Only two weeks left! Tuesday November 29, the first round viewing in Ermelo kicks off with the dressage stallions. The entry list features over 250 dressage stallions. Which sires are this year’s top suppliers?

During the first round viewing, high-quality, nearly three-year-old stallions gather at the KWPN Centre where they are inspected by the Stallion Selection Committee. This committee consists of three experts on sport and breeding. The best stallions advance to the second round viewing that takes place at the 2023 KWPN Stallion Show in Den Bosch from the 1^st until the 4^th of February. The dressage stallions open the first round viewing from November 29 through December 3. The young jumper stallions are invited to show their talent in free jumping and free movement from the 6th until the 9th of December. Finally, the Gelder stallions make their appearance on December 9. 

Le Formidable main supplier

The Bordeaux-son and 2019 champion of the KWPN Stallion Show Le Formidable (out of Vienna elite pref prest PROK by Ferro, bred by and registered to Saskia Poel) may call himself the top supplier of the first round viewing in the dressage discipline. Represented by 26 offspring he tops the sire ranking. Behind Le Formidable we find another former champion of the KWPN Stallion Show: Jameson RS2 (Blue Hors Zack out of Atilinda M elite pref prest IBOP-dres sport-dres D-OC, bred by Stal 104 in Wijdewormer) sires 20 stallions in the first round viewing. Grand Prix stallion GLOCK’s Toto Jr. (Totilas out of Desperada by Desperados, bred by Schmidt of Naumburg) lists 15 offspring while multiple championships winner Kjento (Negro out of Zoriana elite pref prest IBOP-dres PROK by Jazz, bred by Ad van Os of Sprang-Capelle) proves his influence with thirteen offspring. 

Cheer on the stallions

Are you planning to cheer on the stallions in Ermelo? You are more than welcome to visit the first round viewing. Unable to attend? The first round viewing is also broadcasted live on kwpn.tv.

Ban on trimming sensory hairs and ears

Under the cloak of aesthetic appeal, the sensory hairs around the mouth and eyes of older horses and foals are often trimmed. To let appearances prevail efficacy, apart from the fact whether it is harmful or harmless, is not desirable in the context of horse welfare. Trimming the sensory hairs of a horse leads to a loss in sensory functions and can therefore hinder a horse. Hence, in order to promote horse welfare, with effect of the inspection season of 2022 a ban on trimming sensory hairs and ears was introduced. For the stallion selection this means that stallions whose sensory hair around the mouth and eyes are completely removed and/or whose hairs inside the ears have been clipped are excluded from participation in the stallion selection or other KWPN events and competition. 2022 was a transitional year, but with effect of the 1^st of January 2023, the rules are enforced and horses that are groomed in this manner are not allowed in the inspection ring.

General Regulations

Groups dressage stallions

Photo Le Formidable: Dirk Caremans