Geplaatst The Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook (Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland, or KWPN for short) is the result of the amalgamation, in 1969, of the North Netherlands Warmblood Studbook (NWP) and the Association for the Advancement of Agricultural Horse Breeding (VLN). Most of these studbooks' broodmares were of Groninger and Gelderlander stock. Starting in the early 1960s, all manner of outside stallions were imported to Holland, and mated with local mares. By 1969, about 70 outside stallions had been used in Dutch sport horse breeding, with thoroughbreds, Trakehner, Holsteiner and Anglo-Normans the greatest in numbers. Even today, of the leading sport horse studbooks, the KWPN has been the least concerned with pedigrees, on the basis that each stallion candidate has to prove his own worth by conformation, performance testing, and his first crops. Thus the door is always open to outsiders, as long as the candidate for a stallion licence succeeds on his own merits.
Among the thoroughbreds used in Dutch sport horse breeding, a good number have produced excellent stock, including Millerole (1956), Erdball (1956), Abgar (1958), Gag (1966), Swap (1968), Wahtamin (1969) and Apple King (1970).
From a long-term perspective, the thoroughbreds Courville and Lucky Boy have had the greatest impact.
Courville (1952) (Left) by Fair Trial out of Plouvien, by Chateau Bouscaut. Like Furioso and Cottage Son, Courville descended from Son-in-Law and Marco, although they were, respectively, in the third and fifth remove of his pedigree. His son Little One (1968) was a successful show jumper, and won the prestigious Hamburg show jumping Derby in 1977. Once retired from competitions, he was re-named Jasper and became one of the world's leading show jumping sires. Other sons of Courville who have done particularly well at stud are Notaris (1972) and Renville (1975). The success of these three is particularly impressive, given that only five of Courville's sons received a stallion licence. His best-known descendant is Legato (1986), with whom Peter Leone won a team Silver medal at the 1996 Olympics. Uppercut (1960) by Fighting Don out of Thrilled, by Niccolo dell'Arca, had 16 licensed sons,but today his greatest influence is through daughters, namely the dams of Triton (1977) and Aram (1982), sire of the Olympic Gold medal winner De Sjiem.
Lucky Boy (1966) (Left) by Compromise out of Sejane, by Ksarinor, was bred in Holland. In the World Cup winner Calypso (1973) and the Olympic team Gold medalist The Freak (1976) he sired two of the best show jumpers of the 1980s. More importantly, though, Lucky Boy's reputation rests on the steady production of many good, reliable show jumpers. Twenty-seven of his sons were licensed as sires, and there is every likelihood that his name will live on through them or through his many daughters.Finally, one cannot ignore a Trakehner bloodline which has done exceedingly well in Holland,and which has very recent thoroughbred origins. These are the descendants of Marco Polo (1962) by Poet out of Mirakel, by Altan. His German thoroughbred sire Poet (1941) by Janitor out of Priska, by Herold, covered thoroughbred mares as well as Hanoverian and Trakehner mares. In Hanover, he acquired the reputation of siring horses who were hard as nails, but with a will of their own.
Marco Polo came to Holland in 1964, where he was an outstanding success,with twelve of his sons being licensed as sires, of whom Irco Marco (1971) was the most successful. However, arguably the most successful of his offspring was an entire who was not licensed in Holland. This was Marius (d.o.b. unknown), who was sold as a sport horse to England, and who is believed to be the sire of Milton (1977), one of the greatest show jumpers of all time.