SECRET OF SUCCESS

The secret behind the international success of Royal Dutch Sports Horses is down to the many years of intensive selection by breeders and by the studbook. Johan Knaap: “This is something that has developed historically. The Netherlands is a breeding country by tradition. The place where agricultural breeders first converted the agricultural horse into a modern sports horse after the Second World War. The internationally famous Stallion Show applies strict selection criteria to stallions’ ability to jump and for dressage, to their health and the absence of hereditary defects, their exterior, motion mechanism, character and sperm quality.
Nowhere else in the world are stallions selected according to such strict criteria.”

With an average of 13,000 foals being born every year, the KWPN is the largest studbook of its kind worldwide. With four breeding orientations: show jumpers, dressage horses, harness horses and Gelder horses. Knaap: “In addition, riders increasingly value Royal Dutch Sports Horses as hunters or eventers. The very best top-class sports mares are increasingly used for breeding after their sports careers have ended. They are currently producing the top-class horses of the future that will enable Royal Dutch Sports Horses to continue to set the trend! Strict selection standards are also applied to mares. The breeders who participate in the KWPN ensure the ideal match between the stallion and the mare.”

Foal Selection:

Example: Hotmail ( Apache X Silvano)