Would you like to reap the rewards of an investment this season? The KWPN Online Broodmare Auction concludes tonight at 8:00 PM, and bids have already been placed on the 17 pregnant broodmares . Interested parties from countries including Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands have already discovered the collection and made initial bids. The collection features two pregnant showjumping mares and 15 pregnant dressage mares, sired by renowned stallions such as Eldorado van de Zeshoek, Apache, Contango, De Niro and For Romance. Investing in the future A prime example is Prinses Dolly (s.Le Formidable), who traces back on her dam’s side to the two-time UTV champion Dolly. She impressed at the studbook inspection with a strong overall score of 80/85, earning 90 points for her trot, and is in foal to Blue Hors Zackerey. Another standout is Odessa Timeless (s.Desperado), who was crowned champion of the older mares at the 2023 Zuid-Holland Central Keuring. She was bred out of the highly tested (IBOP 89) Pavo Cup finalist Ho Timeless Good R.E. (s.Fürst Romancier), and is in foal to McLaren. The elite mare Hope Full Lady LH (s.Bon Bravour) has already proven her own talent, scoring 80.5 points in the EPTM, including a 9 for her trot. She comes from a damline that has produced multiple Small Tour horses and is in foal to Elastic. Showjumping breeders will appreciate Grandeusa (s.Eldorado van de Zeshoek). This elite mare passed her IBOP with a score of 77 points, including five scores of 8, and combines top sires with strong-producing mares in her pedigree. She is expecting a foal by Mindset ES. Extended by three minutes Experience shows that bidding is particularly intense during the last hour of the auction. The auction will start closing tonight at 8:00 PM, with several mare’s lots ending simultaneously. If a new bid is placed within the last five minutes, the time will be extended by three minutes. Are you not registered as a bidder yet? It’s simple, free and quick to do so. Additionally, you’ll receive updates on all KWPN auctions. More information During the photo and video day, all mares were evaluated by a KWPN inspector and clinically examined by a veterinarian. Therefore, the mares are selected for health and correctness, providing a solid foundation for a promising future. The KWPN inspector is happy to answer any questions you may have about the mares . For any inquiries, please contact Mairin van der Tol at salespromotion@kwpn.nl or call 0341-255511. Photo by LE-Fotografie

Dressage and showjumping breeders can seize their opportunity in the KWPN Online Broodmare Auction . Bidding is now open for the 17 in-foal mares and will close on Monday evening from 8:00 PM. Buyers from both the Netherlands and abroad consistently turn to the KWPN Auctions platform . Every mare has been evaluated by a KWPN inspector and veterinarian, ensuring that buyers can invest in the future with confidence. This auction runs from March the 7 th till 10 th and offers two showjumping mares and 15 dressage mares, all in foal for 2025. Great origins The De Niro mare Idonnee de Jeu is a half-sister to Small Tour horses Gawnor de Jeu and Vivace de Jeu and has the same granddam as the Grand Prix horses Flanell (Semmieke Rothenberger), Elvive (Lyndal Oatley), and Glen Moray (Veronique Roerink). The Ferdeaux mare Lovly Girl was bred from a half-sister to the international Grand Prix horses Dashy Boy (Marc Peter Spahn) and Incredible Boy (Lisa-Maria Klössinger) and comes from the renowned damline of Jovian and Astrix. Another valuable mare is the In Style offspring Nayely N, whose half-brother Mauricio (s.Total US) is making a strong impression in the Small Tour under Michael Ruijgrok and was a standout at the KWPN Stallion Show dressage night this year. For showjumping breeders, Gina Selena (s.Cantos) is an exciting prospect. This elite mare, who earned 79 points in the EPTM test, is a half-sister to the 1.40m-level jumper Dinant (s.Numero Uno) and is closely related to James Blond (by Nabab de Rêve), who competes at 1.55m-level with Brian Cournane. Your future talent Not yet registered as a bidder? You can easily, quickly, and free of charge register at www.kwpn.auction . By registering, you’ll also stay updated on all KWPN auctions. Are you looking for an outstanding mare for breeding and/or sport? Take a look at the collection now and make your choice. Our KWPN inspector is happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have about the broodmares. For inquiries, please contact Mairin van der Tol at salespromotion@kwpn.nl or call 0341-255511.   Photo: LE- Fotografie

