nr. 184 - Fjordhesten Danmark

Danish Style - A True Celebration of 65 Years
By
Wayne G. Hipsley
Hipsley & Associates
Lexington, Kentucky
Wayne has been involved in the judging
of Fjord Horses for over 16 years. He has
served on the FHI Judges Committee that
formulated the judging standard book. He
serves as a senior Fjord evaluator for the
Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry in North
America and served as the instructor for
the judges training programs, along with
writing a handbook and guide for judging
Fjord Horses. Besides his involvement with
the Fjord, he judges many breeds of horses,
and conducts judge’s education programs
around the world.
Lights, Camera, Action…… Location Vilhelmsborg…..
Event, 65 th anniversary of
the Fjord Horse…… Activities, all phases
of driving, riding and judging of breeding
horses…..Competitors from seven nations
making the event truly international…..All to
celebrate the Fjord horse, Danish style.
As a guest judge I would like to share my
thoughts regarding the process of judging
the 2.5 year old stallions for 2006. In all,
24 young stallions ranging in actual age of
25 months to 28 months were judged. All
these young horses were in various stages
of growth and development, some faster
developing physically than others……
some expressing their natural athletic ability
more rapidly while others are still growing
into their bodies and developing muscle
structure.
Unlike judging older horses, the principle to
judge these young stallions as equals is not
entirely possible, due several factors. One
being the difference in birth dates, which
should be normalized by the time they reach
their third year of age. Therefore, the age
ratio to level of physical maturity must be
taken into consideration when judging these
young stallions. And likewise, the expression
of Fjord Horse breed characteristics must
be taken into consideration, they first must
look like a Fjord Horse, with the distinctive
head, being short, wide between the eyes,
prominent set of the eyes, placed on an
uplifted neck coming high, and cleanly
off a sloping shoulder, that blends into a
well developed body and smooth top-line
which is short and strong in the loin, with
proportional length and strength through the
croup and hip, with a well placed tail, all
giving the appearance of being round, and
not linear like the Warmbloods.
The movement must reflect the Fjord Horse
type, with the ability to be supple and free
in the shoulders and hips, providing the
ability to move equally from the hind limbs
through the fore limbs. The extravagant,
animated trot and overall movement of the
Warmblood are not desirable characteristics
of the Fjord Horse. We must remember, the
movement must remain within the physical
ability of a Fjord’s innate conformation. An
athletic, balanced, well cadenced movement
is essential, at the walk, trot and canter,
all reflecting Fjord horse character.
In viewing these young horses on their potential
is not an easy task, all a judge can do
is select the best individuals, with the most
Fjord horse characteristics and type along
with conformational correctness. This must
be done while realizing these young horses
will continue to mature and develop physically
over the next 12-16 months, bringing
each of the horses closer to age equivalency,
where actual age does not play a role on
their appearance and abilities. They can be
judged totally as equals by the time of their
3.5 year evaluation.
As judges, we must view the judging of the
2.5 year old stallions as Phase One of a multi-phase
process whereby the more qualified
individual stallions are given an opportunity
to advance to the next level of judging. It
must be remembered that not all of the 2.5
year old stallions will be advancing beyond
the judging as 3.5 year olds, as changes will
occur in quality and Fjord characteristics.
Therefore, as judges, we must remember it
is an important to provide the opportunity to
as many as reasonably possible to advance
to the 3.5 year old evaluation process.
To select horses on their ability to rapidly
mature is highly questionable; therefore,
if this is the most important criteria, then
many horses of quality with slower maturing
rates will be excluded from the potential as a
breeding prospect. Hence, the judging and
acceptance of the young stallions must be
looked upon as an initial step in the stallion
approval and licensing process. We must
remember rapid growth is not necessarily
an indicator of Fjord horse characteristics
but generally influenced by nutrition and
management.
In the next 12 months, these young stallions
will change: those standing hip high
will become level, those with light muscles
will develop and define muscles, those
with heavier forequarters will balance with
their hindquarters, those tending to lack
development of the girth/barrel will expand,
all heads will dry and refine, all necks will
become more obvious as being either
too heavy or just right for age, movement
and cadence will improve, and the fear of
most, those who had the mature traits and
qualities as 2.5 year olds, may become too
coarse, losing the qualities and characteristics
that made them appear exceptional in
the year 2006. Next year, the proof of time
will tell about those young stallions being
advanced at this year’s show.
To be asked to judge breeding horses in a
foreign country is an honor and a privilege
that shall not be forgotten. And to be honored
by the members of the Danish Fjord
Horse studbook with this responsibility, I
wish to thank you, and continued good
luck with your breeding of quality Fjord
Horses. m
The expression of Fjord Horse breed characteristics must be taken into consideration, they first must
look like a Fjord Horse Photo: Wayne Hipsley
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