Friesian Horse Association of North America

What Friesian Horse Association of North America does

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) is a 501(c) nonprofit membership organization and the exclusive North American representative of the Koninklijk Friesch Paarden Stamboek (KFPS), the Dutch mother studbook for Friesian horses. Its core function is breed registry work: maintaining KFPS-recognized horse registration records, hosting KFPS-protocol inspections and performance tests (Fokdag, IBOP, ABFP), and administering breed awards. Membership is open to US and Canadian citizens/residents across five tiers — Business ($201/year), Full ($161), Sport/Pleasure ($101), Future FHANA Youth ($61), and Friends of FHANA ($71) — with a $20 one-time admin fee for new members. Only Full and Business members may register horses, transfer ownership, or access the KFPS database.

FHANA monetizes the registry and member base through five streams: recurring membership dues, transaction-based horse registration and inspection fees, a quarterly publication (The Friesian Magazine, $50 value) plus an optional $125 Phryso subscription, advertising and classifieds, and merchandise sold through the FHANA Marketplace (including The Friesian Small Batch Bourbon collaboration with Hartfield & Co.). Distribution runs through a self-serve website portal, phone/mail processing, regional chapters, volunteer inspection site hosts, and partnerships with Spotlight Horse Shows (virtual competitions) and USEF (member discounts). Technology is operational rather than differentiated: a multilingual (English/Spanish/French) WordPress site, Cognito Forms for inspection registration, and basic e-commerce — no proprietary platform, AI, or mobile app.

FHANA is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and operates with 1–10 employees. As of May 2026 the President (Joshua Wenger) reported financial status and membership statistics at their strongest level in years, with 539 inspection entries recorded as of July 2025 (456 Inspections plus 83 IBOPs). Recent strategic activity includes completing paperwork for a new 501(c)(3) health-research foundation (NAFHF, nafhf.org), transitioning the 2026 5th Circuit inspections from Kentucky Horse Park to the World Equestrian Center in Ohio, and a committee restructuring that placed Sponsorship under Marketing.

Name

Friesian Horse Association of North America

Legal name

Friesian Horse Association of North America

Website

https://fhana.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) is a 501(c) nonprofit breed registry and membership organization serving US and Canadian owners of KFPS Friesian horses. It provides horse registration, KFPS-protocol inspections, performance testing, awards, and a quarterly magazine under exclusive affiliation with the Dutch KFPS studbook.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breed Registry Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO)

Keywords

• Breed registry services
• Horse registration
• Equine membership association
• Horse inspections and testing
• Breed preservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from multiple tiers (Business, Full, Sport/Pleasure, Future FHANA, Friends of FHANA). FHANA membership year runs February 1 through January 31. $50 of Full & Business members dues go directly to KFPS in the Netherlands, $40 goes toward the quarterly publication of the Friesian Magazine, and the remaining balance is general income for FHANA North America operations.
2. Horse Registration Services: Revenue from registering Friesian horses, foal registrations, horse transfers, and inspection registrations. Only Full and Business members can register horses.
3. Publications: Quarterly publication of The Friesian Magazine (valued at $50) included in membership. Additional Phryso magazine subscription available for purchase ($125). FHANA Resource Book also available for order.
4. Merchandise and Marketplace: FHANA Merchandise sold through FHANA Marketplace (fhanamarketplace.com). Includes The Friesian Small Batch Bourbon collaboration product.
5. Advertising: Business members receive 10% discount on advertising with FHANA. Classifieds advertising available on FHANA website for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FHANA is a nonprofit breed registry and membership organization that serves as the exclusive North American representative of KFPS (Koninklijk Friesch Paarden Stamboek), the Dutch mother studbook for Friesian horses. It offers tiered membership programs, horse registration services, KFPS-aligned inspections (Fokdag, IBOP, ABFP), performance awards, and publications (The Friesian Magazine, Phryso subscription) to Friesian horse owners and enthusiasts across the United States and Canada.

