Report from the Road – Rocky Ridge Stables (Pennsylvania)

9/6/2023
Honey Brook, PA USA
Host: Rocky Ridge Stables, Aaron Fischer
Jury: Viggon van Beest and Bauke de Boer
Editors: Viggon van Beest / KWPN-NA office/ Tracy Geller 

The first KWPN-NA Keuring of 2023 was organized Tuesday and Wednesday at Rocky Ridge Stables in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania.  The well-organized and hospitable two-day judging was held in a beautiful location under sunny and warm conditions. The quantity was not very large, with an average quality across the board with some stand outs.

Young Horse Classes:

Foals/ Weanlings – Harness

A total of eleven foals competed for the championship title. The quality varied from sufficient to very good, with all foals receiving a first premium. Five foals were eventually invited to the final.

The filly Tiffy (Waldemar x Dionne by Wodka HBC, OWNER/BREEDER: Reuben Moses Zook) became the foal champion.  Tiffy is more than sufficiently developed, has a very good harness horse type and has a lot of refinement and charisma. Her neck is good and she has a strong topline and a solid foundation. In her action-packed movement she shows a lot of front, balance and technique, whereby her switching ability also stands out.

Tiffy ©Stacy Lynne Photography

Second place was for filly Talonda (Atleet keur x Alonda ster pref by Talos) , BREEDER/ OWNER: Raymond Stoltzfus) Talonda is well developed, harness type and refined. Her topline is well connected and she has a lot of withers. Her legs are solid with her hind leg slightly bent. In her expressive trot she shows a good front and very good use of the foreleg, though her hind leg could be a bit stronger.

The colt Toleet (Atleet keur x Idalburga keur IBOP by Manno pref BREEDER/OWNER:  Reuben Moses Zook) came third. Toleet is a well-developed, harness-type foal with a good rectangular model. He has a nice neck and a good topline. In movement he presents himself with a typical harness with technique and balance but could put his front leg a little further away from his body.

Studbook Classes:

Stb/Ster- Harness

9 Register A and Foalbook mares were presented for studbook registration and/or Ster certification.

Five three-year-olds could be declared Ster, with the leading position going to Patricia (Globetrotter sport x Wonder Lady ster by Roy M), BREEDER/OWNER: Ammon P. Stoltzfus) This harness-type mare, with strong connections, has a good neck, well-developed withers and shoulders and hard legs with remarkably good feet. She could be a little more youthful. In movement she shows a lot of power, impulsion and balance and because of her strong hind leg she is well able to rise in her body. Her use of the foreleg could be a bit more generous.

Pelline AKS (Waldemar x Elline A keur by Makari Jetsetter, BREEDER/OWNER: Abner K. Stoltzfus)  was second. She is sufficiently developed and has strong connections. She has a nice head and a nice croup but her neck could be a bit more upright. In the trot she shows a lot of body carriage and a lot of action in the foreleg, but could be a bit wider and have a bit more suspension.

The five-year-old Nandrini (Hermanus x F Kaydrini by Uitlander), BREEDER/OWNER: Marion Bontrager) could also be declared Ster and this harness type mare with a very good right angle model has a lot of front. Her withers and shoulders are according to the book, but she could be a bit more muscular in her topline. In the trot she gives a very harness-type image that is characterized by a lot of front and a good body posture. Her hind legs are well bent but she could have a little more action in the front leg. 

Nandrini, Photo by Luciel van der Kooi

Eight-year-old studbook IBOP mare Karydientje (Globetrotter sport x Bernadientje ster by Saffraan, BREEDER: Ivan Fisher, OWNER: Marvin Lee Fisher)  has now met the minimum height of 160 cm and could be declared Keur. She could be a little longer lined, but is a typical harness mare and appreciated herself in the trot, combining a lot of front with generous use of the foreleg and good balance.

STER & KEUR – Mares
In this section, three mares were presented, including the twelve-year-old Keur mare Genderose (Aron HBC x Venderose keur by Roy M, BREEDER:  A.P. van Doorn from Soest, NL OWNER: Rocky Ridge Stables  as well as  the seven-year-old Ster mare Lamone (Globetrotter sport x Zesty Rose by Larix), BREEDER/ OWNER:  Rocky Ridge Stables were evenly matched. After an extra round on the long side, Genderose’s slightly better overall image was the deciding factor and she was lined up first.

OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP 

The aforementioned three-year-old Ster mare Patricia, the five-year-old Ster mare Nandrini, the seven-year-old Ster mare Lamone and the twelve-year-old Keur mare Genderose competed against each other in this section. Patricia left the most typical impression with her strong movements and was honored as General Champion.

Patricia ©Stacy Lynne Photography

Driving Classes-   IBOP, Young Drivers & Fine Harness classes:
Thank you to our Finest Harness cup class sponsors, The Dutch Harness Show Association.

