Nestled in the Hills of Wisconsin, Visitors are Welcome by Appointment!
Click Our Address for an Expedia Map to our Farm: 

We would like to take you on a virtual tour and journey into North Ster Friesians.  My name is Lana and together with my daughter, Megan, we have founded our farm.  Previously from the "North Star" state of Minnesota and now residing in the state of Wisconsin on a specially built horse farm,  we have chosen to breed "Ster" Friesian mares.  Ster status is given to only the top 20% of Friesians, hence our name.

We began back in the early nineties and had never heard of the Friesian horse except in romance novels.  My husband, Larry,  still refers to them as storybook horses because of their muscles, long tails, manes, and feathers.  Now he may call them movie-star horses just as well.  They have been cast in movies such as Ladyhawk, Sense and Sensibility, Tall Tales, Dangerous Liaisons, and of course The Mask of Zorro.

Megan and I were at the Minnesota Horse Expo and came across a beautiful black yearling filly standing in the aisle just in time to witness a 3-year-old child attach herself to the horses' back leg.  We were amazed at the results...nothing!  That "nothing" told us something special about that beautiful black Friesian horse..  That moment of insight led to our current endeavors as Friesian horse owners and breeders.

Each year we hope to have 6 - 10 foals to make the business go and grow.  All of our brood mares are Ster mares (top 18-20%) and, as of September 2002, one of our mares made Model (top 1%).  In 2004, our Oege Mare achieved the status of Preferent, since four of her offspring (her first four foals) have made ster.  Our mares are followed closely throughout their pregnancy and delivery.  We excel at providing the best nutrition and veterinary care for our horses.  Looks, breeding, charm, charisma - say what you want, it all seems to fit.  Once you meet a Friesian, you just might fall in love.

With over a decade invested in research and involvement in Friesian horses, we have now focused our breeding program to strengthen and protect integrity of the breed.  Through selective breeding and acquisition our private collection of broodmares have unbroken 3-generation ster, model and/or preferent status in their pedigrees. 

Their background and heritage is also very appealing.  An ancient breed, this large all black horse comes from Friesland, the northern part of Holland.  Strong, willing, calm and cool under stress, they were a popular mount in the medieval times because their master of the technical "battle maneuvering" that has now become the very popular and beautiful "equus ballet" of modern dressage.  The Friesian was once near extinction around the time of World War I when they were allegedly worked to death or eaten for life.

In the year 2000, the Friesian horse celebrated its 25th anniversary in the United States.  Recently recognized for their style, beauty and grace, Hollywood has made them a movie-star horse and the Queen of Holland uses them to pull her royal carriages.  In fact, the Queen is the honorary holder of the FPS (Fries Paard Stamboek) or Dutch Friesian Horse Studbook. 

The FPS is the mother registry for FHANA (Friesian Horse Association of North America).  The breeding stock is judged annually at an official Dutch Keuring (inspection).  At the Keur horses are judged on their movement (60%) and conformation (40%).  We are members of FHANA, which assures us of the quality maintained in this wonderful breed.  We breed only to qualified Friesian stallions approved for breeding by the judges.  We do not cross-breed.

North Ster Friesians is located in central Wisconsin just five miles outside the city of Wausau.  We are three hours directly east of Minneapolis/St. Paul or two hours north of Madison, and are serviced by the Central Wisconsin Airport.