DSHS Magazine 2017

DSHS 

Dutch Sport 

Horse Sales 

ISSUE NO. 

03 

IAN 

MILLAR 

Hero of our time 

ADOLFO JURI 

Sponsor of Switzerland's 

show jumping stars 

BARRY O‘CONNOR 

At home with the Irish horseman 

KATHARINA OFFEL 

Learn more about why she’s based in Limburg 

crazy horse facts 

Crazy facts about horses 

that you didn’t know 

De IJzeren Man 

Find out what’s happening at 

the former auction venue 

Berny Zeekaf 

Delicate and 

powerful

The new finer and lighter saddle with horsewomen in mind. 

ISSUE NO. 

03 

DECEMBER 

2017 

CONTENTS 

In this edition 

Going Once, Going Twice, SOLD! 

Did you attend the auction? If so, enjoy this amazing flashback! If 

not, check out the overview of the 2017 DSHS edition! 

2 

Jumping Peel & Maas 

4 

The ninth edition of the exciting Jumping Peel & Maas competition took place this 

year. If you want to know more about the ins and outs of this event, go to page 4! 

Adolfo Juri 

We introduce you to a great supporter of Switzerland's showjumping talent. He 

sponsored Markus Fuchs; and currently, he sponsors Fuchs’s son Martin. 

Heroes of Our Time: Ian Millar 

Ian Millar, who has competed in ten Olympics and won numerous Grands Prix, 

tells all about his riding career and his legendary horse Big Ben. 

6 

10 

Other articles 

Delicate & Powerful: Berny Zeekaf 

16 

You don’t often meet a photographer with her talent. Looking at her pictures is 

sheer bliss! 

Youngster/Horse of the Year Award 

Find out more about the two DSHS ambassadors Apart and Chica B Z, 

who were rewarded for their amazing performances. 

22 

Performance with a lighter touch. 

injected carbon kevlar 

The new CWD ® sport saddle is designed especially for 

the female morphology. Its lighterweight slimline form ensures 

maximum comfort and precision when working your horse. 

The 

brings a feminine touch to innovation 

and performance. 

Limburg Foal Auction 

25 

Learn more about the auction that is always held the day after the 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales. 

De IJzeren Man 

26 

Want to know more about the current status of the previous auction location, 

Equestrian Centre de IJzeren Man? Go to page 26! 

At home with Barry O’Connor 

32 

Curious about O’Connor’s facility? We’ll take you inside his incredible seaside 

stable in Ireland. 

Ambassadors 

36 

An overview of high-performance show jumpers purchased at the Dutch Sport 

Horse Sales. 

Katharina Offel 

38 

The German international rider is now located in Limburg. Find out the reason 

why and enjoy a sneak peak of her stable. 

www.cwdsellier.c 

m 

DUTCHSPORTHORSESALES.COM 

DSHS | The 2017 edition 

1

PICTURES of the 2017 auction! 

DID YOU HAVE FUN DURING THE AUCTION? HAVE A LOOK 

AT THE PICTURES OF THE 2017 EDITION. 

2017 AUCTION! 

Going once 

Going twice 

SOLD! 

2 DSHS | The 2017 edition DUTCHSPORTHORSESALES.COM DUTCHSPORTHORSESALES.COM 

DSHS | The 2017 edition 3

From school project to one of the most 

renowned shows of the Netherlands 

Almost ten years ago Janou 

Hendrix, Paul’s daughter, was 

studying for her Bachelor’s 

Degree in Sports Marketing. She 

got the assignment to organize 

an event, which resulted in a show 

called Jumping Peel & Maas. Over the 

years the showjumping event has gone 

from strength to strength and in 

2018 ‘JPM’ will celebrate its 10th 

anniversary. It is safe to say this 

school project has exceeded 

all expectations. 

