Single tickets
Your seat
- 1st tier
- €67.50
- 2nd tier
- €57.50
- 3rd tier
- €37.50
- Wheelchair space
- €67.50
Service charges included.
Book ticketsHomeCast & crew
The people behind the show
The production team that creates the show, and the roles that bring the story to life in the arena.
The production team
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Esther Liano is a passionate dressage rider who runs her own horse training centre in Harkema, Friesland. The focus is on training the Friesian horse for dressage. She trains horses up to and including Grand Prix level, gives dressage lessons and competes horses for their owners at IBOP tests and competitions. She has ridden many horses to championship titles.
As one of the first riders to compete a Friesian horse at Grand Prix dressage, she is a true ambassador for the breed. She is also the founder of the Kennis en Promotie Platform Fries Dressuurpaard (K&PP), a dressage judge, an ORUN instructor and a member of the KFPS Breeding Council. Her greatest goal remains the same: promoting the Friesian horse.
A passion for the Friesian horse
Over the years, she has developed and performed shows for events including Ahoy, Horse Event, the KFPS Friesian Proms, Faderpaard and De Stormruiter, and abroad in the United States, Denmark and Sweden. As a little girl, she dreamed of riding a big black stallion. Thirty years and ten KFPS approved stallions later, that dream has come true.
Her passion grew from the breed’s gentle, willing character. Esther worked mainly with KWPN horses and, through a client, happened to end up riding a Friesian: the stallion Hylke, owned by the late Joop Veenstra. It became her breakthrough, culminating in the approval of Hylke-Ielke 382 as a KFPS breeding stallion. Nine more breeding stallions and many sporting successes followed.
Creating shows is in her blood — her Spanish father was the well-known flamenco dancer and actor Pedro de Cordoba. The highlight so far was the ‘Horse in the Bubble’ act at Faderpaard in the WTC Expo Leeuwarden: riding inside a plastic ball 4.5 metres in diameter, an act that made history as a showcase for the Friesian’s character.
How the idea came about
Around nine years ago, the idea arose to create a show as an in-house production. What better advertisement for the Friesian horse than showing the breed in all its facets within an intriguing story? It proved an enormous challenge: after many attempts and disappointments, the proverbial ‘straighten your crown and carry on’ was very much the order of the day, and the coronavirus pandemic added considerable delays on top. But perseverance pays off, and persistence is second nature to Esther.
The theme devised by Tjerk Kooistra ties directly into the threats of our own time: after a great disaster, there are no modern amenities left, everything has been destroyed and we are thrown back on ourselves, and on the horse — the Friesian horse, our rock in the storm. Esther now works with a production team in which Tjerk Kooistra is artistic director and stage director; she herself is responsible for the horse direction and the artistic development of the horse acts.
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More information to follow.
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Johanna is married with children and lives in Zandhuizen. In everyday life, she is an accountant.
She has always ridden horses. From an early age, she went along with her uncle and aunt to inspections. Around thirteen years ago she started riding Friesian horses with Harry Tubben and became second rider of Norma T.D. and Ime T.D.
In 2014 Johanna bought her first Friesian mare of her own: Yet M. (Ielke 382 x Dirk 298). Together they did a huge amount, including marathons under saddle and dressage. One of the highlights was the moment Johanna stood with Yet M. at the entrance of the WTC Expo to welcome visitors to De Stormruiter — among them the royal family, King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix. That was exactly when it became clear what a fantastic horse Yet M. is: despite all the commotion and the hundreds of people walking past, she stood like a statue, full of pride and completely dependable. Yet M. has since had six foals, four of which are still with the family.
How did you get involved with It Hynder fan Harich?
Together with Esther Liano, Johanna sits on the board of K&PP, the Stichting Kennis en Promotieplatform Fries Dressuurpaard (a foundation promoting the Friesian dressage horse). Through those connections, she became keen to put her knowledge and skills to work for It Hynder fan Harich. She handles everything to do with the finances: from drawing up the budget to invoicing and payments.
It Hynder fan Harich is a great spectacle for young and old. We have a wonderfully friendly and enthusiastic team. And with the help of all our volunteers, both on stage and behind the scenes, we are making it a really beautiful production.
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Berber is 35. After running her own riding school for twelve years, she is now taking things a little easier, keeping three horses for pleasure — including two Friesians.
In 2018 she took part in the mega horse theatre production De Stormruiter. It was a fantastic experience, in which everyone involved became one big family. She loves a show, preferably with horses, and best of all with the Friesian horse. So it didn’t take long for It Hynder fan Harich to catch her interest.
