About Wilem
About Wilem, his pedigree, explanation of studbooks, terms and a word on cross-breeding
Wilem was born on 10 November 2001. This is my first view of Wilem at 5 months. Adorable, isn't he? I have always been a fan of Friesians but can't afford the price tag, so I had been looking casually at what cross-breds were available. As soon as I saw Wilem, viewed one day by "accident", I knew he was the one I had been waiting for, he had everything: temperament, looks and movement (of course I am not biased in ANY WAY). Wilem is pictured here with his breeder Nadeen Davis. Nadeen and her husband Lee live at "Wallbrook", situated near Ulverstone in Tasmania, Australia. Lee and Nadine have done a super job handling Wilem from birth. Wilem ties up, floats and is excellent to handle in every way. You can email Nadeen at blakorse@hotmail.com Wilem is by the purebred Friesian stallion, Othello, owned by Black Minx Stud. His dam, Charlotte of Wallbrook stud, is a beautiful crossbred mare by the thoroughbred stallion Prairie Wind. 
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Explanation of purebred studbooks including some jargon and a word about cross breeding: Over the whole world there are two studbooks that register purebred Friesians, the FPS and the FPZV.
FPS (Dutch Friesian Studbook)
The FPS was founded over 100 years ago and its rules are very strict, and can be confusing at first. Only purebred horses are eligible. All foals must be inspected (they are then entered into the "Foalbook"). Mares and geldings are inspected again at 3 years to enter the "Studbook" or "A Book". The best quality 3 year old horses are given a Ster (Star) rating. A Star mare may be eligible for "Model" status at 7 years on re-inspection if she is an outstanding example of the breed and has been proven to be fertile. She then has to pass a performance test. "Preferent" status may be given to an exceptional mare who has 4 offspring of either: Star or Model status or are an Approved breeding stallion. Preferent horses are very rare. The only stallions allowed into the Studbook and to breed are stallions that have been "Approved". To gain "Approval", stallions have to past strict examinations including several rounds of inspections, xrays, semen tests and a 70 day performance test. Only 8-15 new stallions make it through these inspections and are approved each year, and these are the best of the best. An Approved stallion is given a number after his name and entered into the main studbook. Three years after a stallion has been Approved, he must present his offspring for judging. If they do not show sufficient quality the stallion is not allowed to breed any more foals. Non-Approved stallions are not recorded in the main studbook (but have been registered in the foalbook when a foal). Recently the studbook has changed its rules to allow these foalbook stallions to be judged for star status along with mares and geldings. The offspring of non-Approved foalbook stallions are not entered in the main studbook, but may be recorded in the ancillary studbook (the B book), although this sort of breeding is not encouraged. The B book has two sections. Horses bred by a stallion without Approval status (main studbook) but have a "breeding licence" (see below) are B book 1 horses. Horses bred by a stallion without Approval status or a breeding licence are entered into the B book 2.
As there are no Approved stallions in Australia the Dutch Studbook has made an exception and have issued some Australian stallions with a restricted "breeding licence", in order to encourage breeding (this is different to Approval status mentioned above, and these breeding licences are not granted to horses in the Netherlands or the USA). Complicated isn't it? That's probably more about studbook rules than you ever wanted to hear, but if you would like to find out more about these rules, the best place to look is the Friesian Horse Association of Northern America (FHANA) web site. FHANA is affiliated with the FPS, as is also the Australian Friesian Horse Society (AFHS). None of these studbooks register crossbreds, and members may incur penalties for advertising or promoting crossbreeding (see below).
FPZV (German Friesian Breeders Association)
This studbook conducts similar judging to the FPS and will automatically register horses registered by the FPS (horses may not be dual registered). However, FPZV horses are not recognised as Friesians for the FPS. The FPZV has an affiliate in the USA called the Friesian Horse Society (FHS). There are no FPZV horses in Australia. The FPZV and FHS also do not promote cross-breeding but will register partbreds under the following restricted conditions: Stallion must be an approved stallion; Mare must be registered by a fully recognized breeding organization; Mare owner must be member of FHS/FPZV; Foal will receive a birth certificate and registration in Foal Book II (NOT registration in the Studbook); Foal offspring will have no recognition by FPZV; Foal must be judged and branded by FPZV; Foal must have DNA verification of sire.
Crossbreeding
The Dutch studbook (FPS) and its affiliates (including the Australian Friesian Horse Society (AFHS) and FHANA) do not register cross breed horses. Cross breds Friesians are registered in Australia by the Australian Friesian Warmblood Horse Society which is a completely separate organisation with no links to the AFHS or FPS. While cross breeding is not entirely prohibited by the FPS it is not encouraged, and stallion owners must give first preference to pure bred mares. Until recently AFHS members were not allowed to advertise their stallion for crossbreeding but this is now allowed. Crossbreeding with purebred mares is not allowed, the penalties include being not allowed to re-join the society and their horses being de-registered. This rule is to protect the breed, which was in great danger of disapearing altogether earlier this century, partly because of cross breeding. The breed is still a rare one today, although its numbers are now steadily climbing.