THE HISTORY OF UGERUPS STUD FARM

You could say I was practically born among Friesian horses. Here comes a little background story. 

IT RUNS IN THE BLOOD

My grandfather, Auke Frankena, began breeding Friesians at a time when the breed was nearly extinct due to industrialization. Tractors had replaced them, and farmers no longer needed horses for field work. Thankfully, the studbook and dedicated breeders, including my grandfather, revitalized the breed, bringing the population to its current numbers. Another Friesian enthusiast was my father, Pieter Haijtema, who spent his youth either riding or driving horses. When he married my mother, it was only natural that he gradually took over my grandfather's breeding line.

FRIESIAN ROOTS

Growing up at home, surrounded by farm animals in a traditional Friesian farmhouse (Friese stelpboerderij), Friesian horses were always nearby Working with the various farm animals was, and still is, my greatest joy. As a young girl, I loved training and competing with my pony. As I got older, I focused more on training and show driving with our Friesians. At eighteen, I became a show driving champion with our stallion, Joep.

ADIENE

The first Friesian I bought was Adiene, a mare foal from Cees van den Akker. With Adiene's offspring, we started the J&H family. From the beginning, we have aimed to breed strong, kind, and somewhat luxurious Friesians, suitable for dressage and show driving. When choosing a stallion, we don’t just look for the one with the best results or the winner of the stallion show. Instead, we choose the stallion that can improve our mares' shortcomings. We even consider the stallion's lineage, including his mother and grandmother. Nowadays, breeding strong and long-lasting mares and stallions is crucial to us, as we aim to eliminate diseases and ensure our horses live happy, long lives.