The WBFSH has announced its new rankings and for the second consecutive year, the KWPN is the number one studbook for both dressage horses and jumpers, maintaining its prestigious position from last year thanks to the successful products of Dutch breeders.
Perhaps even more special is the fact that two KWPN horses lead the individual rankings again.
Last year's leaders were the Olympic champion Hickstead and the rising star Jerich Parzival, and this year's top horses are Hickstead again and Moorland's Totilas!
THREE TIMES A CHARM FOR “HICKSTEAD”
The KWPN studbook leads the jumper rankings for the seventh consecutive year. The top studbooks are closely ranked, with the KWPN just ahead of the Holstein studbook, and the Selle Francais studbook in third place.
The top six horses from each studbook in the individual rankings count toward the studbook rankings. For the third consecutive year, Hickstead (Hamlet out of Jomara ster pref prest by Ekstein) is the world's number one jumper. His achievements include victories in Calgary and Aachen, and he consistently bests his competition. For his recently deceased breeder, Jan van Schijndel of Maren Kessel, Hickstead is a success!
The Corland daughter Silvana de Hus (out of Donate keur prest by Widor) holds third place in the individual ranking.
Bred by B.J. ter Denge of Abbega, the gray mare’s current rider is Kevin Staut. The pair's accomplishments this year include a second place finish in the Grand Prix of Gijon and a tie for seventh place in the World Cup final in Geneva in April.
Urico, ridden by American Mario Deslauriers, is the next horse to count toward the KWPN’s number one position. In April, the combination excelled in the World Cup final in Geneva, where they bested their competition in the interim standings before ending in sixth place due to faults. With achievements such as a Grand Prix win in Wellington and second place in La Baule, the Zandor Z son (out of Omara s.Fedor, breeder: J. Dings of Linne) takes the 11th place in the individual ranking.
Taloubet Z (Galoubet out of Krista ster sport-(jump) by Polydor, breeder: C.T. Klaver of Schoorl) and Christiaan Ahlmann make a good team. A victory in Hannover and two third places in Valkenswaard and Estoril, among other accomplishments, earned the talented jumper enough points in the individual ranking for 22nd place.
Van Grunsven Simon (Mr. Blue x Naline ster s.Polydox, breeder: M.J. Vermeulen of Altforst) excels under Jeroen Dubbeldam. The jumper’s spectacular win at Spruce Meadows, in particular, earned him enough points for 25th place individually.
The last horse to count for the KWPN is Exquis Powerfee. Although the Fedor son (out of Toverfee prestatie s.Erdball xx, breeder: P.L. van der Voort of Pijnacker) has not yet won a major Grand Prix, he earned many points for the KWPN with his consistently high placings. He ranks 30th individually.
WHO OTHER THAN TOTILAS?
Dutch dressage horse breeders have helped make the KWPN the number one studbook in the WBFSH ranking for the second consecutive year. Naturally, the individual dressage horse leaders are Moorland's Totilas and Jerich Parzival.
With Ravel in fourth place and four KWPN horses among the top ten, the studbook ranks well ahead of its competition. The Hanoverian studbook is second, followed by the Oldenburg studbook.
Of course, it is no surprise that the recently sold Totilas leads the individual dressage ranking. After a fantastic early season in which he won the World Cup and all the main classes in Aachen, the jet black Gribaldi son (out of Lominka elite pref prest by Glendale, breeders: J.K. Schuil and A. Visser of Broeksterwoude) captured three gold medals in grand style at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. His point total puts him well ahead of the number two horse, Parzival.
Parzival beat his competition in Stockholm, Mechelen, Göteburg, Den Bosch, and Hickstead, and he finished second in the World Cup final in Las Vegas and in Aachen. Unfortunately, he did not earn any points at the World Equestrian Games (which partially count for the dressage ranking) as he was eliminated for blood in his mouth due to having bitten his tongue. Even so, his points were enough to rank him second this year.
Ravel had a very limited competition schedule this year. Even the World Cup final, where the big Contango son could have defended his title, was passed up in the pursuit of one goal: the WEG in Kentucky, where he won two bronze medals. Notwithstanding, Ravel, ridden by Steffen Peters, earned enough points for an admirable fourth place in the individual ranking.
The KWPN stallion IPS Painted Black (Gribaldi out of Litchy elite pref prest sport(dres) s.Ferro, breeders: Frank van de Valk and Jacqueline Anholt of Ommel) is the fourth horse among the top ten. Under Anky van Grunsven, the black son of the prematurely deceased preferent stallion Gribaldi won in Falsterbo and placed high in Göteborg and Amsterdam. He ranks eighth.
The last two horses to contribute to the KWPN's number one ranking competed very little this year. Bred by Breeder of the Year Gerard Vervoorn of Brakel, Exquis Nadine (T.C.N. Partout out of Charites ster pref prest by Roemer) had a light schedule under Hans Peter Minderhoud. However, when she did compete, she scored high. At her last competition in Hickstead, she received 78.850% in the Freestyle, good for second place and a spot in the WEG in Kentucky. She ranks 18th individually.
The KWPN stallion Scandic is the last horse that earned points for the KWPN. Ridden by Patrick Kittel, the Solos Carex son (out of Noraline elite by Amiral, breeder: Ineke Mosman-Rohé of Enschede) consistently scores high. His achievements include a fifth place finish in the World Cup final, and in Göteborg, he placed second twice this year. His noteworthy results earned him enough points for 19th place in the individual ranking.
EVENTING
The Hanoverian studbook leads the eventing ranking, with the Irish Sport Horse studbook on its heels. In third place is the Selle Francais studbook, and the KWPN is ninth. The first four horses that contributed to the KWPN's ninth place ranking are Drivetime (Rolls Royce x Etronora s.Zuidhorn, breeder: J. Dongen of Eindhoven), under Emily Baldwin of the U.K.; Orlando (Corland x Panieta ster s.Lancelot, breeder F.E. Roos of Sonnega) under Georgie Davies; Pardon Me II (Landwind II B x Ilonka s.Nooitgedacht, breeder: H. Deten of Holten), under Emily Llewellyn of the U.K.; and Treefers (Now or Never M x Isabel keur sport(jump) s.G.Ramiro Z, breeder: A.J. Reef of Markelo), under Emily Parker of the U.K.
These are followed by two Dutch-bred horses who owe their ranking to their Dutch riders: Vira (Jazz out of Option G by Whinny Jackson, breeder: I. van Rossum-van den Heuvel of Maren Kessel), under Elaine Pen; and the 2010 Dutch Champion, Van Schijndel’s Concrex Owaola (Indoctro out of Ewaola ster pref by Joost, breeder: B.H.M. Nijhuis of Albergen), under Tim Lips. Unfortunately, Concrex Oncarlos is missing from the rankings, as he underwent minor surgery after a test competition in Kentucky in 2009. However, the Faram son has proven himself a good eventer under Tim Lips, and hopefully, he will contribute next year to a higher ranking.