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Around the Farm
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Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011 - 5:46:31 AM |
My unbelievable trip to Holland in Feb. 2011 and the value of friendships, old and new.....
Feb 27, 2011 - 8:41:22 PM
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The experiences involved in breeding of horses and of course, the good feeling one gets from a kindred spirit is universal. Thanks to a chance meeting years ago, I have become friends with a One-Of-Kind-Real-Honest-Human-Being and Fellow Horse Person, Emmy De Jeu, from Holland.
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I met Emmy through my contacts regarding Welcome S. She knows everyone, and is apparently loved by everyone. Thanks to her, I had the trip of a lifetime in Feb. 2011. We attended the KWPN College, which was a wonderful educational program in English. This year they highlighted the correlation between stallion test scores and IBOP scores with horses that are now successful in sport. Wynton, a stallion represented by Judy Yancey's frozen semen import business was one of those presented. Afterwards, Emmy and I had dinner with Bart Henstra from the KWPN. Thursday we visited Emmy's family's flower business and then we went to see Emmy's horses which are in training with Edward Gal. I had tea with Edward, Hans Peter and Nicole.
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Edward Gal- I AM SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM HIM!!!! |
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I don't understand a word of Dutch, and they all were catching up with business and gossip, but it was really a thrill to just be there. They are all unassuming, hard-working, kind horse people and Edward and Hans Peter have unbelievable talent in riding. Emmy's horses look great- do a youtube search for Asther de Jeu and Che de Jeu and you will be able to watch both riding sessions that Emmy videoed while I was there. I am the one outside the ring with a blue scarf. Sisther de Jeu was on a slight break after her Grand Prix wins under Edward in London and Mechelen. We also visited with Isabel van Gisbergen- Sporselee and her husband Will, the breeders of the stallions Voice and 00 Seven. Their mare line is from the famous Olympic Barbria. We had a wonderful and fun dinner next to a huge old church in a small town nearby. Friday was spent at Den Bosch in the hall there, watching the dressage stallion selection. Emmy's beautiful balck Jazz stallion was selected for the third round. I saw some people I know from the states and was introduced to countless people by Emmy. I was introduced to the breeder of Jazz, who was honored in a celebration later that evening. They brought in offspring of this famous stallion and they had a live orchestra with singers. Wynton, Westpoint, grandson Charmeur and IPS Tango were a few of them. A Jazz driving horse brought in his proud breeder in the carriage. The Dutch keuring has a clear goal regarding the mechanics of movement, especially the movement in the hind legs. In my humble opinion, sometimes there was a stiffness over the back from all that hock action to the front. It was fun to watch horses sired by stallions that I have only read about. There was an evening stallion competition for Z, M and L levels and also one for Gelders horses. Johnson, ridden by Hans Peter Minderhoud, was one of my favorites. He won the VHO trophy. They also showed the amazing harness horses. WOW! Edward Gal did a clinic demonstration riding Voice, and it was thrilling to see how proud and excited Isabel and Will were to see their stallion so well received by the huge crowd. I video taped some of the warm up. Emmy has the whole clinic on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/emmydejeu#g/u It was remarkable that after the clinic, Edward excused himself from our group so that he could patiently pose for photos and sign autographs to many young, adoring fans. What an unassuming man!
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The group after the clinic Edward gave on Voice |
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Totilas was named 2011 KWPN Horse of the Year. It was strange to have the award given without the horse being there. The stallions were selected and some were auctioned off. The price topper for dressage stallions was the Zizi Top dressage licensing winner, purchased by Blue Hors for 150,000 Euro. On Sunday, Emmy and I went on the KWPN Farm tour bus. We went to the barn of Pieter Kiersten, primarily a jumper breeding and training farm. Then we visited the dressage stables of Frank Jespers, where the stallion Westpoint was ridden for us.
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Me with Westpoint and Emmelie Scholtens |
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I liked him so much better in a normal ring environment than what we saw in front of 30,000 people in the hall at Den Bosch. I might have to use him on one of my mares someday....The last place we visited was the huge training and raising barn of Gert Jan van Olst and his wife Anne van Olst. Anne is an international dressage rider. She rode an impressive son of their famous stallion, Negro, who we also saw in hand. They had a really interesting set up for raising young horses in a barn that housed the indoor pens, but also had a system of gates to connect the paddocks to the indoor ring for showing them. The last day was spent at Emmy's house and then the ride to the airport. I brought home chocolate flakes for Jim to put on toast for breakfast- that's right- chocolate on toast for BREAKFAST!
Thank you, Emmy, for your friendship and for your wonderful hospitality. Here is my brief video story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-9wwyqy8pE
