The main show jumping studbooks: KWPN, Selle Français, Holsteiner, BWP, Zangersheide

Every show jumping horse is registered with a studbook: the organisation that certifies the genealogy and selection criteria of a horse population. Here are the leading sport-horse studbooks and what sets them apart.

KWPN — Netherlands

The KWPN is the Dutch sport-horse studbook: founded in 1969 from the merger of regional studbooks, it received the «Koninklijk» (Royal) title in 1988. It is historically one of the most successful registries in international show jumping [1].

Selle Français — France

The Selle Français is the French sport horse. According to the 2025 WBFSH rankings it is the top-ranked studbook in show jumping [2].

Holsteiner — Germany

Originating in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, the Holsteiner is considered the oldest of the warmbloods and a dominant force in international show jumping, despite a relatively small population [3].

BWP — Belgian Warmblood (Belgium)

The Belgian Warmblood studbook (BWP) was founded in 1955; its foundation stock included French (Selle Français) and Dutch (KWPN) jumping horses, plus Hanoverian and Holstein lines [4].

Zangersheide — the «Z» suffix

Zangersheide is a studbook created with a show jumping focus: registered horses carry the «Z» suffix after their name, used as a quality label [5][6].

Why it's useful to know

The studbook indicates a horse's selection environment and prevailing bloodlines, but it does not replace the analysis of actual results. On HorseReport.ai you can browse horses by breed and by sire, or read how to read a pedigree.