1 General information Within the framework of its breeding program, the Royal Association ‘Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek’ has regulations for conducting offspring evaluations of studbook stallions. The breeding status of a studbook stallion is determined on the basis of this offspring evaluation. The findings of this offspring evaluation are arrived at after the completion of the judging season and are conducted by the KFPS Inspection Team as based on the collected information. The Inspection Team formulates its recommendations and submits them to the Executive Committee of the KFPS. The Executive Committee arrives at its decisions on the basis of these recommendations. The owner or potential buyer of the studbook stallion is responsible for conducting the offspring evaluation and for the costs involved. In the event that these regulations do not anticipate a specific situation, the Executive Committee of the KFPS shall arrive at any decision in this matter.
2 When offspring evaluation is conducted 2.1 General information There are four fixed times at which offspring evaluation can be used to decide whether a stallion will be rejected from service, whether the offspring evaluation has to be postponed, whether a breeding limitation will be applied, or whether the stallion will be approved for service. If the members of the Inspection Team deem it necessary, they can also submit a proposal to the Executive Committee regarding conducting an offspring judging for a stallion at another time. The four fixed times at which offspring judging is done are:
2.2 Evaluation of foals The evaluation of the foals will be conducted as based on the following criteria:
The Inspection Team will provide their findings in the form of a foal report made after the stallion’s second breeding season. 2.3 Evaluation of horses three years old and older 2.3.1 General information The evaluation of a stallion’s offspring that are three years old and older will be conducted as based on the following criteria:
The owner of the studbook stallion can choose to have the offspring evaluation conducted during the stallion’s fifth or sixth breeding season. The offspring evaluation consists of: A. judging the exterior of at least 40 offspring; B. performance testing (ABFP) conducted on at least 20 offspring.
The owner should indicate before November 1 previous to the studbook stallion’s fifth breeding season whether the offspring evaluation is to be conducted during the studbook stallion’s fifth or sixth breeding season. When the evaluations are conducted during the fifth breeding season, 20 offspring are evaluated. When the evaluations are conducted during the sixth breeding season, the 20 offspring being evaluated will consist of 10 three-year-olds and 10 four-year-olds. The four-year-olds will consist solely of stallions and geldings. The offspring selected may not be changed during the process of evaluation.
2.3.2 Offspring’s exterior To determine the quality of the exterior being passed down by a stallion to his offspring (exterior legacy), at least 40 horses must be inspected. The inspection results of all the stallion’s offspring (stallions, geldings and mares) three years of age or older that have been inspected will be included in this assessment. This also applies to horses that have not officially participated in an inspection but that have participated in performance testing, and, as such, have been assessed (linear scoring) by the Inspection Team. Exterior legacy is indicated in the form of estimated breeding values for both linear and rating exterior characteristics. These breeding values are based on the linear score data as established during the exterior inspection. In breeding value estimates, the quality of the mares serviced by the stallion is also considered. Also included in assessing a stallion’s exterior legacy are the offspring’s uncorrected inspection results.
2.3.3 Offspring’s aptitude for competitive sport The following data is used to estimate the aptitude for competitive sport of a stallion’s offspring: the ABFP, the IBOP and the scores obtained from participation in competitions organized by the KNHS. One of the ways this estimate is reflected is in a breeding value for aptitude for competitive sport. This breeding value is primarily based on the offspring’s data collected in the ABFP test.
2.3.4 Performance testing of the offspring (ABFP) The performance testing consists of an ABFP test conducted on at least 20 offspring. The KFPS lists 24 offspring from which the owner of the stallion can recommend 20 for the offspring evaluation. If the offspring of the stallion are being evaluated during the stallion’s sixth breeding season, the KFPS lists 12 animals from the first breeding season and 12 from the second breeding season. At least 10 offspring from each of these breeding seasons must be tested. The KFPS approaches the owners of the listed horses, the animals on the list having been selected from ones stabled in the Netherlands. After the approval of the owners, the list is presented to the stallion’s owner. Once this list has been sent, the list is final and no other animals can take their places on the list. Even if an offspring does not participate in the testing (for whatever reason), it will still be included in the evaluation. The owner of the stallion should inform the KFPS of the reason why the animal did not participate in testing and, if necessary, accompany this with a veterinary declaration. The owner of the stallion should inform the owners of the listed horses before February 1 as to whether their horse will be included in the 20 horses being tested.
No more than 5 offspring of a stallion may participate in any one ABFP test.
The two-week obligatory preparation for the testing of the offspring will take place at the PCF in Drachten. The owner of the stallion is not supposed to provide the offspring of the stallion with any preparation. The coordination of the offspring testing, including such elements as the selection of the animals to be tested, the scheduling of when the horses are to be tested, transport, etc. is the responsibility of the stallion’s owner.
More detailed information is provided in the regulations for the ABFP.
3 Final assessment The final assessment of the stallions during their fifth and sixth breeding season takes place after the inspection season. A final assessment can be made only after the 20 offspring have completed their performance testing. The findings can consist of the following: a Approved: Possible once 40 inspected offspring have completed their performance testing. Number of mares that may be serviced: unlimited. b Rejected: Possible once 40 offspring have been inspected. Number of mares that may be serviced: 0. c Postponed: An insufficient picture of the characteristics inherited by offspring and the number of inspected offspring fewer than 40. Number of mares that may be serviced: 0. d Provisionally approved: A sufficient picture of the characteristics inherited by offspring, the number of inspected offspring is fewer than 40, and performance testing is completed. Number of mares that may be serviced: a breeding limit of 180 for the sixth breeding season; thereafter a breeding limit of at least 75 and a maximum of 180. The number of mares that may be serviced depends on the final assessment and the number of inspected offspring. During the annual final assessments, all stallions included in one of the categories listed in § 2.1 will be assessed. This means that even stallions that were rejected during a previous stage of offspring evaluation will be assessed again. All stallions with a postponed or provisionally approved status will be involved in the final assessments.
4 Costs The costs of offspring evaluation are born in part by the owner of the stallion and in part by the KFPS. The costs to be covered by the owner will be established at the beginning of the year. The costs for vaccinating, shoeing and insuring the offspring for the performance testing are to be paid by the owner of the offspring. The owners of offspring are exempted from any other costs involved in the performance testing.