Live Webinar with Doeke Hoekstra 9 May 2026 3pm EST

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Optimizing Breeding Outcomes for Friesian Horses

FHANA is delighted to announce an upcoming webinar featuring Doeke Hoekstra from the Netherlands, a renowned expert in equine reproduction. With nearly 35 years of hands-on experience, Doeke brings extensive knowledge in semen processing across various horse breeds and a strong dedication to improving semen quality and reproductive techniques. His expertise extends to mare reproduction, advanced insemination methods, and maximizing fertilization chances.

Background on Doeke Hoekstra

Doeke Hoekstra grew up with Friesian horses in Friesland in the Netherlands. His father, Piet Hoekstra, was a judge and inspector with the KFPS for many years. In his teenage years Doeke lived and worked in the United States and Canada for approximately eighteen months training, presenting, running, and riding and driving Friesian horses. In 1996 he graduated from Wageningen University with a focus on Bioprocess Technology and genetic Manipulation with microorganisms. Doeke and his partner, Petra Zeelen, have two sons. The oldest son lives in Australia, and his youngest son is studying and living in Leeuwarden. Doeke has been a member of the KFPS Members Council for eight years, his tenure ended in May of 2023.

In 1997, Doeke and Groot Archem opened their EU stallion station with Friesian Approved Stallions such as Feitse, Tsjerk, Onne, Goffert, Fridse, Sierk, and Norbert. Doeke gained valuable experience in training Friesians and, notably, in collecting and processing both fresh-cooled and frozen semen from these stallions.

Since 2017 Doeke is working at VDL-Stud in Bears near Leeuwarden as a lab technician. VDL-Stud is a stallion station, stud and sport stable with mainly jumping horses. VDL owns about a 1,000 horses, and among them are around 50 approved stallions. Some stallions have won medals at World championships and the Olympics. Every year between 3,000 and 3,500 mares are inseminated with fresh-cooled and frozen semen of stallions from VDL, all over the world.

During breeding season they collect between15-20 stallions per day, 7 days a week and ship fresh-cooled semen to almost every country within Europe. In addition, they ship frozen semen all over the world, from Canada to Brazil, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and more. In the fall and winter period they freeze about 20 stallions, and among them are usually 2-3 Friesian stallions.

Doeke’s main activities at VDL is processing the semen, both fresh-cooled and frozen. He also monitors the non-return pregnancy rates, making sure all the protocols are up to date relating to export of the semen and related activities. He keeps track of new developments in semen processing, improving the quality and shelf life of cooled and frozen semen. Doeke sells the frozen semen of Friesian stallions frozen at VDL. He has been instrumental in helping set-up stallion stations in the USA, advising them in the purchase of quality approved Friesian stallions.

Future Goals

Using the experiences he has gained over the years to improve the quality of the frozen semen of stallions, his ultimate goal is to optimize the fertilizing capacity, to follow new advances, and possibly apply them in his practice within the horse reproduction industry.

New Industry Developments

Recently, a new extender was developed and used to protect fresh semen during the cooling process, allowing it to be shipped to the market. Doeke and his associates have had the privilege to test it for the company that sells it in Europe.

To use this new approach, the semen has to be processed in a slightly different way, but the results for some stallions is that the shelf live is a lot longer. They have inseminated mares with semen between 7 and 14 days old, and the pregnancy rate was 80% in the first cycle. They think that this new process will help to get fresh-cooled semen at places in North America that otherwise have no access to it due to transport issues. With his extender the semen can be ordered way ahead of the expected ovulation.

In addition to the new extender, there are also new developments in frozen semen processing that boosts the frozen semen quality of some stallions. Doeke thinks that this could also help more breeders in North America to have access to a wider range of approved Friesian stallions.

In addition, they can assist veterinarians in North America by explaining that the cycle of the Friesian mare is somewhat different than other breeds. Doeke stills hears many stories where the semen was ordered too soon. And in combination with using hormones to induce the ovulation, this has negative effects getting the mare in foal. They have articles and letters from several veterinarians and professors explaining this in specific detail.

Overall, Doeke has more than 35 years of experience in the equine industry, having performed and practiced all possible activities and sports. Over the years, his work has shifted to mainly reproduction on the stallion side. He has years of experience in processing semen, from freshly cooled to frozen from different horse breeds. Doeke is always looking for ways to improve the quality of the semen, from the management of the stallion to optimizing the processing process, and everything in between. He is very interested in the developments surrounding reproduction in mares, and in particular the various insemination techniques, in combination with optimizing sperm quality, to maximize the chances of fertilization.

Doeke has presented his research at a past FHANA AGM. We are excited to have him back to conduct a webinar for the benefit of our membership!