The stallion selection committees for both jumping and dressage gathered today in Ermelo to assess the stallions in their performance testing. The assessment of one dressage stallion has been ended. The dressage stallions were assessed for the first time by rider Lisanne der Nederlanden. After the evaluation and discussions with the owners, it was decided to end the testing for the Kjento son, Rishano Fornaio. Progress The eight jumper stallions were assessed in pairs, and the committee shared their findings with several of the owners present. “Several stallions have clearly shown progress, while others still need further development in certain areas. This has been communicated to the owners, and we will see how they perform over the coming week. This Friday, the stallions will be trained under the supervision of committee member Eric van der Vleuten, and another official evaluation will take place next Tuesday,” said senior inspector Henk Dirksen on behalf of the stallion selection committee. Overview page performance test

Starting today, the first collection of 2025 from the KWPN Online Broodmare Auction is available for viewing. This remarkable collection features seventeen in-foal mares, with bidding open from March the 7 th till 10 th . This auction presents an opportunity not only to enrich your breeding program with genetically valuable broodmares but also to welcome a promising foal this season. KWPN Auctions has evolved into an international showcase where breeders and buyers frequently connect. KWPN horses attract global interest, and the KWPN Online Broodmare Auction offers outstanding genetic potential, including close relatives of top performers such as Flanell, Jovian, Dashy Boy, Ferrari STH, and the Olympic horses Prestige and Just Mickey. Performance genes The collection includes 15 dressage mares and two showjumping mares, many of whom have been successfully tested and are closely related to high-performing sport horses. Notable highlights include the Contango mare Gamora, who is a full sister to the KWPN-approved Small Tour stallion Feel Good and a half-sister to the KWPN-approved Small Tour stallion El Capone (s.UB40). The Apache mare Gucci is a full sister to Jeanine Nekeman’s international Grand Prix horse Ferrari STH. Her daughter, Ma Gucci ASD (s.Sorento), is also part of this collection and has been well-tested with a total of 80 points in the EPTM. The Secret mare Olina was bred from the full sister to Olympic dressage horse Prestige, ridden by Jordy Domingo Coll, and the Grand Prix horse Ventoux. Showjumping breeders can invest in Grandeusa (s.Eldorado van de Zeshoek), a sibling to 1.50m-leve showjumper Doreusa (s.Phin Phin) and bred out of a full sister to Grand Prix showjumper Sly, ridden by Lauren Patava. The mares are in foal to highly sought-after stallions such as Fidertanz, Mindset ES, Obsession Taonga, Total Diamond PS, and McLaren. More information The collection can be viewed from today at www.kwpn.auction . Online bidding for these horses starts on Friday the 7 th of March. Interested parties must register as bidders beforehand, and the auction closes on Monday the 10 h of March, starting at 8:00 PM. For more information about the horses, a KWPN inspector is available to assist you. For inquiries, please contact Mairin van der Tol at salespromotion@kwpn.nl or call +31 341 255 511. Photo by LE- Fotografie

Modern reproductive techniques each have their pros and cons. They are still not cheap, but the costs are becoming more manageable, allowing more breeders to make use of them. Is their use ethically justifiable? During the KWPN Stallion Show, a fertility conference for veterinarians took place on Thursday. Early in the afternoon, there was a panel discussion on "Ethics of modern reproductive techniques." Moderator Charlotte Dekker posed several statements, including "OPU/ICSI is a carefully developed technique, which means we are allowed to apply it." After a hesitant start, a lively discussion unfolded between the audience and the five panelists. Patrick Brogan : "I do a lot of OPU/ICSI and rarely encounter problems. One mare died due to sedation, but you must be pragmatic: every injection carries a risk for the horse. Sometimes a mare gets very stressed, and it doesn’t work; in that case, I certainly won’t proceed. I think it’s important that as a veterinarian, you have a lot of experience and know what you're doing. In my opinion, it’s a fantastic tool, but for now, it certainly does not replace traditional breeding." Koos Poppelaars: "On our farm, we’ve tried the full spectrum of reproductive techniques and see OPU/ICSI as a great technique, but it shouldn’t become a runaway commercial activity. We need to make our money with breeding, but we are conscious of the impact and make decisions based on each mare. We’ve had some bad experiences with one mare using this technique, so breeders should not underestimate the effect it can have on the mare." Anthony