There are a number of reasons I haven’t written in this journal for a long time. One, it never seemed fair to be critical of other people’s horses, especially breeding stallions, when I was actively breeding and standing stallions. Two, my many years of involvement in the KWPN-NA kind of burned me out. Three, life has been busy, and marketing the farm and expressing opinions just went to the back burner. And, four, I haven’t had much to say. Now that the farm is about to go on the market, I’m selling almost all my horses, and I’m starting a new life, I’m thinking that focusing on writing may be a big part of my future, so it makes sense to start here, in Scot’s Journal. I don’t know if there’s a place for me in the horse world still. Or, to put that better, I’m not sure I know what that place is going to be. I’m 65, getting divorced, and starting a new life. Horses have been my constant since before I could walk–it’s not as if I can drop that passion overnight, nor do I want to. At the same time, I’m really excited to be able to focus on other dreams and living in a philosophical and spiritual place that fits me better. I love what I have built. It would be a lie if I were to say I have no sadness about the current iteration of Shooting Star Farm coming to end, but, at the same time, I’m ready to stop working so hard. As all of you who are involved with horses know, it is a day-and-night commitment, in all kinds of weather, in a business that is fickle, with a product that tries to kill itself on a daily basis. The keuring yesterday was emotional. It was the last event I will host in this beautiful world we have built. The friends who showed up to be part of that made it even more special. And, my horses did well. Really well. Although it was a small keuring, and I had no family present with whom to share it, I had an incredible support team around me and friends who traveled to be here for it. And, for that, I am a lucky man. But, enough of this. On to the point of this journal entry: “to thine own self be true.”

As I have said time and time again, I believe in the KWPN system, and I have built this program on the back of research, conversations with experts within the KWPN, and my belief in my own “eye”. The latter is what I want to talk about.

Keurings are not as well attended here or in the Netherlands as they were when I first started breeding KWPN horses 35+ years ago. The focus has gone to sport. Frankly, that’s where the focus should be. But, in North America, we don’t have the number nor proximity of competition venues to prove our horses in sport, so, here, keurings are more important than ever. That being said, a keuring is one day in a horse’s life. It may be a good day, or it may be a bad day. That shouldn’t define or limit the horse because of that. And, this is the point of this entry, you have to trust yourself, your vision for your breeding program, and your own evaluation of your horse. You’re the only person who sees this horse on a daily basis. The jury wasn’t there at 6:30 on a cold Tuesday morning when you turned out the horses and saw the passage your filly did to the paddock. They can only judge what is in front of them on that day. I see a lot of horses. I have made it a point to see a lot of horses both here and in the Netherlands and Germany. That is one of the reasons for my success in this business, the number of horses I have seen in the flesh, not via video while I’m comfortable sitting on my couch drinking wine and looking at horses on my laptop. That’s not reality. And, I am brutally honest with myself about my horses. So, let’s talk about my horses at this keuring.

• Voodoo Ranger SSF (Jaleet SSF x Sir Sinclair x Jazz) had a great day. He scored an overall 85. I love this colt. Great brain. Great movement. Beautiful type. For my money, not the best foal of the year.
• Van Halen SSF (Damaschino x Jaleet SSF x Colonist) also had a great day. He scored into the 80s overall. Beautiful type. Lovely mover. Expressive. Absolutely gorgeous face. Also, for my money, not the best foal of the year.
• Von Vivant SSF (Gaudi x Secret x Donatelli), again, had a great day. He scored in the 80s,, as well, Beautiful type. Super mover. Excellent mechanics. And, again, for my money, not the best foal of the day.
• Valorites SSF (Premier SSF x Jovian x Totilas). Val scored in the high 70s. Respectable, but nothing of note. Had to show with her dam before being shown again in the foal class. Slightly awkward in her type at her age. Remained relaxed and supple in all her gaits. Showed an especially good walk and canter. Trot was OK. I have been with her since the moment she was born. Out of 40+ horses, I’m keeping two. She’s one of them.

I’m not saying the jury was wrong in giving her the score they gave her. Not at all. They just don’t have as much information as I do, so they judged the horse they saw in front of them. She is the best foal I have ever bred. She scored fine. I trust myself, my eye, my experience, my knowledge of this damline, my horses, and my study of dressage horses. That’s what I’m asking you to do. Use the system, but trust yourself.

For example, last year, I presented a ¾ sister to this filly. Uphorites SSF (Premier SSF x Totilas x Jazz). At the time, I thought she was one of the best foals we had produced. She scored mid 70s. Much lower than I anticipated. But, I believe in her. Just because I’m stubborn and never give up, I presented her again this year as a yearling, something I never do. She scored 86 for movement with an overall 82, which I still think was too low for her conformationally. She’s going to score even better as an adult under saddle. Last year, she didn’t show especially well. She was already six months old. She’s a tall girl. The jury couldn’t see what I see. This year, the jury was closer to seeing what I see. When she comes back for her IBOP at four, the jury will finally see all I see. 

Educate yourself, first. Then, trust what you know and believe. 

The mother of Uphorites and grandmother of Valorites barely made keur eligible at her keuring. She didn’t like the footing of the indoor, and wouldn’t really move. The next year, we brought her back for her IBOP, and she scored an 85.5, which stood at the highest IBOP score for a North American-bred horse for nearly a decade. She would have scored higher if she hadn’t stepped out of the ring with her front left foot the second time around, then got nervous at that spot every time she passed it the rest of the test. 

Again, the point is to know your horses and trust your vision. The keurings and the KWPN jury are invaluable tools for North American breeders. We need to use the tools at our disposal. At the same time, we need to take the responsibility for educating ourselves and developing a well-thought-out vision for the horse we want to be producing.