Boppelannen
Former KFPS Board member Marten van der Meer’s ‘fan ‘e Boppelannen’ line was partly built on the offspring of Hinke F. (Jillis 301). Wirdmer is a son by this Hinke F. Star Preferent Performance whose other offspring also include two Star geldings, one Star daughter, a Star Sport daughter, a Crown Sport daughter and Model Sport Elite daughter Jildou fan ‘e Boppelannen (Fabe 348). Jildou was sold off to the United States three years ago where she came to stay at Willem and Tiffany van der Kooi’s yard Black Pearl Friesians. There she is stable mates with Sport Elite stallion Thorben 466. Van der Meer presently still owns Lyts fan ‘e Boppelannen (Sape 381), who was declared Model and later Sport Elite in 2011. Lyts competed at Intermediate I level with Heleen de Haas.
Bred from Els F.T.
In 2001 Joukje van der Meer and partner Roelof Tjeerdsma purchased yearling filly Els F.T. (Fabe 348) who has meanwhile collected the Crown Sport Preferent and Performance predicates and was elected KFPS Horse of the Year 2016. Among Els F.T.’s offspring we find Alger T. fan ‘e Boppelannen Star Sport Elite (Gjalt 426) and Fonger T. fan ‘e Boppelannen Star Sport Elite (Loadewyk 431). Alger was sold off to Luxembourg as a sport gelding. Fonger is competing in Intermediate I with owner Heleen de Haas in the saddle.
The Van der Meer name is also linked to Reinder fan Wifo Star Sport Elite (Beintse 418), bred by the Anema family. They bought Tialda fan ‘e Boppelannen Star Sport (Feitse 293) from Van der Meer when in-foal by Beintse 418. This combination produced Reinder, who was brought on and schooled by Ieke Baukje Anema. After his move to the United States Reinder continued life as ‘Reign’.
Jesse van de Seedyk
Also stabled in the USA, in David and Seelchen Feibush’s yard, is 16-year-old Jesse van de Seedyk Star (Jelke 367 x Folkert 353). He was purchased in 2009, shortly after his move from the Netherlands to America. ‘Seelchen did all of Jesse’s schooling all by herself. In the beginning he was very jumpy and spooky but she always kept faith in him. Coached by Tiffany Kell Brinton they steadily climbed the ranks of dressage levels, being quite successful in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I. They are presently training for Grand Prix level. We hope Seelchen will be able to start Jesse in the Grand Prix this summer. Jesse is our most reliable horse for hacking for the whole family, but he also has a superb competition mentality.’
South Africa
Niekie Pienaar from Adelprag Friesian Stud in South African Potchefstroom has made it his mission to make Friesian horses shine in dressage. Four of Pienaar’s stallions have earned the Elite predicate: Menno Star (Winand 405 x Obe 314), the aforementioned Anders 451, Reinoud fan ‘e Homar Star (Beart 411 x Nykle 309) and Wybren fan Ass. Star (Maiko 373 x Brandus 345).
South Africa based Esmé Venter is also a passionate breeder of Friesian horses. Her Willem, a Haitse 425 son out of Studbook mare Sjoeke Preferent Performance (Sjaard 320), is Elite. Willem is actively competing at Grand Prix level under co-owner John Smith. Smith informs us: ‘Willem was gelded shortly before Esmé purchased him as a 6-year-old from Wayne and Michelle van Niekerk from Quantum Stud. I started his dressage training in 2013. Willem has a very dominant character, is terribly hard-working and fares best when trained every single day. Willem always gives the full 150%. Lateral movements and canter work come really easy to him. In 2017, aged ten, he completed his first Grand Prix test. We are still active in Grand Prix but also give shows and dressage clinics.’
