Inspection Week 2025: A Recap from the Show Ring
Three of our mares earned Ster predicates at the autumn FPS keuring, and one filly took a Premie. Notes on what the judges rewarded — and what they didn't.
Inspection week is the most intense five days of our year. Mares stood up in front of judges, foals trotted on the triangle, and every flaw is laid bare in the September sun. This year, we took six horses to the Florida FPS keuring. Here is how it went.
The results
- Tjalda fan Fjord — Ster Preferent reconfirmed; awarded second-premie sport functional
- Femke fan Laagland — Ster (new this year, a long time coming)
- Doutzen fan It Wetterskip — Ster as a 3-year-old, with high marks for canter
- Wybren jr. — Premie foal; highest-marked colt of his day
- Two of our other foals received second-premie
What the judges rewarded
Three themes came up across the panel:
"We are rewarding correct canter more than we used to. The breed is moving toward sport, and a canter that loads from behind is no longer optional."
This matched what we have seen at the European keurings — the canter is being scored more heavily than even five years ago. Horses that walk and trot beautifully but canter on the forehand are no longer breaking into the top placings.
The second theme was substance with elegance. The pendulum has swung away from the very heavy baroque type. Judges are looking for a horse with bone and presence, but also a refined neck and a self-carrying frame.
The third was foot quality. Two horses we know well were excused from the in-hand class because of foot conformation that would not have raised an eyebrow ten years ago.
What the judges did not reward
- Over-conditioned mares. Two horses we know were brought in too fat, and lost marks for it.
- Excessive feather without underlying bone. Cosmetic feather is no longer enough.
- Horses that braced against the handler. Calmness in the ring is being scored implicitly.
What it means for our 2026 program
We will continue to breed for sport, with an eye on the canter above all. Tjalda's 2026 foal by Wybren 464 Sport — currently in utero — is the kind of cross we expect to do well in this new climate. We have two other crosses on the books for spring; details on the contact page.
A note of thanks
To the panel, to our handlers, and to the volunteers who keep these inspections running on time and on point — thank you. The Friesian world is small enough that you know everyone, and big enough that everyone matters.