Rare Friesian Stallion Visits Island Where 'Horse Is King'
By Karen Gould

Nanning 374, a rare Friesian stallion, is led up Cadotte Avenue by his handler, Jamie Van Linn. The horse visited Mackinac Island June 8-10. The Island's historic character served as a backdrop for photographs to be used in magazines and brochures.

A rare Friesian stallion, one of 20 Dutch-approved breeding horses in the United States and 100 worldwide, spent three days on Mackinac Island in early June to pose for publicity photographs. Owners Shelley and Scott Kelnhofer of Hortonville, Wisconsin, brought their breeding horse, Nanning 374, here to use the horsefriendly atmosphere of the Island and the natural beauty of the area as a backdrop for a brochure, advertisements, and magazine articles featuring the animal.

On Mackinac, any stallion is rare, since amorous behavior of such large beasts can be dangerous, especially when a mare of interest is pulling a carriage full of people. Livery operators took special care to avoid Nanning during the photo shoots.

Nanning traveled to the Island aboard the Arnold Transit Company freight boat on a special trip arranged exclusively for him. He remained in his horse trailer during the ride.

"He was intrigued with the trip," said Mr. Kelnhofer. "I don't know if he saw the Mackinac Bridge or not, but he sure was looking in that direction."

The Friesian breed comes from the Friesland province in the Netherlands, and it dates to 55 A.D. The horses are always black. In addition to their thick, long manes, they have hair on their lower legs above the hoof. They are tall, strong, and large enough to carry a knight in armor, which is what they were used for in the Middle Ages.

Nanning has been awarded the FPS stallion distinction, which is a Dutch-approved breeding designation.

At 16.3 hands tall, 67 inches high at his withers, and with his back close to six feet off the ground, he is one of the tallest Friesian approved stallions, said Mrs. Kelnhofer. He weighs 1,425 pounds and his weight is monitored weekly, said Mr. Kelnhofer, because breeding stallions have difficulty maintaining a fit weight.

Nanning is "well behaved and a wonderful horse to manage and work with," said Mr. Kelnhofer.

East Bluff resident Maryanke Alexander helped arrange the Island visit. She knows Cally Matherly, the professional equine photographer hired by the Kelnhofers, and suggested the Island as the site for the photographs.

"I just thought it would be an incredible opportunity to showcase Nanning and Mackinac Island," she said.

In January, she began contacting all livery operators and horse owners.

"People assumed there was an ordinance" banning stallions from the Island, she said, "but there is not one."

Since an incident at a Lilac Festival parade approximately 50 years ago with an overly friendly stallion, she said, Island residents and businesses have just thought it was not a good idea for them to be here.

While there is no ordinance, horse owners have agreed that only mares and geldings be permitted on Mackinac Island.

To avoid problems with Nanning, Mrs. Alexander alerted horse owners of the stallion's itinerary each day.

The Kelnhofers honeymooned here 32 years ago.

"We weren't into horses back then," said Mr. Kelnhofer. "We did biking."

Over the years, they have made several trips here, sometimes bringing their children.

"It's been an unforgettable experience to come to Mackinac every time we've been here," he said.

The couple took sole ownership of Nanning last September, after owning him in a partnership for three years. Nanning has spent his entire adult life as a breeding stallion, using artificial insemination, said Mr. Kelnhofer.

Friesians are not new to the Island. Summer residents Janet and Jay Stingel introduced four of the animals to the Island 12 years ago.

Photographs were taken of Nanning in the garden at Grand Hotel, along the beach, pulling an antique carriage, and in front of the Main Street restaurant, Seabiscuit Cafe.

West Bluff residents Michelle and Randy Stuck, and caretakers for the Stuck horses, Lisa and Don Eckhardt, assisted the Wisconsin couple by providing a carriage and equipment.