For the past few years she has been volunteer coordinator for Indoor Friesland. Putting on an event like that with so many people feels amazing — and just think: without volunteers, it simply wouldn’t happen. Last year she volunteered at Jumping Amsterdam and CHIO Rotterdam herself, to get a sense of how other major events go about it. She now has a great group of people around her who love to lend a hand at equestrian events.
Photo: Estelle Roelofs Images
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For more than thirty years, Friesian horses have been at Stephanie Dietrich’s side — as a passionate rider, breeder and show rider. What began as a childhood dream has long since become her path in life.
She discovered her love for the Friesian horse at the age of five, when she went with her father to see the horse musical ‘Der Zauberwald’. During the show, she caught the proverbial Friesian bug. On the way home, she told her father: ‘Daddy, when I grow up, I want a horse like that too.’ That encounter shaped her and set the course of her life.
She later studied equine science in the Netherlands, specialising in Friesian horses during her studies. Over several years, she built not only her professional life there, but her personal life too. She has been active in show riding for more than twenty years. Her performances took her first to German stages and later to national and international events in the Netherlands.
Today she runs the Wickeschliede stud in Meinerzhagen, where horses are bred, raised, trained and sold with great passion. The stud was also home to the breeding stallions Gjalt 426 and Alke 468, who left a lasting mark on the breed.
With It Hynder fan Harich, a special circle closes for her. The show takes her back to that magical moment from her childhood — only now she is on the other side, helping to pass that very feeling on to others. Within the production team, she is responsible for marketing and social media.
The roles
The kingdom of Harich, its people, and who plays them.
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Josephine is used to shining and to carrying the responsibility for Harich. Behind her royal smile lie a difficult marriage and a longing to set the crown aside for a while. She loves her twin sister, but doesn’t always understand what it is like to live in her shadow.
Antje
Antje returns as Queen Josephine. She played in a band for years and was only discovered as an actress five years ago, by Tjerk Kooistra and his team among others. Since then, you can’t keep her off the stage, and she has played one starring role after another in productions across Friesland.
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Born a few minutes after Josephine, and so second in line her whole life. Mette loves freedom, colour and nightlife, and longs to finally be seen in her own right. Her love for her sister is great, but her impatience may be even greater.
Christina
Christina plays the twin sister. Music is in her genes: she has been singing since she was little. Since her lead role in Moulin Rouge, she has played acclaimed leading roles in Turks Fruit, Jagged Little Pill and Marathon.
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Anton is charming, theatrical and convinced of his own talents. He longs for the throne, but his wife and her twin sister stand between him and power. His Belgian horse is always happy to agree with him, mainly because Anton does its voice himself.
Jan
Jan plays Prince Anton. He is a true all-rounder: he played in big cover bands for years, appeared in many a stage play and shone in Evenhuis, de bankier van het verzet. He was widely praised for his role in It Hynder fan Harich.
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Lutske and Willy live close to nature, far from royal rules and bustle. With their warmth, down-to-earth outlook and constant bickering, they offer a refuge to anyone who has lost their way. And where others hear only the sound of hooves, they sometimes listen just that little bit more closely.
Annemiek as Lutske
Annemiek steps into the shoes of Lutske. She has a long track record in theatre and music and has appeared in numerous productions across Friesland. As Feik, she and Marineke form the duo Tsjits en Feik, bringing countless sketches to the stage.
Marineke as Willy
Marineke takes the stage in the role of Willy. Theatre has been in her blood since childhood, and acting and making music have never let go of her since. Many Frisians know her as Tsjits, one half of the comedy duo Tsjits en Feik.
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Anke takes the audience on a journey through the history and the kingdom of Harich. She switches effortlessly between poetry, song and sharp humour. With a wink, she draws the audience into the story: they, too, are citizens of Harich.
Anke Boersma
Anke Boersma takes on the role of presenter. An actress, singer and presenter by profession, she has played many – often acclaimed – roles, leading roles among them, in major, often musical productions in the north of the Netherlands.
Looking back at the premiere
Completely sold out during the KFPS Stallion Inspection in Leeuwarden. Due to popular demand, the show is now coming to Assen.
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Tickets
Choose your performance
EXPO Hal Assen · doors open two hours before the start
- Fri 27 November 20.00 + after-show party
- Sat 28 November 20.00 + after-show party
- Sun 29 November 14.00 matinee
VIP package
€240pp
- Drinks reception
- Luxury buffet
- Unlimited drinks and snacks at your table during the show
- Private entrance
- Performed in Dutch, live German and English translation
- Aftershow party Fri and Sat
- 7,000 parking spaces at the venue