By Claartje van Andel
Photography: Sandra Nieuwendijk

Naqueen(Trafalgar - Aqueeni x Samba Hit I x Broere Norway, breeder/owner Jurgen van der Meijden from Zuilichem, the Netherlands) topped the recent NRPS stallion examination by a huge margin, scoring no fewer than 97 points.

Five times Naqueen was awarded maximum tens for trot, rideability, work willingness, obedience, and talent, added to his 9.5 and 9.0.
This elegant stallion is a phenomenal mover, combined with physical talent as well as a fantastic attitude under the saddle of Kim Noordijk (21) from Galder, who educated and presented the young stallion herself. "Naqueen has a character like gold," she said proudly. "From his first moment under saddle he showed this wonderful technique in his movements with this natural quality. Like a machine. He doesn’t need any encouragement to go, he just goes."
On both his top and bottom line Naqueen is related to Haoverian State Premium mare Poesie (Brentano II x Gotland), born in 1992, who produced approved stallions Samba Hit I, Samba Hit III, and Samba Hit V.
On both his top and bottom line, Naqueen is related to Hanoverian State Premium mare Poesie (Brentano II x Gotland), born in 1992, who produced approved stallions Samba Hit I, Samba Hit II, Samba Hit III, and Samba Hit IV, all by Sandro Hit. An impressive pedigree indeed.
More highlights of this stallion approval should be mentioned, however, such as the five-year-old Bokito (Brantzau VDL x Dexter originating from the R, Kattebel bloodline, breeder/owner Danny Schaper). He was presented under saddle by Britt Schaper, the breeder’s daughter, and scored 9.5 for all his jumping tests.
A first for NRPS was O-Nothing Else Dutch ES (Odilon - Walica prest sport x Roven xx, breeder/owner Dutch Eventing Stables/René van der Leest from Nijkerk). This four-year-old is the first eventing stallion to be approved by NRPS, and was very well presented by eventing rider Renske Kroeze.
Five-year-old Ducati du Bois (Diamond Touch x Der Harlekin, descending from the Carina bloodline, and bred by the Van den Bosch family from Herwen), was awarded the highest marks for an approved pony stallion. Owned by Hanno van Kalkeren from Ochten, he presents a shiny cremello coat, and the fact that several FEI-level ponies are already related to this bloodline promises a bright sporting future for his progeny.