The BWP selection committee was delighted with the result of the stallion approval. The selection days had passed smoothly and the stallions were still fit on the final day. The mare reports gave extra and interesting information.
For the first time, mare reports had been made up of all stallion dams. Some mares had already been inspected at mare conformation contests, other dams were seen during local inspection visits. For the candidates from other studbooks, reports of their dams were collected abroad. The committee members considered it a good initiative; the information concerning the dams will also be incorporated in the stallion approval reports, which can be very interesting for the breeders.
The riding test was somehow selective; some stallions appeared not to be so ridable. Eventually, 19 stallions were approved, one of them for dressage and, for the first time, one for eventing, namely the piebald Eddy Wally.
Two stallions, Jewel’s Carat and Vleut, who already evidenced sport performances, were absent and may participate in the additional third phase, as well as some other candidates who were not able to participate on medical grounds.
After the speaker had communicated the results of the selection, committee president Boudewijn Schepers designated Jappeloup van het Dauwhof as the 3-year-old BWP champion. Jappeloup is a son of Echo van het Neerenbosch out of a dam by Wertschatz; he was bred by Willy Denolf. He was presented for approval by the Roshoeve and Rostal.
Minister-President Kris Peeters is honoured with the BWP Award
Special guests on the final approval day were Minister-President Kris Peeters and P. Vanthemsche, president of the Belgian Farmers Association. Kris Peeters already visited the BWP stallion selection on former occasions, but this time there was a special reason.
Every year, BWP attributes an award to someone who was deserving to the horse sector and so put BWP in the spotlights. That award was often attributed to a breeder, an owner or even a rider. This year, there was only one exceptional nominee, namely Minister-President Kris Peeters. He gave a boost to the horse sector and is still doing it.
Therefore, BWP President Carl Rijcken and Vice-President Kris Keersmaekers, together with Maria Adriaenssens from sponsor KBC, honoured Kris Peeters with the BWP Award. In his word of thanks , the Minister-President emphasized that, in spite of the difficult week he had, due to the autobus accident with Belgian children in Switzerland, he found great pleasure in coming to Neeroeteren to visit the stallion selection and to receive the BWP Award. He confirmed that he will continue to support the horse sector and invited the breeders to the next round-table conference.