Product overview

The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) is a breed registry and membership organization offering a portfolio of services centered on the KFPS Friesian horse. The core offering is FHANA Membership, which provides access to horse registration, inspections, the KFPS database, and awards programs. Key products include The Friesian Magazine (quarterly publication), Horse Inspection Services (Fokdag, IBOP, ABFP testing), Performance Awards Program, and Horse Registration. Additional offerings include Classifieds, FHANA Marketplace (merchandise), Phryso Magazine subscription, FHANA Ride and Drive events, webinars, and collaborative products like The Friesian Small Batch Bourbon. The association operates primarily as a membership organization with member tiers (Business, Full, Sport/Pleasure, Future FHANA, Friends of FHANA) rather than a traditional software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FHANA Membership Multi-tier annual membership program offering access to horse registration, KFPS database, breeding information, awards programs, magazine subscription, and member benefits. Tiers include Business ($201/year), Full ($161/year), Sport/Pleasure ($101/year), Future FHANA Youth ($61/year), Future FHANA Young Adult, and Friends of FHANA ($71/year). Only Full and Business members can register horses.
• Horse Registration Services Registration services for Friesian horses including foal registration, transfers, and B-Book II registration for horses meeting KFPS requirements. Available only to Full and Business members.
• Horse Inspection Services KFPS-approved inspection and testing services including Fokdag (foal/horse inspections), IBOP tests (ridden/driven performance tests), and ABFP tests (general aptitude tests) for Friesian horses in North America. Conducted by KFPS judges at multiple circuit locations across the US and Canada.
• The Friesian Magazine Quarterly publication delivered to members covering Friesian horse news, breeding information, association updates, and educational content. Included with membership at a $50 value.
• Performance Awards Program Multi-discipline award program recognizing achievements in ridden dressage, driving, western dressage, youth categories, and regional competitions. Includes FHANA Champions, Horse of the Year, Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award (enacted 2021), and Young Horse Talent Cup (implemented 2019). Award applications due November 30 annually.
• Phryso Magazine Subscription Premium magazine subscription available to Full and Business members featuring Friesian horse content from the Netherlands. Priced at $125.
• FHANA Classifieds Online listings platform for members to buy, sell, and advertise Friesian horses and related services. Business members receive 10% discount on advertising.
• FHANA Marketplace Merchandise E-commerce merchandise store selling FHANA branded apparel, accessories, and promotional items. Business members receive 10% discount.
• The Friesian Small Batch Bourbon Collaborative small-batch bourbon product developed in partnership with Hartfield & Co. in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Sold through FHANA Marketplace.
• FHANA Ride and Drive Program Annual event program encouraging members to ride and drive their Friesian horses with tracking and participation recognition. Runs April 1 through July 31 annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award applications due November 30 annually with regional and national recognition for performance disciplines
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• KFPS (Koninklijk Friesch Paarden Stamboek)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKFPS is the Dutch mother registry for Friesian horses, headquartered in the Netherlands. FHANA operates as an indirect member of KFPS, with $50 of Full & Business member dues going directly to KFPS. FHANA follows KFPS protocols for inspections, registrations, and breed standards. KFPS sends judges to North America for inspections and FHANA participates in KFPS Member Council activities.
• Spotlight Horse ShowsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for virtual horse show events. FHANA members can participate in virtual competitions including CAWDA, WDAFL, WDT, and other organization shows. Spotlight provides the virtual show platform while FHANA sponsors high point awards.
• USEF (United States Equestrian Federation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFHANA members receive USEF membership discounts. FHANA awards programs include USDF All-Breeds recognition.
• World Equestrian Center (Ohio)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNegotiations underway to host 2026 5th Circuit inspections at World Equestrian Center in Ohio. KHP was deemed not ideal, and World Equestrian Center chosen as replacement venue for the large multi-day event.
• Kentucky Horse ParkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for 2025 5th Circuit inspections and events. Kentucky Horse Park offered discounted costs to FHANA and is the home location of FHANA headquarters in Lexington, KY.
