With pleasure and honor I announce that Mr. Atjan Hop, member on this group, was declared as "Knight of Royal Order" by Her Majesty the Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands!
Press Release
Leiden (NL), April 29th 2011
On account of the annual “Shower of Honours” H.M. the Queen declared today to appoint
Atjan Hop
from Leiden, The Netherlands, as
Knight of the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau.
Mr. Hop is nationally and internationally well known as connoisseur and promoter of the Lipizzaner horse breed.
For more than 25 years he is engaged intensely with the breeding, breeding history, studbook registry and use of this world famous immemorial Austro-Hungarian horse breed. His specialty, the knowledge of the bloodlines and genealogy is worldwide recognized. His publications about this subject are in the meantime declared as international standard.
Also in daily practice, as international evaluator, as tutor for evaluation and breeding history, and as adviser of the traditional Lipizzaner state stud in Middle Europe Mr. Hop supports “his” horse breed at home and abroad. As classical dressage rider and instructor he promotes the breed with his own Lipizzaners during breed shows and events.
As year-long secretary of the breeding committee of the Lipizzan International Federation (LIF) he was responsible for controlling the national studbook associations. As “Secretary General” of the LIF he tried to encourage the international cooperation in favour of the continuation of the breed.
As member of the (former) breeding committee of the “Spanische Hofreitschule-Bundesgestüt Piber” in Austria since 2005 he was privileged to support the breeding of the Lipizzaner stallions of the famous “Spanish Riding School” in Vienna.
This diligence for the imperial greys was rewarded today with a royal order.
