Only authorized Friesian stallions can be bred, and these stallions can only be bred to registered Friesian mares. The offspring are generally judged in the fall of the year of their birth by Dutch judges who travel throughout North America. The judging is referred to as a "keuring", and these are held at various farms across the continent. Foals, mares, and geldings are assigned by the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) to be judged at the keuring most convenient for the horse owner. Microchips are implanted under the skin of the neck of the foals for identification purposes. DNA testing is done for all mares on the basis of hair samples.

The judging of a foal by the judges is based on conformation (40%) and movement (60%). The babies are then registered in the Foal Book. The judges award 1st, 2nd, or 3rd premiums only to deserving foals. At 3 years of age, mares and geldings are judged again for registration in the official studbook of the Registry, the "Stamboek." If a horse qualifies, the mare or gelding is branded by the judges with an "F" on the neck. A star ("ster") can be awarded for particular quality, and this horse is branded with an "S" adjacent to the "F" brand. At 7 years, a particularly fine mare can be considered for model mare, although very few qualify. Outstanding young colts who are considered candidates to become an authorized stallion attend stallion school, a grueling program from which few "graduate." Those that make the grade receive temporary authorization. These young stallions are then allowed to breed and are subsequently rejudged at 8 years on the basis of their athletic accomplishments and the quality of their offspring. Less than 5% of the original stallion candidates succeed in becoming an authorized Friesian stallion.

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Most recent update: 1/11/00

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