Adriana van Tilburg - Equestrian Journalist

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I grew up in Dokkum, the Netherlands, and have already from early on an interest in horses. When I was 11 I discovered a breeder just outside Dokkum. The horses on this farm would become the foundation for my passion and interest in bloodlines. One particular yearling, a beautiful black filly, would become very important to me through the years that we both got older. In my portfolio you will find an article that explains the history between that black filly and me.

I was always fascinated by writing. My father was famous in our neighborhood for writing articles in the local football magazine and really has his way of putting his thoughts on paper.

The earlier mentioned black filly, Josiane, was born in Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) and she was registered in the Holsteiner Studbook. I wanted to do more research to her bloodlines and that is how I travelled in 2003 to Holstein. I was invited by Karen Reid from the USA, to come to Holstein to learn more about Holsteiner. I met her in Neumünster during the stallion approvals and spent time with her after the stallion approvals in the lovely town Haselau. This small town was famous because of the amazing stallion Contender. This stallion was together with Josiane the reason that I decided in 2012 to move to Schleswig-Holstein, to Haselau.

In 2007 I started to write for the Paardenkrant, in that time Mario Broekhuis was my editor. He really set me up and I enjoyed writing about Holsteiners for this newspaper. At that time Diarado became the champion stallion. After that I wrote for ‘Go Jump Magazine’ and ‘Equus Japan’. Thanks to Chris Hector I started to write several years ago for Breeding News for Sport Horses and I still do that today. I also wrote for Warmbloods Today and the magazine for AHHA (American Holsteiner Horse Association).

I always had and have the idea that I cannot write articles about horses and bloodlines with only book knowledge and sitting behind my desk. Through the years I have worked for riders like Jos Lansink, Meredith Michaels Beerbaum, Erin Characklis etc. I wanted to learn more about the bloodlines of the horses that they had in the stables. With Jos Lansink I made one mistake… I only studied the passports of the Holsteiner bred horses… I would now study every passport. I find it just as informative to go to a foal show or to a 5* show.

Through the years I have visited breeders in Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. I have set up quite a network of breeders that I know. Thanks to these visits I bought my first mare in January 2017 from Haras de Hus, L-Texas, she has the same sire as Josiane; Tin Rocco. It was pure out of emotion that I bought her. The Holsteiner breeding became the foundation of my passion and I am just as passionate about the Belgian, French, Dutch and other German bloodlines. My strength is in the jumping breeding but I also wrote articles about dressage horses.

In 2018 I became a member of the IAEJ (International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists). I have publications in Züchterforum, Hoefslag, Pferd+Sport, World Breeding News for Sport Horses, The Horse Magazine, Grand Prix Heroes and L'Eperon.

Let the learning continue!

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On the photo you see me with the mother of the promising Selle Français stallion Urano de Cartigny (Diamant de Semilly), Esperance d'Elle (Double Espoir). 

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