History

The breeders of the Dutch sport horse have been organized for a very long time. Registered breeding already started in 1887, and from that moment on virtually all foals born were recorded in studbooks. In the early years, breeding consisted of a large number of regional studbook associations. There was rivalry between these organizations, but gradually the realization grew that working together towards one breeding goal would be more effective.

In the years that followed, more and more studbooks merged. Eventually, two organizations remained: the N.W.P. in the north of the Netherlands and the V.L.N. in the rest of the country. In 1970, these two studbook associations merged. The new organization was named the Warmblood Horse Studbook in the Netherlands.

On the occasion of 100 years of registered warmblood breeding, H.M. Queen Beatrix granted the predicate ‘Royal’ in 1988. Since then, the studbook has carried the name Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN).

Over the decades, the breeding goal of the KWPN has continuously been adapted to the needs of the industry. In the early years, breeding focused on the horse as a working animal for agriculture. Regionally, there were clear differences in type, mainly determined by the nature of the land to be cultivated. In the clay regions, the heavier Groningen type dominated, while in pasture farming areas the lighter Gelder type was primarily used.

After the Second World War, mechanization caused the horse to lose its role as a source of traction power. However, the bond between humans and horses remained. During this period, equestrian sport also gained popularity. Whereas the sport had previously been reserved for a limited group, it now became accessible to a broader public. This required a different type of horse and therefore an adapted breeding program.

Through the use of Thoroughbred stallions and stallions from French and German breeding regions, the agricultural horse was gradually transformed into a modern sport horse. This development took place within a relatively short period of time. In addition to the existing selection against hereditary defects, strict selection was applied for conformation, movement, and functionality. The stallion selection process was continuously refined, with the goal of approving only stallions that demonstrably contributed to progress within the breeding objective. To this day, the KWPN stallion selection remains one of the strictest in the world, with attention to conformation, movement, health, character, and athletic ability.