Nynke Bouma – Vaatstra: Best memory of Nane 492 at her return to Indoor Friesland  

During the second week of this year, the traditional KFPS stallion inspection took place at the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden. Nane 492 was crowned champion among the older stallions. However, that wasn't all, as he was once again allowed to compete in the overall championship. He also received the title of reserve champion overall. This black beauty was also the star of the first Frisian evening during the comeback of Indoor Friesland in 2022. Thus, he became a bit like "our Nane," and we are incredibly proud of him. Reason enough to call his owner, Nynke Bouma-Vaatstra. 

When Indoor Friesland returned to the calendar in 2022, Nynke Bouma-Vaatstra was prompted to train her black pearl, Nane 492, for a comeback to the sport after a long injury. Everything revolved around a comeback at the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden. It proved to be worthwhile. The very first Frisian evening of Indoor Friesland 2.0 became Nane's evening. He not only won the Championship for stallions, but also the Prize of the Best. The emotion was immense, not only among Nane's team, but also among the packed spectators in the stands.

Completely unexpected 

Naturally, we begin our conversation by asking how Nane and his team are doing and whether they've processed all the emotions after the Friesian Stallion Inspection. Nynke is silent for a moment; it's clearly still affecting her. The down-to-earth Frisian that she is, she quickly recovers and answers firmly: “We’ve recovered now, yes. We soon had to get back to business as usual, but it was so beautiful and we enjoyed it so much. The day itself, but certainly also all the reactions afterward. Honestly, this was completely unexpected. We had no idea this could happen; we didn’t even think about it for a moment. I had planned to take him straight home after his class and then go back myself. How did this happen? I have no idea, honestly. The only thing I can think of is that we trained less than usual the month before the stallion inspection. In December, he became elite, and after that, he was ready for us. Of course, we kept him moving gently, but we didn’t train him as we usually do leading up to an event. Maybe he was just so happy to be back; he clearly enjoyed it and went for it.”

Unique as Totilas for example 

He completely surprised us, yes. That's wonderful with any horse, but even more so with Nane. He's part of our family and stirs something within us. Not just us, by the way, but also with other Frisian breed enthusiasts and even with non-horse people. Totilas had this too, and that's what makes a horse unique. Nane has something special, perhaps partly because of the sheer joy he clearly takes in his work. People come especially for him at our open house. That joy has always been there with him and always will be. Sometimes it's a bit less exciting for a year, but then he's back; he genuinely loves the game. To be honest, he's not particularly special when he's in his stall and everyone can take him for a walk, but in the ring, he's there, that's when he comes alive. And when the stands are packed and cheering him on, he's in his element.

Bought as a foal 

How did Nane come into our lives? My husband bought him as a foal at a breeding day in Drachten. He was alone and didn't want to risk missing out by consulting with me first. He already knew then that he was something special. So Nane has been with us since he was five or six months old. We have 50 hectares of land and do the rearing ourselves, so he's never been away from us.

Not for sale 

He'll never leave, because he's not for sale, not for any amount of money. He's so special to us, and unlike what has sometimes happened in the past, we can now afford to say no to the ridiculous prices being offered. The joy of this horse is our priority, and we simply can't say goodbye.

Special bond with Indoor Friesland 

"About Nane and Indoor Friesland, we have a special bond. In my opinion, Nane's return to Indoor Friesland helped put the first Frisian evening back on the map during the 2022 comeback. He has so many fans, and everyone was so happy for him and us. Indoor Friesland and the KFPS stallion inspection share the commonality of being held at the WTC Expo, but the enthusiastic crowds also fill the stands in large numbers at both events. Regarding that Frisian evening, I missed the Elf Steden Jumpen (Eleven Cities Show Jumping) at the last edition, and many others did too. It was truly the perfect warm-up, perfectly suited to such an evening."

Best memory of Frisian evening 2022

The fondest memory of Nane? We have many wonderful memories, but that evening in 2022 at Indoor Friesland was by far the best. How he bounced back from his injury, how he did his best, how much he enjoyed himself—what a horse, and what an attitude!

Dreams 

We hear the warmth in Nynke's Frisian accent; she clearly adores her Frisian champion. We ask her if she still has any dreams for Nane. Nynke, honestly: "Not really. The goal was once to start him in Prix St. Georges dressage, but he's now at Z2 level, and that's enough. He's doing well, and the changes, for example, are so established that he could do more, but he clearly enjoys dressage less than driving. I think that's because he can show driving, and he loves that. In dressage, he needs to stay more in line. At home, I still ride him under saddle, and that's fine too; it's fine." Her love for her horse shines through again; it's wonderful to hear, Nynke.

Character and attitude 

We're curious to know what makes Nane so special, according to his owner. Nynke: "This is a difficult question, but I think it's his character and attitude. People can have that too; this horse always radiates and is happy every day. I'm the one who can see this more than anyone else, because I see him every day. This character also applies to his offspring. He really leaves his mark on his children and clearly passes on his attitude, movement, and character. In sports, you can easily spot the Nane offspring. Not just one season, but year after year; they're certainly not one-hit wonders."

Love to be in the picture and love food 

What makes him happiest? Being the center of attention. This is so bad; if he hears the truck and he's not allowed to come along, he's grumpy. He also loves food; he can eat all day long, and he'll do anything for it. Regarding the truck, Nane is used to being allowed to come along, and when things don't go as planned, he's not happy. During the breeding season, for example, he has a set schedule, and it has to be that way. He's always allowed to go loose in the outdoor arena before breakfast. Other horses aren't allowed to do that, but Nane is. After breakfast, he's allowed to be covered, and then he gets fed again. At the end of the day, he's trained. So, he has to play first, and only then work. If he's not allowed to go loose, you can tell he's not happy about it.

The future belongs to Nane 

It's clear Nynke knows her horse very well. We ask her what his future holds. Again, an answer that demonstrates the family's commitment to horse welfare. Nynke: "I don't really know. It depends on how he continues to feel. It's about him, not us. If the horse shows he can't handle it anymore, that's fine, and we accept that. What I do know is that if the sport comes to an end, I would love for him to say goodbye at Indoor Friesland; I would truly wish him that. As I've already said, my fondest memory of Nane comes from your competition, and that would bring things full circle." We feel honored, Nynke.

Thanks to all the fans 

All good things must come to an end, and so must this beautiful conversation, in which her love for her powerful Friesian horse is evident. We'll leave it to Nynke to have the last word: "I continue to find it truly special what we've been able to experience with Nane for so many years, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has cherished him. Thank you for your appreciation and support, also on behalf of Nane, and hopefully you can and will continue to do so in the years to come."

Photos: Digishots, Ryanne Tichelaar, the Bouma family, and Anja Mogensen

Text: Marjan de Wildt for Indoor Friesland