By Jo de Roo
Photography: Jo de Roo

The BWP stallion approval has ended, one month later than expected and with an adjusted program. Stefaan De Smet, Herman Van Den Broeck and Tim Van Tricht approved 29 showjumping stallions. We interviewed De Smet, president of the showjumping selection committee, as well as Freddy De Vos, breeder of the BWP champion showjumping Socrates van den Bosdam, also Eddy Schuurmans, president of BWP’s dressage studbook commission and Marc Dries, breeder of BWP dressage champion, Sunnyboy van de Kempenhoeve.

Recalling the event, Stefaan De Smet said: ‘We are pleased that the third phase of the stallion expertise was able to continue because it was not so evident. This year’s inspection was rather different to usual, with an adjusted program. I am satisfied, especially with the three-year-olds. I had a good feeling after the approval as it was difficult enough for these stallions, but not impossible. The fact that the third phase had to take place a month later will not immediately have benefited certain stallions.
“Talking about the three-year-olds, some presenters have been preparing and training since August or September last year, and that is certainly a long time. I can imagine that certain three-year-olds were finished. But many stallions have been able to show their showjumping qualities under the saddle and that’s a good thing. We have been a little more selective, but at the same time also quite consistent. I had a less good feeling about the quality of the four-year-olds. We may have judged a little too broadly in this group.
“‘During the judgement we paid a lot of attention to rideability, and natural balance and canter. This was generally good. Some stallions with showjumping qualities nevertheless were dropped on basis of these criteria. Those who succeeded were stallions with more than average athletic ability, easy to ride, coupled with a good canter.”

What were the points of attention? “I have the impression that it is getting more difficult to offer ‘complete horses’, especially when we talk about the walk and trot, and also a number of negatives in conformation did not benefit a good ridden test. The top three stallions were complete in our opinion, which means good conformation combined with good movements and showjumping qualities.”

Is not being complete a disaster? “I don’t think so. We will have to learn to live with the fact that we have had to give up on a number of points. As long as a stallion has a functional, correct conformation and a good canter, and of course jumps well, there are no problems. In term of the sire lines, there was a good spread, which is good. Only Bamako de Muze has two approved sons. All the other approved stallions have a different sire, with a number of offspring of relatively young BWP approved stallions.”

Socrates van den Bosdam (Eras Ste Hermelle - Bethsabee van de Maltahoeve x Darco) was crowned BWP champion in the option showjumping. What fed the jury’s decision? “I think we can say that the champion, the reserve champion, and the first reserve champion were well matched. They are promising showjumpers, belonging to strong performance dam lines. Socrates has just a fraction more stallion appearance and a slightly better conformation. He realized a very good riding test during the third phase, just like the other two. During the first two days of the second phase he gave us a very good impression, only on the third day was he briefly lost.”.. To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO BREEDING NEWS
SUBSCRIBERS CAN READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE BY LOGGING IN AND RETURNING TO THIS PAGE