Keuring

Performance Testing

In New Zealand you have the ability to Performance test your Friesian during a Keuring Tour.

You can do an IBOP test in the following ways:

Ridden Test

Driven Test

Show Driving Test

 


Predicates Explained

The horses are differentiated in quality within the registers by means of predicates. The predicates are based on the horse’s own merit or based on the quality of offspring. In addition predicates can be based on exterior, sport aptitude, sport performances or a combination thereof.

Star/Ster Predicate: The Ster predicate is awarded during inspections of horses from the year they are three years of age. To be considered for the Ster predicate the horse needs to meet minimum requirements for exterior, movement (in hand), and height at the withers minimum height 1.56m (mares), 1.58m (stallions & geldings). The Ster predicate may be awarded to mares in the Studbook register, geldings in the Gelding Book, and Foal-Book stallions. The awarding of the Ster predicate for mares and geldings can take place at the same time as Studbook entry. Foal-Book stallions with the Ster predicate that are gelded keep their Ster status. Foal-Book stallions can become Ster at the first viewing of the stallion inspection in the year they are two and half years of age.

Crown/Kroon Predicate: The Crown predicate is a predicate to which exterior and sport-aptitude requirements apply. Selection for the (preliminary) Crown predicate takes place during the Central Mare Show/Centrale Keuring, from the mares that during the breeding days and studbook inspections in that same year were awarded a first premium. Selection for the Crown predicate can in foreign countries outside The Netherlands also take place at the Keuring in New Zealand. The requirements for consideration for the (preliminary) Crown predicate are:

  • minimum age is three years old.
  • for permanent Crown status the mare must complete an IBOP or ABFP test with a minimum score of 77.0 points and an average of 7 for walk and trot. If the Sport predicate is earned that will also convert the preliminary-Crown status into permanent Crown status.
  • Minimum height at the withers 1.58m/15.2 hands.

Model Predicate: The Model predicate is a predicate to which exterior and sport-aptitude requirements apply. The best mares of the population are considered for the Model predicate. Awarding of the (preliminary) Model status takes place at the Central Mare Show/Centrale Keuring, as selected from Ster and Crown mares that during the breeding days in that same year were awarded a first premium. Selection for the Model predicate can also take place at the respective Keuring in New Zealand.The requirements for the (preliminary) Model status are:

  • minimum age is 7 years old.
  • the mare must have produced a foal or have a foal on her.
  • for permanent Model status the mare must complete an IBOP or ABFP test before the end of the calendar year following the year in which she made preliminary Model ,with a minimum score of 77.0 points and an average of 7 for walk and trot. If the Sport predicate is earned within that time frame that will also convert the preliminary-Model status into permanent Model status.
  • minimum height at the withers 1.60m/15.3 hands.

Sport Predicate: The Sport title can be awarded to mares, geldings and stallions that have reached a sufficiently high level in competitive sports. The sport title can be awarded only on the basis of results achieved during competitions registered by Dressage New Zealand. The minimum requirements for being awarded the Sports title are: Dressage Medium or higher level with 5x 60%. Please get in touch with the NZFHS to get information about the application of the Sports title.

The Sport Elite title: This can be awarded to mares, geldings and stallions that have reached extraordinary results in competitive sports. The sport Elite title can be awarded only on the basis of results achieved during competitions registered by Dressage New Zealand. The minimum requirements for being awarded the Sport Elite title are: Dressage Prix St. George or higher level with 5x 60%. Please get in touch with the NZFHS to get information about the application of the Sport Elite title.

Preferent for Mares: Mares registered in the Foal Book and the Studbook may become Preferent on offspring. The Preferent predicate needs to be requested with KFPS. Preferent status may be requested both by the owner of a mare or by the owner of (one of) the offspring. Preferent status may also be requested posthumously. Preferent status for mares is granted when the mare in question has produced at least four quality horses. Quality horses are considered:

  1. Ster or Model mares.
  2. Ster geldings.
  3. Foal Book Ster stallions.
  4. Studbook stallions.
  5. Stallions that made the second viewing of the stallion inspection.

Preferent for Stallions: The Preferent predicate can be awarded to stallions that have a lasting, special influence on the breed. For consideration for Preferent the quality of the offspring will be tested for the breeding-goal characteristics. The lasting value of a stallion is evaluated based on the offspring produced that have determining roles in the breeding of Friesian horses such as Preferent mares, stallion dams and (based on offspring) approved sons.

Performance-dam/Prestatie moeder Predicate: The predicate Performance dam/Prestatie moeder is awarded to mares that have produced three direct offspring that were awarded the Sport predicate.


KFPS different Studbooks explained

The rules of any horse registry may be complex and the rules of the KFPS are no exception. There are several levels in the KFPS studbook which allows one to differentiate between the registry and status/grade levels of horses in order to achieve the KFPS’s and NZFHS primary goal of preserving and improving the Friesian horse.

The following is a brief description of the KFPS studbook system to enable anyone unfamiliar with the registry to understand the registry status of a KFPS Friesian horse.

The Main of the KFPS Studbook
Breeding Friesian horses within the KFPS studbook system is strictly controlled.

A horse can only be registered in the Foal Book register of the main section of the KFPS Studbook, sometimes referred to as “Main Book”, if its dam is in the main section of the Studbook herself (Studbook or Foal book) and was bred to a Studbook stallion with KFPS approved breeding privileges, commonly referred to as an “Approved Stallion”.

You will be able to easily recognize an Approved Stallion by its recorded three digit number following its name.  For example, Hessel 480 or Norbert 444.