Claes: "OPU/ICSI offers good opportunities for a mare who, for any reason, can no longer become pregnant on her own. OPU/ICSI can save the breeder a lot of disappointment. Furthermore, treating a mare repeatedly to get her pregnant naturally is usually not a pleasant experience for her. We have been monitoring mares and foals after OPU/ICSI treatment for several years. We perform the procedure at our clinic, and the mares stay with us overnight, so they are much more at ease. The welfare of the horse always comes first! It is important that all procedures are followed carefully, and communication with the owners is key. Even in breeding, doing nothing new means stagnation, and stagnation equals regression." Thibault Frippiat: "In terms of veterinary medicine, we decide what's best for the animal. This ethical aspect is very important. Right now, we’re working with a few veterinarians to develop guidelines for OPU/ICSI to ensure it's done ethically. In the Netherlands, there are still only a handful of centers where OPU/ICSI is actually performed. Banning it, like in Sweden, doesn’t make much sense, because breeders will just go abroad. But it’s very good to establish some rules. It’s the veterinarian’s responsibility to properly inform the breeder, so they can make a well-considered decision." Peter van der Waaij: "It’s good that rules are being established, also for the studbook and registration. Those with bad intentions will go to another studbook. I’m not against OPU/ICSI, but I don’t think it will advance breeding. Especially not if very old or even deceased stallions are used, or if a lot of offspring come from the same mare. It must not become mass production. We must never lose our passion for breeding, and the love for the horse must always come first." Text: Gemma Jansen Image: Dirk Caremans  

The saying "a good showjumper comes from a good showjumper" is proven week in and week out by countless international horses from proven maternal lines. However, an analysis of international sport results and the KWPN database reveals that the majority of horses still come from mares that did not perform at a high level themselves. This underscores the relevance of the small but critical breeder. In the middle of last year, a post by American equestrian enthusiast Reece Miller appeared on social media, where he took the three 5* Grand Prix in Ocala, Wellington, and Miami as a basis for a small study. In the top 10 of these Grand Prix, one horse came from an international 1.50m mother, three horses were bred from mothers who had competed at 1.45m level, one from a 1.40m mother, and the remaining 25 were simply bred from mares without notable sport performances. KWPN Database Of course, this is not a comprehensive study that holds up scientifically, but it does provide an interesting basis for this article. Auctions and stallion selections rightfully focus on and value the performances of the mares themselves, but in practice, it turns out that it is not a requirement to breed good showjumpers. This offers hope for the critical breeder who also wants to breed the top sport horses of the future in these challenging times. At the time of this analysis, the KWPN database contained 15,467 showjumpers with performances at a minimum of 1.40m level. Of these, 2,290 come from mares with the sport predicate, meaning they themselves have performed at least at 1.30m level. This corresponds to a percentage of 14.8%. Interestingly, this percentage hardly differs from the percentage of showjumpers at the highest level. Of the 1,606 showjumpers in the KWPN database registered at 1.60m level, 240 come from a mother with the sport predicate, which is a percentage of 14.9%. Tested mares Of the mothers of these 2,290 international showjumpers, 82 have also earned the EPTM predicate in addition to the sport predicate, and 191 mothers have passed the IBOP in addition to the sport predicate. Of the 2,290 showjumpers at a minimum of 1.40m level, 241 come from mothers who have only passed the EPTM, and 410 from mothers who have only achieved a good result in the IBOP. This leads to 651 (4.2%) showjumpers at 1.40m level or higher whose mothers have passed a breeding test. Of those 651 showjumpers, 273 (1.8%) have a mother who has passed both the breeding test and earned the sport predicate. Thus, the KWPN database tells us that of the 15,467 showjumpers at a minimum of 1.40m level, 2,941 come from mothers with achievements in a breeding test and/or sport at a minimum of 1.30m level. This results in 19%, meaning 81% of the horses are bred from mares without notable performances. Importance of breeding tests Although the percentage of sport horses at a minimum of 1.40m level bred from mares that have passed a breeding test (4.2%) is not particularly high, it