IBOP – HARNESS:

Since April, the IBOP in the Netherlands has been held in accordance with a new pilot test and this pilot has also been adopted in America.

On the first inspection day, five mares were registered for the IBOP, which unfortunately could not pass. On the second day, three of them took part again, with two mares succeeding this time.

The brand new three-year-old Ster mare Pinalya (Globetrotter sport x Dinalya ster by Manno pref, BREEDER: Ivan Fisher OWNER: Leroy K. Fisher) passed with 75 points with her front giving an 8 and her suspension an 8.5. The four-year-old Ster mare Onda (Waldemar x Alonda ster pref by Talos) BREEDER/OWNER: Raymond Stoltzfus) also passed with 75 points, with the use of the foreleg yielding an 8 and her walk an 8.5. Both mares must pass their IBOP one more time in order to be declared Keur.

YOUNG DRIVERS CLASS:

The Young Drivers Class had a nice number of five participants, with the drivers being accompanied by an adult rider.

Inside and outside the track, the energy and enthusiasm radiate from it and despite the young ages of the participants, ranging from 8 to 16 years, the horses were presented neatly.

The victory went to the 12-year-old approved KWPN stallion Globetrotter Sport (Cizandro pref  x Lilonka ster pref by Harald, BREEDER: Brother van Dolder from Stolwijk, NL, OWNER: Rocky Ridge Stables).

Globetrotter

FINE HARNESS CLASS- Mares:

For several years now, points for the Sport predicate have been awarded in the driving classes, just like in the IBOP, which provides an extra incentive for participation. Fine Harness Cups for mares and stallions were held on both inspection days.

The atmosphere and enthusiasm during these sections is really great!

Five mares participated on the first day, and it was the very temperamental Kiralonda Keur (Globetrotter Sport x Alonda Ster Pref. van Talos, BREEDER/OWNER: Raymond Stoltzfus ) who has a great desire to run and who couldn’t miss the win. Time and time again, her performance stands out. She has a lot of front, a lot of action and a lot of power where she goes all the way and doesn’t know how to stop.
The sharp Keur and Sport mare Jemarina (Ditisem x Ballerina keur pref sport by Vaandrager HBC, BREEDER:  J.T. Signals from Punthorst, NL and OWNER:  Rocky Ridge Stables) was honorably second ahead of Genderose (Rocky Ridge Stables) , Karydientje (Marvin Lee Fisher) and Pidane (Globetrotter Sport x Didane ster by Manno pref, BREEDER/OWNER: Jesse Ray Miller).

Kiralonda ©Stacy Lynne Photography

On the second day, five mares again competed and Kiralonda was again declared the winner. This time she was even more convincing and earned the Sport predicate with her performance. Second was the well-performing three-year-old Ster mare Pumpkinburga (Globetrotter sport x Idalburga keur by Manno pref), BREEDER: Ivan Fisher, OWNER: Reuben Mozes Zook.) Third place went to Karydientje, followed by Jemarina and Pidane.

FINE HARNESS CLASS – Stallions:
The first Fine Harness Cup for stallions was a wonderful reunion with a number of approved KWPN stallions exported to America.

The class was composed of the twelve-year-old strong and impressive Globetrotter Sport, the 18 year old tough as nails and still youthful Atleet Keur (Patijn pref. X Sintia ster by Waterman pref) BREEDER: R. Aalders from Nieuw-Roden, NL, OWNER: William Duffy III), the temperamental and masculine twenty-year-old Waldemar (Cizandro pref. x Ninkie keur by Jovial) BREEDER:  A.J. van Beek from Eerbeek, NL, OWNER: Waldemar Partners) and the twenty-one-year-old large-framed and well-preserved Vaandrager HBC (Manno pref. x Himone keur pref by Renovo pref, BREEDER:  K. Polinder from Nunspeet, NL, OWNER: Ammon P. Stoltzfus) battled each other.
After an exciting match in which Atleet and Globetrotter dominated, Atleet could be drawn as the winner. His performance was as we know him in the Netherlands; Lots of front, good use of the front and hind legs and good posture. Globetrotter also performed very well, but had conceded to Atleet, especially in the use of the foreleg.

Atleet Keur  ©Stacy Lynne Photography

Vaandrager HBC and Waldemar followed honorably as third and fourth. On the second day, these ‘older gentlemen’, this time without Waldemar, competed again and this battle was also between Globetrotter and Atleet who were invited to the final. To loud cheers from the crowd for both title contenders, Atleet again decided the match in his favor. Globetrotter certainly didn’t make it easy, but he was just a little less consistent this time.

First Premiums:

**These remarks are for a snapshot in the lifetime of a horse. Not all first premium or ster horses are mentioned in “The Report from the Road”; only those horses that really stand out to the jury.**

Pinalya ©Stacy Lynne Photography