The national show has gradually grown 

from a two- to a four-day event with 

a program that offers something for 

everyone. “We initially focused on 

classes for young horses because 

the Dutch championships for young 

show jumpers took place shortly after Jumping Peel 

& Maas. Our show offered the perfect opportunity to 

prepare for this,” Janou explains. “We’ve always held 

the show the last weekend of July; that hasn’t changed, 

but over time many aspects of it have evolved. I never 

dreamed that our show would become so well known, 

but I did hope it would succeed. My teacher at the time 

graded the project with a 9/10, and I am proud to say 

that we haven’t earned less than top marks since from 

everyone who has visited the show.” 

Family affair 

Janou continues: “A big part of the innovations are due 

to my brother Michel and my nephew Tim. They’ve been 

on the organization committee from the start. Their 

show jumping careers take them to so many different 

shows. All the different venues and novelties 

they saw inspired ideas, and together we’ve 

implemented them to suit our event. However, 

part of the success is also due to the fact 

that it is a community-supported show, 

thanks to volunteers, local businesses 

and equestrians alike. Whenever 

prominent international riders, such 

as Bertram Allen (IRL) and Lucy 

Davis (USA), choose to ride at our 

show, we consider it an honor and a 

credit to everyone involved.” 

Big in a small way 

The national show with international allure 

takes place at Stal Hendrix in Kessel; and this 

year, the anniversary edition will mark all the 

strides that have been made. Fixed elements such 

as the young horse classes, the 1.50m Grand Prix, the 

Championship of JPM, the Masters and even a pony 

class will be on the program from Wednesday, July 

25, to Saturday, July 28. “We will also host the 

second edition of the Sponsor Team Jumping; 

that was a great success last year. We hope 

to surprise everyone with some additional 

jubilee festivities, but most of all we will try 

to make it perfect, like we do every year,” 

asserts Janou. 

July 25 th - 28 th 

2018 

“I never 

dreamed that 

our show would 

become so well 

known” 



ADOLFO 

JURI 

Adolfo Juri has been and still is a great supporter of the sport of show jumping in Switzerland. For 

years, he sponsored the Swiss legend Markus Fuchs and owned many of his successful horses. When 

Markus ended his successful riding career a few years ago, another talented rider from the Fuchs family 

succeeded him: Martin Fuchs. Currently, Juri sponsors Martin and owns several of his mounts. Among 

them is Chica B Z, the winner of the Dutch Sport Horse Sales Horse of the Year award. 

Adolfo Juri has been and still is a great 

supporter of the sport of show jumping 

in Switzerland. 

His love of horses started at an early age 

for Swiss businessman Adolfo Juri. “My 

love of horses goes back to when I was 

a child. My grandparents were farmers and had 

working horses. I remember being fascinated by 

them and spending a lot of my time at the horse 

stables,” Juri tells. Later, he became a successful 

businessman, but horses have remained a part 

of his life. “My main occupation is being an 

entrepreneur in the electronics manufacturing 

industry,” explains Juri, who runs the company 

Juri Elettronica, which he founded together with 

his father in 1965. “The horse business has always 

been my favorite pastime, which comes from 

my great passion for horses; it helps me take my 

mind off the job sometimes.” 

Sponsoring the Fuchs Family 

For a long time, Juri sponsored Swiss rider 

Markus Fuchs, until he ended his successful 

sports career a few years ago. His highly 

successful mounts included La Toya III and 

Granie, which Juri owned. “For many years, we 

had a stable with several horses; and my family 

and I used to attend show jumping competitions,” 

says Juri, explaining how his relationship with 

Fuchs began. “At those shows, we came to know 

Markus Fuchs, whom I started sponsoring later 

on because of our amicable relationship.” 

While sponsoring Fuchs, Juri became acquainted 

with the Hendrix family. “During the period 

that Emile Hendrix competed in show jumping 

alongside Markus Fuchs, I met Emile and 

purchased some horses from the Hendrix family. 

That was even before they started holding 

auctions”, explains Juri, referring to Dutch Sport 

Horse Sales. 

