Dear Members,
I trust all of you have had a prosperous summer. As the weather begins to cool and we wind down the summer season, we have entered our Friesian Inspection season.
Circuit 1 has been completed with exceptional results. Many of our Friesians were recognized for their superior quality throughout the circuit. Congratulations to each of you who participated in Circuit 1, and thank you for supporting our community, our inspection program, and our organization. I am incredibly proud of all of you for your dedication to raising, breeding, and showing such outstanding horses.
As we begin the remaining circuits, I am excited to share some highlights of the upcoming 5th Circuit Inspections, which will be held in Hanford, California, and Springfield, Ohio. In addition to the 5th Circuit Inspection, Springfield will also host a horse show and our Annual General Membership (AGM) Meeting. Please see the attached flyer for the schedule of events associated with the 5th Circuit.
On September 4 and 5, 2026, the Presentation Days for stallion selection were held at Elite Dutch Sport Horses in Clarksville, Michigan, featuring two Ster stallions: Weard H and Ryker fan Black Earth. Both stallions were selected during FHANA’s 5th Circuit Inspection in November 2025 and were trained and prepared by Kai and Lisa Zijlstra of Elite Dutch Sport Horses.
The under-saddle assessment provided the KFPS jury an opportunity to evaluate two North American Ster stallions with different pedigrees, ages, and stages of development to determine whether they would advance to the final selection phase, the 70-day test. Their participation highlighted the importance of evaluating breeding prospects not only on pedigree and conformation, but also on performance under saddle and in harness. Judges Cory Terpstra-van der Meer and Gotien Sipsma were joined by KFPS Executive Director Henk Lassche.
Although FHANA is disappointed that neither stallion advanced to 70-day
testing, we sincerely appreciate the dedication and sacrifices of owners Andre and
Lisanne van der Kooi, and Jo Clough and Dan Malliet, and their trainers throughout this demanding selection process. We wish them continued success and look forward to a bright future for both Weard H and Ryker fan Black Earth.
The website will officially launch on October 5 and includes several notable changes. We will no longer be using Equis as our database management system and website interface. As with any major technology transition, there are bound to be a few bumps along the way. I ask for your patience as we work through this migration. Should you encounter any issues, please send an email to the FHANA office so we can address them as quickly as possible.
The Board of Directors continues to take an active role in collaborating with the FHANA Member Council (FMC). Each month, a representative from one of our committees presents during the FMC meeting. I am honored by the willingness of our committee leaders to share updates about their work and to engage directly with FMC representatives. This helps our members better understand the efforts of each committee while providing opportunities for questions and discussion.
The Stallion Committee continues to work closely with KFPS to establish a stallion selection process that is practical and effective for North America. While our goal is to follow the KFPS process as closely as possible, we face unique challenges that differ from those in the Netherlands. Geographic distances, available resources, and financial considerations all play a role in shaping a process that works for our members while maintaining the integrity of the KFPS standards.
Within the next few weeks, each of you will receive a survey regarding your experiences with FHANA leadership and the organization as a whole. The survey should take only about five minutes to complete. Your feedback is extremely important to us. It helps us understand how we are performing as leaders and where improvements may be needed. I encourage all members to take a few moments to participate.
The FHANA audit has been completed, and the results have been posted on the FHANA website. Leadership is currently developing a proposed bylaw amendment regarding how future financial reviews and audits will be conducted. Members should expect to see a final recommendation presented as part of the upcoming election materials.
The FHANA Dashboard continues to be a fantastic resource for our membership. We have seen a significant increase in the number of visitors over the past several months, demonstrating the value of the data and information available through the platform. If you have not explored the dashboard recently, I encourage you to take a few moments to see all that it has to offer.
We have three Board of Directors positions coming up in this year’s election, as well as one position on the KFPS Friesian Member Council. For additional details, please visit the FHANA website to review the qualifications, responsibilities, and expectations associated with these important leadership opportunities.
As always, I would like to thank each and every one of you for being a member of our organization. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to our volunteers, committee members, board members, site hosts, and everyone who contributes their time and talents to the success of FHANA. Your dedication and support are the foundation of our organization.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the AGM.
Respectfully,
Marquis L. Laude
President, FHANA
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