SELECTION COMMITTEE JUMPING ABOUT MODERN JUMPER HORSE BREEDING

The agendas of Floris van Leuken, Henk van den Broek and Jos Swinkels currently revolve around the jumper foal selection for Elite Foal Auction Borculo. The selection committee jumping has set the bar high and exclusively selects the finest foals for the auction in August. We are curious about the vision of the three gentlemen and presented them with a few statements regarding jumper horse breeding.

Statement 1: A good jumper foal must have a quality trot
“I agree. It does not need to be a dressage horse, but the foal must trot correctly and show a good balance”, says Henk van den Broek. “No jumper horse wins a course in trot. In my view, a foal thus has no need for a mega trot. However, the foal must possess elasticity and suppleness. A foal with a short, choppy trot will therefore not make the cut”, adds Floris van Leuken.

Statement 2: Correctness is the basis
“Completely agree”, responds Jos Swinkels. “One should never make concessions on correctness.” Van Leuken concurs: “If you buy a foal at Elite Foal Auction Borculo, you may presume it is a healthy foal with correct legs and conformation.”

Statement 3: sport performance in the dam line is essential nowadays
“The odds of a good sport horse are greater when it is bred out of a good dam line, and yet it is no guarantee. For the auction, a good maternal lineage is essential. We preferably select foals out of a mare that performed at a high level in sport herself”, replies Henk van den Broek. Van Leuken joins in: “We, as a selection committee, must select what the breeder is looking for. That poses some difficulties at times when you encounter a fantastic and correct foal whose maternal line does not feature much sport performance. Surely, the foal on its own may be alright, but we will not add him to our collection”, says Van Leuken

Statement 4: Top progenitors breed better than young stallions
Swinkels: “I personally love interesting young sires. I do notice, however, that there is currently a higher demand for proven sires.” Henk van den Broek adds: “Whether a top progenitor breeds better, you cannot say with certainty. I do use young stallions. I know exactly what my mares need, since I have campaigned them in sport myself. I never sell my foals and keep them until they are four years of age. That is an entirely different approach, of course. At an auction, it is important to offer renowned genes that have proven to produce sport horses. As a selection committee we are also open to the blood of exciting young stallions.”

Do you have a foal you would like to sell at Elite Foal Auction Borculo? The selection is still in full swing! Sign your foal up now!