“Horses help me 

take my mind off 

the job sometimes.” 

Purchasing Dino 

Juri has been a loyal visitor to the Dutch Sport 

Horse Sales for many editions, but success for 

him at the auction began in 2012. “The most 

meaningful first experience with the Dutch 

Sport Horse Sales was definitely in 2012, when 

I purchased Dino”, Juri asserts. Back then, Dino 

was only four years old and was a great talent 

sired by Vingino, out of the Coriano daughter 

Zoëlina – who turned out to be the dam of this 

year’s top seller Goliath. 

In 2014, Dino was brought to Martin Fuchs’ 

stables, where Finnish rider Anna-Julia Kontio 

rode the talented young horse. After being 

professionally trained to the Grand Prix level, 

Dino was sold to a buyer in the United States. 

Under Irishman Captain Brian Cournane, Dino 

has achieved great results in 1.60m Grand Prix 

competitions, though he is just nine years old. 

Horse of the Year: Chica B Z 

After his successful experience with Dutch 

Sport Horse Sales, Juri naturally remained 

highly interested in the auction; and in 2015, he 

purchased Chica B Z. “With both Dino and Chica, 

I was impressed by the agility, strength and the 

right attitude that those horses exhibited when 

they jumped. Additionally, they were both of 

course very powerful as well.” 

Now eight years old, Chica B Z (Canturano 

x Berlin) has turned out to be an excellent 

purchase for Juri and Martin Fuchs. Over the past 

months, Chica B Z has posted some fantastic 

results at some of the world’s biggest shows. At 

the CHIO in Rotterdam, Chica B Z jumped her 

first 1.50m class and immediately posted a clear 

round, placing eighth. At CHIO Aachen, she 

was in great form again, finishing with a clear 

round in the final of the prestigious Sparkassen 

Youngster Cup. At the CSI5* show in Lausanne, 

Chica B Z finished third in the 1.50m-class; and 

at Cagnes-sur-Mer, she placed second in the 

1.45m. 

Hopes for the Highest Level 

Chica B Z’s great results culminated in her 

winning the Dutch Sport Horse Sales Horse of 

the Year award in 2017. Juri has high hopes for 

this gifted young mare: “I hope she’ll be able to 

compete at the highest level with the young, 

talented Martin Fuchs.” Juri also attended the 

2017 edition of the Dutch Sport Horse Sales, 

where he purchased the six-year-old mare 

Kilcoltrim Blue (Chacco Blue x Cavalier Royale) 

for Martin Fuchs. Will he be back for next year’s 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales? “Yes, for sure!” Juri 

concludes unequivocally. 



WITH 

ANNETTE PATERAKIS 

AND POPPY BLANDFORD 

Every athlete has to deal with it sooner or later: disappointing results in the show ring, which make you feel 

increasingly insecure. It can take a while to figure out that this setback has nothing to do with your talent, only 

your mindset. But how do you break out of this vicious circle? Poppy and Annette are here to help! They are two 

independent equestrian mental coaches. 

You may know Annette from her columns for Noelle Floyd and her work with many international riders. Poppy 

writes blogs, organises events internationally and works closely with equestrian sport organisations in Ireland. 

Both perform these tasks in the context of their profession. It’s about time that we get to know them better. 

ANNETTE PATERAKIS 

Profession: 

Mental Coach 

Education: 

Bachelor in Applied Psychology 

Mindfulness trainer, EMDR therapist 

Residence: 

Neeroeteren, Belgium & Bredgar, UK 

Website: 

annettepaterakis.com 

Q1 

How did you get into this profession? 

P: I began my career as a rehabilitation 

therapist, specialising in adolescent mental 

health. Eventually the pull of show jumping 

became too strong and I opted to ride abroad 

in North America for a couple of years. That's 

when I realized that the psychological aspects of 

the sport were intense, and I became fascinated 

with those performing at the top of the game. A 

bad fall put me out of the saddle for a while, so I 

followed my dream of combining my psychology 

background with my love of the sport. 