• Young and WadlingtonminorOthersAccounting firm engaged by FHANA to prepare 990 tax return and conduct full financial audit.
• NAFHF (North American Friesian Health Foundation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFHANA's new 501(c)(3) foundation focused on health investigations related to Friesian horses. Website: nafhf.org. The foundation will pursue health research initiatives.
• Equine Discount Partners (John Deere, Big Ass Fans, Sherwin Williams, Office Depot)minorOthersPartner companies offering discounts to FHANA members. Contact [email protected] or 866-678-4289 to access benefits.
• DG Bar Ranch (Hanford, CA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for 2025 5th Circuit West show and multiple mare shows and inspections. Site hosted by Henk Sytsma and Annette Carpenter.
• Hartfield & CO (Bourbon County, Kentucky)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFHANA collaborated with Hartfield & CO in fall to create The Friesian Small Batch Bourbon product.
• Doeke HoekstraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert in equine reproduction from the Netherlands, affiliated with VDL-Stud. FHANA hosted webinar with Doeke featuring nearly 35 years of experience in semen processing and Friesian horse breeding optimization.
• VDL-Stud (Bears, near Leeuwarden, Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU stallion station where Doeke Hoekstra works. VDL owns about 1,000 horses including approximately 50 approved stallions. Between 3,000-3,500 mares inseminated annually.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association: IALHA is a North American breed registry maintaining Spanish/Portuguese horse registrations with tiered memberships, performance awards, and an official publication. Comparable to FHANA in scale and as a specialty breed registry with international studbook ties.
• KWPN-NA (Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook of North America): KWPN-NA is the North American affiliate of the Dutch KWPN studbook, mirroring FHANA's role as the North American KFPS affiliate. It uses a similar model of importing Dutch breeding standards, hosting inspections, and maintaining membership tiers for sport horse breeders.
• American Saddlebred Horse Association: ASHA is a breed registry and membership organization for the American Saddlebred with registration services, tiered memberships, performance awards, and youth programs. Comparable in operational scope and mid-size membership to FHANA.
• The Jockey Club: The Thoroughbred breed registry for North America, The Jockey Club operates a registration and inspection-adjacent model for a single breed with similar international studbook dependencies. Its structure as a membership organization stewarding breed integrity under parent-organization protocols directly parallels FHANA's KFPS relationship.
• Arabian Horse Association: AHA operates a North American breed registry and membership organization for Arabian horses with tiered memberships, registration services, performance/halter awards, youth programs, and an official publication. It is one of the closest direct comparables to FHANA's operational model, though at significantly larger scale.
• American Paint Horse Association: APHA is a North American breed registry operating tiered memberships, horse registration services, performance awards programs, and youth engagement. It mirrors FHANA's full-stack breed association model including magazine publications, classifieds, and an annual awards structure for performance disciplines.
• American Morgan Horse Association: AMHA registers and promotes Morgan horses in North America via tiered memberships, registration services, performance awards, and a breed publication. Its mid-size structure (smaller than AQHA, larger than FHANA) makes it a useful operational template peer.

Broad incumbents

• American Quarter Horse Association: The largest breed registry in the world, AQHA operates a similar membership/registration/awards model for Quarter Horses in North America. While vastly larger and serving a mainstream breed, it represents the dominant template FHANA follows for North American breed association operations, including tiered memberships, performance awards, and youth programs.
• United States Equestrian Federation: USEF is the national governing body for equestrian sport in the United States and a strategic partner of FHANA (members receive USEF discounts, awards include USDF All-Breeds recognition). It is not a breed registry but operates membership and event-governance services adjacent to FHANA's domain.

Others

• Koninklijk Friesch Paarden Stamboek (KFPS): KFPS is the Dutch mother studbook that grants FHANA its regulatory authority and brand legitimacy. While not a competitor, KFPS operates the same breed registry model in the Netherlands and is the parent affiliate whose inspection standards and membership dues structure directly shape FHANA's operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/officialfhana
• Facebookfacebook.com/friesianhorseNA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friesian-horse-association-of-north-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Friesian Horse Association of North America