KPWN chooses The Horse of the Year

Following his outstanding achievements in 2012, the high point of which was his performance in the London Olympics, Big Star (PROK, Quick Star out of Jolanda sport-jump prest by Nimmerdor) captured the KWPN Horse of the Year title. In 2013, the stallion once again proved that he’s one of the world’s best show jumpers. His achievements are ample qualification for another KWPN Horse of the Year nomination.p>

Chaman

When Chaman (PROK, Baloubet du Rouet out of Jadied by I Love You) was nominated for the KWPN Horse of the Year title last year, we described him as one of the most winning horses of the moment. That description holds true for him this year too. From early spring to late fall, the stallion proved himself at the highest level of show jumping. With numerous wins, including several Grands Prix, he is a worthy nominee!

Cizandro

Cizandro began excelling at an early age. As a three-year-old, he set a record score in the performance test and made an impressive debut in the sport. In the hands of Robbie van Dijk, he has been practically unbeatable. He continued his winning streak in 2013, resulting in his nomination for the KWPN Horse of the Year.

Den Roos

The Tendens HBC daughter Den Roos is a remarkable horse, boasting two consecutive Top Sporthorse Mare of the Year titles. Driven by her breeder Harry van Middelaar, she was the best mare at this year’s National Harness Horse Day event. This achievement resulted in her nomination for the KWPN Horse of the Year title.

Kannan

The Voltaire son Kannan enjoys an excellent reputation around the world, making him a magnificent standard bearer of Dutch breeding. He is equally successful as a breeding stallion thanks to his many top jumper offspring, including the Olympic champion Nino des Buissonnets. As a result, Kannan is currently number two in the WBFSH ranking for breeding stallions.

Negro

Through the years, the preferent KWPN stallion Negro has demonstrated excellence as a sire. Many of his offspring compete in the Grand Prix, the best of which is his son Valegro. Negro’s offspring accumulated enough points to earn the black sire tenth place in the WBFSH sire ranking. For these reasons, this leading sire has been nominated for the KWPN Horse of the Year title.

Jerich Parzival

The Jazz son Parzival has been a valuable asset to Dutch dressage for many years under Adelinde Cornelissen. In 2012, he was proclaimed the KWPN Horse of the Year. Since then, he has continued to impress in the dressage ring. After capturing the silver medal in the World Cup Final, he claimed the bronze medal at the European Championships. He is another deserving nominee.

Simon

If there’s one notable horse that belongs on the list of nominees for the KWPN Horse of the Year, it’s the Mr. Blue son Simon. Under Jeroen Dubbeldam, Simon won many competitions and received the nomination for the 2011 KWPN Horse of the Year. This year, he achieved a new level of excellence under his current rider Beezie Madden, winning the World Cup Final. That achievement alone makes him worthy of this nomination.

Tex

In 2000, Tex was born on the property of the late Gait Hekkert. Tex was a handsome Gelder colt with a single marking: a star. Currently, the Cabochon son competes at Z2-level in dressage and ZZ-level in driving. Tex is a versatile horse with an excellent temperament, in other words, a model of Gelder horse breeding. This year, he won the Gelder Horse of the Year title, and now he is a nominee for the KWPN Horse of the Year.

Undercover

Success came quickly for Undercover, and it has endured. This year, the black Ferro son continued to impress in the dressage ring. Under Edward Gal, he showed that he is among the world’s best dressage horses, winning the bronze medal in the World Cup Final and finishing fourth in the European Championships. Those achievements were reason enough to nominate him for the KWPN Horse of the Year title for the second consecutive year.

Valegro

The success of the Negro son Valegro requires little explanation. Wherever he competes, he wins. In 2013, he was unbeatable with his very high scores. He performs the most difficult movements with the greatest ease, showcasing abundant presence and elasticity. As a result, he has earned unprecedented popularity, both in his homeland as well as abroad. For these reasons, he is a nominee for KWPN Horse of the Year for the third consecutive year.