The Mulberry Lane Gazette

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Cassie, a four year old Friesian Star Mare, was crowned 1995 Champion Friesian Mare of North America Saturday, March 30, 1996, for receiving the highest linear score of any Friesian mare at the North American Keuring (Judging) in September of 1995.

Each year judges employed by the Dutch Government come to North America to evaluate the Friesian horses on this continent. The horses are carefully scrutinized and evaluated on their movement, conformation, substance, and overall quality. The horses are judged against a breed standard and not against each other. Each horse is scored on 23 characteristics ranging from basic conformation to hair and color. The judges then assign a numerical score from 1 to 10 for six categories: Breed Type, Build, Musculature, Bone Structure, the Walk and the Trot. A score of 6 or 7 is considered very good, 8 is exceptional, 9 and 10 are extremely rare. Cassie received a “near perfect” score of all 8’s in the six categories, giving her the highest linear score of the 1995 judging.

The Championship was announced at the Friesian Horse Extravaganza, on Saturday, March 30, 1996, in Olympia, Washington. The event was hosted by the Northwest Friesian Horse Club, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA). FHANA is the only true Dutch Friesian Registry in North America, and is a chapter of the Friesch Paarden-Stamboek (FPS), the official Friesian Registry in the Netherlands.

Cassie is proudly owned by Jeannie and Patrice Pasturel of Mulberry Lane Farms in Scio, Oregon. She was bred by Tillie and Jack Tuls, of Tuls Friesians in San Jacinto, California. The Tuls own Cassie’s sire, Jildert, an imported, approved Friesian breeding stallion. Cassie had a 1996 filly by Pyt, an approved Friesian breeding stallion.

This noble, all black breed was made famous by the 1985 movie Lady Hawke. The breed originated in Friesland, a small province of the Netherlands. During the Middle Ages, Friesians were prized war horses, possessing the strength, speed and agility to carry their armored knights into battle. Now they are used primarily as carriage and Dressage horses, and some as Hunter/Jumpers.

Currently there are approximately only 1200 registered Friesian horses in North America, and only 16 approved breeding stallions. There are about 80 Friesians here in the Pacific Northwest.

Mulberry Lane Farms' Friesians

Friesian Photos

If you are thinking about buying a Friesian, check out the Friesian Horse Association of N. America Rules

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