Willem 508 was born as Wullem van de Meikade (Hette 481) and bred by Willem Lokhorst from Ederveen. With an astute purchase- and selection policy Lokhorst has managed to build a breeding programme with several good broodmares from different pedigrees. One of them is Tjanneke L. Star (Folkert 353), Willem 508´s dam who died of colic last autumn at the age of thirteen. She´s not only dam to Willem 508 but also to 8-year-old Melissa van de Meikade Star (Tsjalle 454), who reached the finals of the Friesian Talent Cup as a 3-year-old. As well as dam to Sylvie van de Meikade Star (Tsjalle 454) who became, aged three, Champion in Oudkarpsel in 2016. And then there is her daughter Felicia van de Meikade (Eise 489) who became Filly Champion in Ambt-Delden in 2017. This good-looking Felicia can potentially make her dam posthumously Preferent this year. In her dam report drawn up by the KFPS Inspection, Tjanneke L. is described as an attractive mare with satisfactorily correct conformation who has a good rectangular model. Her legwork shows more than satisfactory quality with satisfactory correctness of stance. The walk and trot are roomy with good movement through the body. Lokhorst describes Tjanneke L. as ‘a mare with a will of her own, very well-behaved and as good as gold, who had a very good walk and rock-solid legwork. She was a wonderful mare and never ill. She was always the first of the herd waiting at the gate when I arrived. She was the leader of the group.’
Many Preferent and Model predicates
Tjanneke L. comes from an excellent mare line (pedigree 61) of the well-known breeder W. Jorritsma from Heeg. From the 1953-born Preferent Nedia Model (Ewold 181) he bred four successive generations of Preferent mares and four Model mares in six generations. Three successive mares from this line are granddam to a Studbook stallion via one of their daughters. Carolina Star Preferent (Nanne 197) is a daughter out of Nedia and she has produced three fine, Preferent mares. Two of these have collected many prizes as a two-in-hand team. Via her daughter Tjimkje Star Preferent (Freark 218), Carolina is the granddam of Tjimme 275 (Jochem 259). Next in Willem 508´s dam line we find Rolanda Model Preferent (Jetse 225), granddam of Jillis 301 (Jochem 259). A stunning five times she had the best breeding group of Blauwhuis. Her daughter Berke Star Preferent (Freark 218) is the granddam of the elegant Wicher 334 (Lute 304), via her ‘exceptionally beautiful’ daughter Wealtsje Model Preferent (Jochem 259). In 1983 good-looking Wealtsje was the number one of a major group of 28 Star mares in Blauwhuis. In that same year and the year after she was Champion of the Central Inspection.
A little adventure
Via Wealtsje we get to her Model daughter Roselita (Oege 276) who was Overall Champion of the Central Inspection in 1992. Via her less famous daughter Janneke J. Star (Tsjomme 329) who was born in 1995, we arrive at Tjanneke L. What a delicious dam line. Two years running Willem Lokhorst paired Tjanneke L. to Tsjalle 454. ‘Tjanneke had an excellent walk but lacked a bit of breed expression so I opted for Tsjalle 454.’ That worked out just fine with the earlier-mentioned Star mares Melissa van de Meikade and Sylvie van de Meikade as a result. Yet, the third time Lokhorst decided to use Hette 481 (Norbert 444). Normally, I wouldn´t go for the combination of Norbert 444 (Hette 481´s sire) and Folkert 353 (Tjanneke L.´s sire). But I was tipped by an inseminator who had seen fine offspring by Hette 481. I wanted to try something different than using Tsjalle 454 again but was a little unsure because Hette 481 is a carrier of the hydrocephaly gene. I chose him anyway because of his class and suppleness and because I like a little bit of adventure. That has worked out well.’
Stallion Inspection Committee
According to Harrie Draaijer, Chairman of the Stallion Inspection Committee, Willem 508 stands out positively as a ‘longlined stallion with satisfactory breed expression, satisfactory expression of the head too and a long, lightly horizontal neck. He is strong with good connections in the topline and has a more than satisfactory upward build. His legwork radiates lots of quality and Willem 508 moves with great agility and ease.’ Breeders have to factor in that Willem 508 is a carrier of the dwarfism gene. According to the Jury Willem 508 is interesting for breeding because he can improve model, rideability, the walk and suppleness. He can also have a positive influence on size, longlined conformation and trainability.