is an oversimplification to conclude that a breeding test has little value for breeding. On the contrary, it gives a breeder early insight into the strengths and weaknesses of their mare, tested among many peers and under similar conditions. An article from KWPN Magazine 6 in 2023 showed that mares with the EPTM predicate are more likely to be bred directly than mares who passed the IBOP. The article also notes that 66% of mares that did not pass the IBOP were still shown in sport, and the percentage of mares that then achieved the sport predicate is clearly lower than mares that did pass the IBOP—over 25% versus nearly 38%. From 1.40m, this difference grows even larger, with 6% (non-passing IBOP mares) versus 15% (passing IBOP mares). Therefore, it can be concluded that mares that pass the breeding test perform significantly better in sport than those that don’t, and this supports the assumption that a breeding test is a good indicator. Of the non-passing mares, 3.6% reach the 1.40m level, compared to 8.1% of passing mares. The same applies to their offspring: passing mares more often produce offspring that perform in sport than mares that do not pass the IBOP or EPTM. This proves the value of testing mares under saddle. Judging predicates It is also interesting to look at how many sport horses at the top level were bred from mares with the ster, keur, or elite predicate. These mares have been evaluated based on their conformation and free jumping, which has repeatedly proven to be a good indicator of their natural ability as a showjumper. Of the 15,467 showjumpers from 1.40m level registered in the KWPN database, 6,999 were bred from mares with such a predicate. This corresponds to 45.3%. Of the 15,467 showjumpers from 1.40m level, 4,003 come from mothers registered in the studbook but without a predicate (25.9%), and 1,839 were bred from foal book mares (11.9%), most of whom were not offered for studbook registration. It can be concluded that by far the largest portion of showjumpers at 1.40m level or higher are bred from mares with a predicate. KWPN-registered There are of course caveats regarding the inheritance of sport. The KWPN database is not complete when it comes to sport performances from the (distant) past, due in part to digitalization, and this study focuses only on KWPN-registered horses. However, the trend is clear and aligns well with Reece Miller’s earlier sample. It is interesting to extrapolate this trend to some prominent competitions in Europe. As with Reece Miller’s small study, the available information on the sport achievements of the mothers was sourced from online databases such as KWPN, HorseTelex, and HippoMundo. In recent years, this data has become increasingly accurate, and it appears that on average, 70% of horses come from mares without notable sport achievements. Olympic games In 2024, the Olympic Games were a sporting highlight. Thirty horses qualified for the individual final. In the top 10, one horse came from a mother at 1.30m level (Baloutinue of Laura Kraut, 8th place) and one horse from a mother at 1.45m level (Dallas Vegas Batilly of Ben Maher, 9th place). The KWPN horse Leone Jei (by Baltic VDL), who finished 10th, came from a mother who passed the IBOP at three years old. Of the remaining 20 individual finalists at the Olympics, two came from a mother with performances at 1.60m level (Zineday of Philipp Weishaupt, 12th place and Imagine of Kim Emmen, 23rd place), and three from a mother at 1.30m level. Thus, of the 30 finalists, 23 were bred from mares without sport performances. An interesting detail is that the 17th place finisher, Dexter R-son I Amelusina R51, was bred from a mare who demonstrated her natural ability with 82 points in the EPTM. Prominent 5*-Grand Prix In the Grand Prix of CSI5* Jumping Amsterdam in early 2024, two horses came from mothers at a minimum of 1.30m level. Among them, the fourth-place finisher Luna van het Dennehof of Gilles Thomas, whose mother competed at the highest level. Marc Houtzager finished sixth in this main event with Sterrehof’s Dante, whose mother passed the IBOP as a four-year-old. 80% of the horses in this top 10 were bred from mares without notable sport performances. At the World Cup event of CSI5*-W Gothenburg, the percentage of mothers without sport performances was slightly lower. Four of the ten horses at the top of the rankings were bred from mothers who had jumped at least at 1.30m level. Among them, the winner Hallilea of Lars Kersten, whose mother competed at 1.35m level, and the sixth-place finisher Imagine of Kim Emmen. Indoor season In a competition on the other side of the world, the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha, the percentage was 70% for offspring from mares without sport performances. Two of