By Alice Booij / KFPS
Photography: Digishots

Two stallion who have been chosen as Friesian horses of the year in 2019 and 2020 represent the modern Friesian – royal and sporty. Elias 494 and Wirdmer are two exemplary Friesian dressage ambassadors, but both are coincidentally owned by horse people outside Friesland.

Since the recognition of the Friesian breed as a sport horse by the WBFSH, doors all around the world have been opened for Friesian horses in international dressage competition. That’s a true victory, with thanks to horses like Elias 494 and Wirdmer fan ‘e Boppelannen with their riders Marc Peter Spahn and Lisanne Veenje.
Elias 494 is the 12-year-old KFPS Studbook stallion and the Dutch-Friesian flagship in international dressage arenas. Together with his rider Marc-Peter Spahn, Grand Prix stallion Elias – studbook name Djorn van de Demro Stables – keeps pushing the boundaries and together they are ambassadors for the Friesian dressage horse... 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