The Swedish Warmblood Association of North America (SWANA) is pleased to announce their 2009 Inspection Tour. The international team of Swedish judges includes Jan-Ove Olsson of the Stallion Committee and Lasse Berglund, jumping judge.
The Inspections are fun and educational. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy the horses and learn; the Swedish judges are very good about explaining what they are looking at; always with an eye to finding the best points of a horse and explaining the Swedish sytem of breeding for sport horse performance.
And if you have a Swedish horse, SWANA would love to have you there. If you have a non-Swedish mare and would like to have the judges evaluate her for breeding, this is a great opportunity.
Did you know that Swedish warmbloods excel in international competition? For over seven years, the #1 dressage stallion in the world, in world rankings, was a Swedish Warmblood stallion, Briar.
For 2007, the #1 Jumping mare in the world, in world rankings, was a Swedish Warmblood mare, Butterfly Flip.
In Sweden, all breeding stock must be inspected and approved. Swedish horse breeders from all over North America will bring their young horses for inspection and branding. On average, only one male horse in 1,000 is deemed good enough to be an approve Swedish Warmblood stallion.
The inspections usually starts at 8 a.m.; please check the SWANA website for details.
Mares and foals will be inspected; also there will be riding horse tests and possibly stallion inspections. This year the Appendix Swedish horses may be branded with the Swedish brand. SWANA especially hopes for three- and four-year-old Swedish horses to participate in the Riding Horse tests; the tests include conformation, free-jumping, and light work under saddle.
The riding horse test is particularly interesting, with dressage and free jumping. At the end of the inspection, the young horses are branded with the Swedish Royal Crown, signifying their entry into the official studbook.
The 2009 Inspection Tour will run September 15-September 26. The judges from ASVH (the parent Swedish Warmblood Association in Sweden) will visit 11 different sites throughout North America during that period.
To learn more about the individual sites, please visit the Swana website, www.swanaoffice.org.
* Royston, GA — September 15 — primary host: Robin Ginn
* Wilmington, IL — September 16 — primary host: Kenneth Borden
* River Falls, WI — September 17 — primary host: Lisbeth Bengtsson
* Albuquerque, NM — September 18 — primary host: Carol Reid
* Lemitar, NM — September 19 — primary host: Carol Reid
* Yakima, WA — September 20 — primary host: Mary Baechler
* Santa Cruz, CA — September 21 — primary host: Helen Dilworth
* Collinsville, TX — September 23 — primary host: Molly Gengenbach
* Saco, ME — September 24 — primary host: Wilfrid Cassette
* Beallsville, MD — September 25 — primary host: Thora Pollak
* Clarksburg, MD — September 26 — primary host: Randy Johnson
Occasionally dates and sites may change; please confirm with the SWANA office. For more information, please contact SWANA at (505) 835-1318 or through their website at www.swanaoffice.org.