[QUOTE=sixpoundfarm;6565341]
Unlike most of the German registries, The KWPN has become a more specialized studbook, and you are asked to designate a breeding direction when you present your mares and youngstock at a keuring. (I believe the BWP also has a Hunter book) In the US, you have the option for Dressage, Jumper, Hunter or Harness. If a foal/mare/stallion is going to be judged against a set standard of a breeding direction, then its only fair to have the standards clear and current with what actually makes up that type of horse.
When one brings a Hunter type foal to be presented for the Hunter book, and it shows many of the characteristics that are desired by current market in a hunter prospect, yet you are told that foal is not of the type or mover desired, that is a difficult criticism to understand. So, I can appreciate and relate to Lynnwood’s statements.
Yes, a good foal is a good foal, but the foals that have the BIG trot are the ones that earn the premiums and good movement scores at the inspections (For the registries that give scores and premiums).
And, before anyone goes there, I do realize its a day in a foal’s life, and sometimes, you are the one that walks away with the winner, and other times you have the foal that refused to show one step of trot. :sigh:
Having a foal score well at its inspection is a nice accolade to earn after all the time, hard work and $$ it takes to get that foal to that point in its life. It lets the breeder know they are on the right track and could possibly help to sell that foal down the road.[/QUOTE]
The BWP does have a “hunter-label” which is judged by a DIFFERENT judge/inspector than the registry keuring inspectors. This judge is a US based hunter judge who knows how to score a hunter-type prospect.
To illustrate the difference in scoring I will use my filly as example. She is out of a mare who had a successful hunter “A” circuit career before an injury retired her to a broodmare. Her sire is my stallion who also showed through the Regular Working Hunters.
This filly is absolutely a hunter type. She was presented to the BWP as a yearling (the year my stallion was approved). She scored a 66 (out of 100) with the European inspectors for her registration. At the same inspection with the hunter judge she score a 92 (out of 100). Same day, same time, different results because they were looking / scoring on different scales. She was bred to be a hunter type so we were pleased. She is being retained as my daughter’s hunter mount.
I like the fact that the BWP has taken this approach to give the hunter-type horse / foal the recognition that they are bred for yet still upholding the “European standards” (for lack of a better description :D). I think it shows a step in the right direction for a breed registry operating in NA.
Only mildly frustrating as I knew what to expect, but hard to explain the process to my friend who owns one of the foals. I think as hunter breeders, we’ll just have to wait until they hit the show ring to reap the rewards of our program…God willing!