BREEDING THE FINEST SA BOERPERD

The SA Boerperd is synonymous with versatility and hardiness; the breed excels in both English and Western riding disciplines, and can survive with little input on farms. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Frikkie Combrink, a top Boerperd breeder from Mpumalanga, about running a successful Boerperd stud.

- Pieter Dempsey

The SA Boerperd is a truly South African breed, according to the SA Boerperd Horse Breeders’ Society of South Africa, the governing authority for the breed in this country. It is a hard-working horse with a lineage that can be traced back to the mid-1600s, as it is a descendent of the first horses brought to the Cape Colony at that time.

The society strictly enforces the breed standard requirements for registering a horse, some of which include a stable temperament, as well as power and stamina to complete farm duties.

In terms of conformation, the horse must be symmetrical, balanced and alert, with a slightly curled mane and tail. It should have a well-formed neck and a slanting shoulder with pronounced withers, and the forehead must be broad and the eyes prominent.

When it comes to movement, the SA Boerperd must have medium-high to medium-low knee action, and should demonstrate long strides. The hind legs must move well underneath the body and take the weight of the forequarters, and the horse must be able to track. Stallions and mares should reach at least 14,2hh and 13,3hh respectively.

Frikkie Combrink has to keep all of this in mind when breeding these horses at Tokoza SA Boerperd Stud, which he runs on his farm in Delmas, Mpumalanga. While his main business is the production and export of roses under the name Tokoza Roses, his real passion is his horses.

Combrink produces exceptional Boerperde, as evidenced by his winning the 2020 SA Stud Book Stud Herd of the Year for Horses award.

Apart from breeding horses, Combrink also shows them. While he doesn’t compete personally anymore, his wife Ansie and their two young sons, Gustaf and Gunter, participate in riding and driving competitions. Combrink says that it is a great family sport and they enjoy taking part together.