A: I had worked with a mental coach myself as 

I struggled to deal with my nerves and mindset 

at shows. This got me interested in the mental 

aspects of the sport and I decided to study 

Applied Psychology. I changed my career from 

riding to mental coaching and founded my 

coaching business in 2012. 

Q2 

Is it really necessary to have a mental coach 

who is specialized in equestrian sports? 

P: Our sport is so unique; it's not like a 

traditional sport which operates in a relatively 

controlled training regimen. This is not just 

a sport: this is a business, and it's an allconsuming 

lifestyle. I think that only someone 

who has lived and breathed it can truly 

understand the undercurrents that run through 

it. 

A: Many riders have told me it is a huge 

advantage that I know the sport and know what 

it is like to ride into the show arena myself. I 

can therefore take the unique challenges that 

come with this mentally challenging sport 

into account. In addition, they instantly notice 

that I 'speak the same language'. I understand 

the jargon, which helps riders feel better 

understood. 

Q3 

What kind of cases do you prefer to work on 

and why? 

P: Everyone is different. In Ireland, I work with 

a lot of young riders who come through talent 

squads, pony- and junior teams. I love the 

rawness of these clients: they're dealing with 

family pressure, team pressure and they want 

the sport more than anything. On the other hand, 

the professionals are inspiring to follow and 

support through the sport. 

A: I honestly don’t mind what level riders are at, 

as long as they're eager to learn and dedicated 

to improve and work on their own journey. I work 

mostly on increasing confidence and motivation 

as well as learning to cope with negative 

thoughts and disappointing results. Improve 

that, and the results will ultimately follow. 

Q4 

You both have your own business, but do you 

sometimes work together? 

P: Yes, this is something we started recently. We 

decided it's good to use each other’s qualities to 

bring our work to bigger audiences. 

A: We can always learn from others and in 

joining forces we hope to learn from each other 

and pass this knowledge on. 

Q5 

What level did you ride, and is that important 

in relating to your clients? 

P: I still ride actually. I'm based with a small 

international stable in Dublin, Ireland, run by 

Barry O’Connor, developing mostly younger 

horses up to about the 1.30m level. 

A: I competed at international 1.40m level. This 

background really helps me to better understand 

my clients and the pressure they face competing 

at international shows. 

Q6 

What, in your opinion, is your biggest 

achievement as a mental coach to date? 

P: For sure for me, I'm proud of the impact 

I've had in Ireland this year. In Ireland, we don’t 

like to talk about anything having to do with 

our minds; we prefer to keep private. This year, 

the governing body of the equestrian sport in 

Ireland employed me to work with young riders, 

to educate the coaches and run several new 

initiatives. 

A: My biggest achievement is when riders I 

work with tell me how they enjoy riding and 

competing again and how they are growing as 

a person. In addition, releasing my first book 

this year “Keep calm & enjoy the ride” as well 

as interviewing riders such as Laura Kraut and 

Daniel Deusser for my next book, are things I am 

very proud of. 

POPPY BLANDFORD 

Profession: 

Mental Coach 

Education: 

B.Sc. Occupational Therapist, M.Sc. 

Personal and Management Coaching 

& British Psychological Society- 

Personality Analysis 

Residence: 

Dublin, Ireland 

Website: 

poppyblandford.com 

DUTCHSPORTHORSESALES.COM 

DSHS | The 2017 edition 

9

HEROES 

OF OUR TIME 

Holding 

Ian Millar was born on the 6th of January in 1947 in a city called 

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada “I always wanted to be around horses 

and to ride horses, but I never had to opportunity. Back then, the 

milkman still delivered the milk to the houses using a horse-drawn 

wagon . Sometimes, the milkman would let me get on the seat and 

then I thought I was driving the horse”, Ian Millar looks back. 