the top ten horses in this test came from a 1.60m mother, including the winner Bonne Amie under Abdel Saïd. The indoor season continued with the Rolex Grand Prix of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where three of the ten top horses were bred from mothers at a minimum of 1.30m level (70% from non-sport mares). The indoor season was concluded with the World Cup final in Riyadh, where four of the ten horses (60% from non-sport mares) were bred from mothers with sport performances. One of them, Pieter Devos' Casual DV Z (8th place), came from a mother who jumped at the highest level. Narrowing The same pattern can be seen in the 2024 5* Grand Prix of Hamburg (70%), Madrid (80%), Rolex Grand Prix in Rome (70%), Sankt-Gallen (70%), Rolex Grand Prix of Spruce Meadows (70%), and Rotterdam (70%). And while international sport mares have been heavily used for breeding, particularly in Belgium, breeders have made great strides. Recently, HippoMundo listed mares based on the earnings of their offspring. Among the top ten mares on this list, three had performed in the sport. Once again, 70% came from non-sport mares. The fourth-placed Derly Chin de Muze (by For Pleasure) and the tenth-placed Askaria 3 (by Askari) performed at 1.60m level, while the eighth-placed Inathina van ’t Ruytershof (by For Pleasure) performed at 1.40m level. The highest KWPN mare is second, the Corland daughter Dara, who earned nearly 1.4 million euros in prize money thanks solely to her offspring Leone Jei (Martin Fuchs). The numbers game On the same website, HippoMundo, a list of mares with the most offspring was also published. The first nine mares on this list have between 50 and 70 registered offspring, making it unfair to compare their breeding power to mares with only five to ten offspring. Nine of the ten mares at the top of this list are from the Belgian breeding program, with the tenth-placed Fragance de Chalus being French. Two mares come from the lineage of Emerald van ’t Ruytershof, and three from the lineage of Usha van ’t Roosakker, and this narrowing of breeding poses a risk. Commission chairperson Wout-Jan van der Schans argues in the article about the stallion selection committee chairs elsewhere in this magazine that breeding should remain broad. This offers opportunities for the small breeder who may not have mares from the most prominent lines. Relative figures Looking at the ten highest-earning showjumpers according to the HorseTelex ranking, two were bred from mothers who competed in the sport, both at the highest level: the mothers of the fourth-placed Killer Queen VDM and the tenth-placed DSP Chakaria. Thus, 80% of the top earners come from mares that were not shown in the sport. Of course, there are many examples of mares who have performed at the highest level and repeatedly produce good showjumpers. However, it is true that these top sport mares, especially in recent years, have often been used intensively for breeding (whether through embryo transfer or ICSI) and therefore have a higher chance of producing successful offspring compared to mares that have had fewer opportunities in breeding. A current example of a mare that has proven to pass on her own qualities is the Carinjo daughter A.Vaantje R, from whom the son Spindocter ES (by Luidam) was selected for the second inspection this year. She is currently one of the only breeding mares in the Netherlands for the Swedish Breeding Association (Svenska Världssoeld). The fact that her offspring can be used for breeding (by embryo) is an absolute asset, according to the Dutch breeder of horses born. Therefore, as we can see, sport and breeding practices do not need to overlap to achieve successful breeding practices. Text: Jenneke Smit Image: Dirk Caremans

The four-year-old Gelder stallions demonstrated their driving skills for the second time today, and both performed with conviction, making their approval now final. The King Karim son, Royal King, and the Alexandro P son, Raffael K, had already been approved based on their performances under saddle. With two presentations in driving, the approval of these Gelder stallions is now final. "On February 12, the stallions showed their driving performance in the Willem Alexander Hall, and today they were assessed on the outdoor grounds. Both Raffael K and Royal King presented themselves very well on both the sand path and the grass surface," said inspector Luuk Smetsers on behalf of the stallion inspection committee. "The committee is very positive about their driving performance, and the stallions will be expected to return on hand during the final presentation of the current performance test. At that time, the results of the driving performance will also be announced. However, their final approval is already a fact as of today."