The 12-year old stallion Hickstead (s. Hamlet), Gold Medal winner in jumping at the Hong Kong Olympics with Canada’s Eric Lamaze, was one of three stallions to be individually Erkend for KWPN breeding this year.

Hickstead was approved by the NRPS as a three-year old and had foals on the ground in Holland before being exported to Canada. Some of those foals have now also successfully entered the jumping sport. Hickstead will be activated for the 2009 breeding season with the KWPN-NA.

Each year the KWPN stallion committee decides which stallions are eligible for individual recognition as Erkend KWPN stallions. In order to be erkend, stallions very expressly must have proven themselves at the highest level in the international sport, either by means of their own performance, by the performance of their offspring, or by a combination of both.

KWPN erkend stallions are not evaluated on conformation and movement by the stallion committee, but are exclusively reviewed on their own sport career and/or breeding results. Foals of an erkend stallion are registered in the foalbook and are able to attend studbook inspections without additional conditions. Hickstead has passed the KWPN radiograph evaluation.