First Riding Experience 

Ian’s father served in the military and when Ian reached the age of 

10, the family moved west to Edmonton in the Canadian province 

of Alberta. “I was driving my parents crazy about horses and when 

we moved out west, we spent the first summer at Gull Lake, where 

I had my first riding experience. There was a son of a local rancher, 

and he was about 18 or 19 years old and looked like a cowboy. He 

rented out two horses; and for 25 cents, you could ride one of the 

horses – bareback – to the end of the road and back. When this guy 

had to help his father, I helped him by watching his business and 

renting the horses. And when the horses weren't rented out, I could 

ride them as much as I wanted. I spent the whole summer doing that,” 

Millar recounts. “About 15 years ago, I was at Spruce Meadows and a 

person walked up to me. He said: ‘Do you know who I am?’ But I didn't 

recognize him immediately, so he said to me: ‘I'm the guy who put you 

on a horse for the first time! I've been following your career closely, 

and I tell everyone who'll listen that I was the first one to put you on a 

horse.’ So that person was the rancher's son!” Millar laughs. 

Debut on the Canadian team 

When the family returned to Edmonton in the fall, they all started 

riding. “To pay for riding lessons, I had to make money myself. I 

caddied at the golf course, I worked in people’s gardens, et cetera.” 

Then Millar met the dressage rider Dr. Otto Bode. “I obviously was so 

enthusiastic at the barn that they put me to work; and in exchange, 

I was able to ride. He instructed me when I rode, but he didn’t really 

explain to me the ‘whys.’ Even years later, when I did something when 

I was riding, I realized that those were the things that Dr. Bode taught 

me when I was 13 years old.” By the time Millar was about 15 years 

old, the family moved back to Ottawa, where he started working with 

Nancy Woods. Millar: “She taught me the business of buying and 

selling horses, et cetera. During that period, I also got my first Grand 

Prix horse: War Machine. He got me on the Canadian team for the first 

time in 1971.” Millar was 24 years old when he first appeared on the 

Canadian show jumping team. He subsequently sold War Machine and 

got a new horse in his stable, The Shoeman. “That was my first Olympic 

horse. I jumped him at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972.” 

Ian Millar 

the record for the most Olympic appearances, 70-yearold 

“Captain Canada” Ian Millar is not only a sports hero but also 

a true living legend. His passion for horses developed at an early 

age, and his talent and drive made him into one of Canada’s most 

successful show jumper riders of all time. With his first Olympic 

participation back in 1972 and his last to date in 2012, he boasts 

a show jumping career spanning over half a century – and Ian 

Millar and his family are still going strong. 

Transformation into an artist 

After the Olympics in 1972, Millar bought his own farm near 

Perth. “I had some horses in training and my wife Lynn was 

running a riding school and a small breeding operation. But 

it didn’t go very well. Then Jackie Morold moved to Ottawa 

with her husband and started their show stable, Dwyer Hill 

Farm. George Morris was hired as the trainer, and I started 

working for them as a rider. We became very successful with 

both hunters and jumpers,” According to Morris, Millar 

transformed from a good, effective “seat-of-the-pants” rider to 

an artist during this period. Millar: “When Dwyer Hill Farm 

shut down the show horse operation, my late wife Lynn and 

I bought a farm in Perth, Ontario, and set up Millar Brooke 

Farm. I still run this business today, together with my son 

Jonathon and my daughter Amy.” 

Big Ben: horse of a lifetime 

Although Millar has ridden numerous great horses and has 

Noelle Floyd © 

“Emile and Paul 

Hendrix are like 

brothers to me” 

“With Big Ben being the first 

business I did with them, a 

bond was definitely created 

and started a wonderful, 

long association with them. 

My son Jonathan worked for 

them for a few years, and 

he not only learned about 

horses and riding but also 

about being a very good and 

upstanding person. Paul and 

Emile have had a tremendous 

positive influence on our 

family. I used to say: ‘My son 

went to Hendrix University,’ 

Millar smiles. “They’ve done 

a lot for me, and I hope I’ve 

returned the favor.” 