In New Zealand it is not viable to have an Approved Stallion for breeding, therefore semen of Approved stallions is available via frozen semen in New Zealand.

B-Book I
In New Zealand there is no approved stallion, however New Zealand has two stallions with a
Breeding Permit. (Jelle fan e San Leren and Floris).

In order to promote breeding in those countries, the KFPS developed a subsidiary registry within the studbook system called the B-Book I (in Dutch, bijboek-I). Foals can be registered in B-Book I when the sire is a registered Foal Book stallion with a breeding permit.

A Breeding Permitted stallion has been given approval by the KFPS for limited breeding under specific predefined conditions.

A horse, particularly a filly or mare, registered in B-Book I may therefore cost a bit less than an equivalent horse registered in the main studbook and a potential buyer should be aware of this fact and be able to recognize such a horse’s registration paper.  It can be difficult to distinguish between main studbook and B-Book horses on the outward appearance of their papers. In this case you must look for a Foal Book-registered stallion in the horse’s pedigree.  Look for a V.B., Vb or vb. (referring to veulenboek, Dutch for Foal Book) following any sire’s name or registration number on the upper branches of the ancestral tree. If any such sires appear within three generations in the sire’s or dam’s line, then the horse should be considered equivalent to horses registered in B-Book I. (Although such horses born in the 1980’s, prior to the establishment of the B-Book, were registered in the main studbook, as are their descendants.)

B-Book II
In addition to the B-Book I, there is a second subsidiary registry within the studbook system called the B-Book II. This registry is intended for all purebred Friesian horses that were bred using Foal Book stallions without the approval of the KFPS. A buyer might expect to pay somewhat less for B-Book II horses, all other things being equal.  B-Book horses can be identified by their distinctive Black and White Papers.  A B-Book horse may be an excellent fit your budget and future plans even though it may not be in the highest KFPS register.

Promotion of B-Book Descendants

There is a set of rules whereby the offspring of a B-Book II mare can be registered in B-Book I if that mare is bred to an Approved Stallion. Likewise, the descendants of B-Book I mares can be elevated to the main studbook after three generations of similar approved breedings.

Status of Horses within the Register

Within the registry, one may infer basic value from the placement of the horse within the registry and the horse’s premium and predicates, all things being equal.  For example, you should generally expect to pay more for a Model mare than a Star mare, more for a Star mare than a Studbook mare, and more for a Studbook Mare than for one that could not be promoted from the Foal Book (because of a white leg marking, for example).  Horses in the Foal Book can move up to the Studbook at the age of three or four after a positive inspection result; however, some owners– particularly of geldings, do not bother to have them judged and a mature Foal Book horse may still be a good buy if it has potential.  There is no category for stallions that have not been approved for breeding. A male horse must either be approved, gelded, or remain in the Foal Book.

Premiums
To evaluate their quality, foals and adult horses are inspected by a KFPS judge from the Netherlands based on a combination of their movement and conformation.  Foals, yearling and two year old mares, star mares and geldings can receive premiums (in Dutch, premie) when they are judged. On judging day, a first premium horse demonstrated better movement and conformation than a second premium horse, which demonstrated better movement and conformation than a third premium horse.  “No premium” foals can result from many factors including genuine faults, poor quality, and temporary unsoundness on judging day, unacceptable white markings.  Among adult horses, only Approved Stallions, Star Mares and Geldings, and the best quality studbook mares and geldings are eligible to receive premiums. In the case of multiple premiums, the most recent is typically the most important.  Foal premiums are frequently not be relevant indicators of a horse’s quality as an adult.

Predicates
Within the KFPS registry, horses are also differentiated in quality by means of predicates. The predicates are based on the horse’s own merit or based on the quality of offspring. In addition predicates can be based on exterior, sport aptitude, sport performances or a combination thereof.  Predicates add a great deal of value to the horse in most cases and therefor, one would expect to pay more for a KFPS horse with a predicate.  Predicates include Star, Crown, Model, Sport, Sport Elite and Performance mother.

Recognizing Studbook Certificates
The KFPS will issue a studbook certificate (registration papers) for all horses that are registered in the studbook.  The registration certificate is strictly a statement that a specific horse has a recognized pedigree and the privilege of being entered in the official worldwide registry for the Friesian horse.

Illustration of Registration Outcomes

 

 

 

Stallion is:

Approved Studbook
Stallion

Stallion is:

Foalbook Star Stallion with Breeding Permit

Stallion is:

Foalbook Main
B Book I
B Book  II

Mare is:

KFPS Main Book

Main Book B Book I B Book  II
Mare is:

B Book I

B Book I * B Book I B Book  II
Mare is:

B Book II

B Book I** B Book I or II *** B Book  II

 * After use of three KFPS studbook stallions in the last four consecutive generations in the mare line, the offspring out of a B-Book I mare are registered in the KFPS Mainbook.

** When a B-Book II mare is bred to a KFPS Studbook stallion, the offspring is promoted to B-Book I in one generation.

*** When a B-Book II mare is bred to a Foalbook stallion with a KFPS Breeding Permit, promotion to B-Book I takes place in two generations.

Identification

All KFPS registered horses born before 1997 have a tongue tattoo (in Dutch tong code) on the left side of the tongue to identify a horse with its registration paper. Horses born in 1997 and after have an electronic identification chip in the upper left neck, midway between poll and withers. The chip code is on the horse’s registration paper (chipnummer).  A 16 digit ISO chip scanner will read the chip number which can then be used to verify the identity of the horse by confirming the number listed on the studbook certificate.