Registry

FRIESIAN REGISTRATION

Registration requirements for Dutch-registered Friesian horses are often confusing to people who are unfamiliar with the breed. Registration is governed and administered by Koninklijke Vereniging “Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek” (“KFPS” or the Royal Friesian Horse Studbook) in the Netherlands. The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) regulates registered horses on this continent and coordinates the flow of registration services and documents between North American Friesian horse owners and the Netherlands. Inspectors come from the Netherlands association each fall to evaluate certain age groups of Friesians on this continent. At that time they also microchip foals for permanent identification. (Prior to 1997, foals received tongue tattoos for identification. Tongue tattooing was discontinued in 1997.)

An attempt has been made to summarize briefly some of the regulations in order that you might better understand the registration procedures and vocabulary.

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FRIESIAN HORSE STUDBOOK (FPS) REGISTRY is a closed and tightly controlled registry. The Foal Book and main Studbooks are maintained only for Friesian horses who are sired by Studbook Stallions with Approved Breeding Privileges and produced by mares entered in the Studbook for Mares or the Foal Book.

Outside the Netherlands, in countries where there are not sufficient Studbook Stallions, the offspring of certain Foal Book ("Vuelen Book” “ vb.") Stallions are entitled to registration in an auxiliary studbook, B-Book I. This no longer applies to North America, where there are sufficient Approved Studbook Stallions. Purebred offspring of unapproved Foal Book stallions can be registered in a second auxiliary studbook, B-Book II. The KFPS registers only purebreds. Cross breeding KFPS-registered horses with other breeds or non-KFPS Friesians is strongly discouraged.

REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS remain the property of the Friesian Horse Studbook and are not proof of ownership. A properly executed Bill of Sale is evidence of ownership. When ownership of a registered horse changes, the Owner of Record is charged a fee to transfer registration records. It is the responsibility of the Owner of Record (the seller) to forward the Certificate of Registration, the transfer fee and the buyer’s name and address to the FHANA office. The new owner (buyer) may then receive the Certificate of Registration if he/she is a FHANA member in good standing.

QUALIFICATIONS to be entered in any register other than the Foal Book, require that Friesian horses must be at least 1.50 meters (14.3 hands) at age 3 or older, must be sound and without serious faults, and must have no white markings on the legs or body and are only allowed a small white star or a few white or gray hairs on the forehead or lips. They must also be evaluated by the KFPS judges as demonstrating the characteristics of the Friesian horse.

FOAL Birth Announcements, verifying that the father is a Studbook Stallion with Approved Breeding Privileges and was bred to the mother, a KFPS-registered Friesian, must be submitted following the foal's birth. (Special procedures apply if the sire was not an Approved Stallion.) The Owner receives a Birth Acknowledgment. After the foal is microchipped and judged or DNA tested, and appropriate fees have been paid, the foal is enrolled in the Foal Book.

Each year, foals must be given relatively simple names beginning with specified letters selected by the KFPS. In 2005, all foals' names began with P, Q, R or S. Foals can be registered without evaluation by KFPS judges but those foals who are presented for inspection qualify for an orange (1st), red (2nd), white (3rd) or no premium based on their quality. Fillies may be evaluated for premiums in their yearling and two-year-old years. Colts are not officially judged again unless they apply to the Gelding or Stallion Studbooks at age 3 or later.

STALLIONS must undergo an exacting selection process to be approved for breeding. Only about 1 out of 200 colts will be granted breeding approval. Candidates for Studbook Stallion must be at least 1.60 meters (15.3 hands) at age 4. The candidate's sire must be a Studbook Stallion and his dam is expected to have several generations of star, model and/or preferential mares in the mare line of her pedigree. Candidates are presented to a selection committee that chooses a very small percentage to be sent for 10 weeks to an unbiased training center for further evaluation of performance abilities and disposition. Those who pass this demanding Stallion Test are conditionally awarded Approved Breeding Privileges for 4 years. At the end of that time, the stallion's offspring are evaluated for quality and performance ability and must demonstrate that the stallion makes a positive impact upon the breed or he will no longer be accepted for breeding. Approximately 1/4 of the Studbook Stallions lose breeding approval at that point. There are approximately 100 Friesian stallions approved for breeding in the world. There are approximately 20 Studbook Stallions with Approved Breeding Privileges in North America; some are young stallions who have not yet had their offspring evaluated and some are elderly stallions with a very limited book of mares. Stallions who are not approved for breeding remain registered in the Foal Book. The registry allows breeding via artificial insemination and with transported cooled and frozen semen. Embryo transfer is permitted.

Preferential Stallions receive this designation based on the superior quality and excellent reproductive ability of both their male and female offspring. Very few Studbook Stallions are awarded this honor.

Star Stallions are Foal Book stallions who represent the best quality among the stallions who are not approved for breeding.

MARES registered in the Foal Book may be presented for inspection when they are 3 years or older. If they display the necessary Friesian characteristics, they are accepted for entry in the Studbook for Mares. These mares may receive a first, second, third or no premium. The first and second premium mares receive the Star designation; third and no premium mares remain in the Studbook but can be presented for Star in a future year.

Star Mare candidates must be in the Studbook for Mares and must be at least 1.55 meters (15.1 hands). They must display superior quality in movement (60% of the evaluation) and conformation (40%). Star designation (“ster” in Dutch) is currently awarded to about 25-30% of all Studbook Mares.

Model Mare candidates must be Studbook Star Mares and be at least 1.58 meters (15.2Ľ hands). Selection of "Provisional Models" is made of the very highest quality Star Mares, with only a very few mares chosen from throughout the world each year. Within one year after selection as a Provisional Model, a performance test is given the candidate. If she passes the test she becomes a Model Mare.

Preferential Mares are designated on the basis of the outstanding quality of at least four of their offspring who achieve star status or better. Only a very small percentage of mares ever receive the distinction of “Preferent,” in Dutch.

Performance Dams ("Prestatie" in Dutch) are designated on the basis of the outstanding equestrian sport achievements of at least three offspring. Very few mares have achieved this award.

GELDINGS remain in the Foal Book until they are at least 3 years old. After this age they can be judged for inclusion in the Studbook for Geldings. Transfer into this studbook is optional and some owners never transfer their geldings from the Foal Book.

Star Geldings may be designated, similarly to Star Mares, if they demonstrate superior quality in movement and conformation, are at least 15.1 hands and are awarded a first or second premium.

(8/05 updated 12/05) Prepared By: Knapp Friesian Foundation Inc.