Ian Millar and Star Power 

in London for the 

2012 Olympic Games 

experienced many highlights throughout his long career, 

one horse stands out for him: Big Ben. This horse marked the 

start of Millar’s long-standing relationship with Emile and 

Paul Hendrix. “When I was at Spruce Meadows in 1983, Emile 

Hendrix was also there. Emile told me: ‘Let me know when 

you’re in Europe; you should definitely stop by.’ So when I was 

in Belgium in the fall of 1983, I told Emile that I had some 

spare time. Emile told me: ‘I know a horse that you need to 

see: you’ll either like it or dislike it, since he’s a bit unusual.’ 

The horse was Big Ben. I immediately had a special feeling 

about him, and I became his owner within 45 minutes.” 

Big Ben’s career ranks among the most legendary in the 

history of show jumping. After Millar purchased him in the 

fall of 1983, he competed in the 1984 Olympic Games at Los 

Angeles. In 1986, he finished second in the World Cup Final 

at Gothenburg and then improved to become the first backto-back 

winner of the World Cup Finals in 1988 and 1989. 

Big Ben’s other achievements include winning the team and 

individual gold medals at the 1987 Pan American Games and 

capturing the Grand Prix of the Spruce Meadows Masters 

in both 1987 and 1991. In addition, he clinched the Spruce 

Meadows Derby six times and jumped in three different 

Olympic Games: Los Angeles, Seoul and Barcelona. In his 

unique career, Big Ben won over $1.5 million in prize money. 

Millar: “He was not only very successful but also overcame 

some major threats to his well-being. Big Ben was on board a 

horse truck that had a catastrophic accident. He miraculously 

survived and only one week later he won the Grand Prix and 

the Derby of Spruce Meadows. Throughout his career, he 

survived two colic surgeries and just kept on going.” 

Over 50 Grand Prix horses 

“A friend of mine wrote a lovely book, and she found out that 

I rode over 50 horses successfully at the Grand Prix level. One 

of his greatest moments was on Susan Grange’s horse In Style 

in the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. “We won the silver 

medal with the Canadian team. Before the second round, we 

lost one of our team riders, so we were down to three. Without 

a drop score, it seemed impossible to get a medal, but we did 

get into the jump-off for gold against the USA. We lost the 

jump-off, but we won the silver medal, which was an amazing 

thrill.” For Millar, it was a very emotional achievement as well: 

“My wife Lynn passed away that year, so for me it really felt 

like I had an angel riding with me in Hong Kong.” 

‘As long as it is still fun’ 

Although Millar is 70 years old now, he is still a motivated and 

ambitious rider and horseman. “My children Jonathon and 

Amy are both fantastic riders: Jonathon jumped in the World 

Equestrian Games and Amy represented Canada in the Rio 

Olympics and recently became the Canadian champion. It’s 

fantastic to run a business with them. I definitely still have 

ambitions myself:I am most satisfied when in partnership 

with a horse or rider I help them to achieve their full potential. 

To combine their natural talent, heart and mind to become 

the best they can be.” Will Ian Millar compete in his eleventh 

Olympics? “I don’t know, it depends on if I have the right horse! 

I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I’m still fit: I ride four to six 

horses every day, and I work out every morning. My late wife 

told me: ‘Only do this as long as it’s still fun.’ And it’s still great 

fun; that’s my story!” concludes Millar with a smile. 

Born in Halifax, 

Nova 

Scotia, 

Canada 

1947 

1971 

Debut in 

Canadian 

team 

with War 

Machine 

First Olympics 

(Munich) 

with The 

Shoeman, 6th 

place team 

1976 

Montreal 

Olympics 

with Count 

Down, 5th 

place team 

Alternate 

Olympics 

Rotterdam 

with Brother 

Sam, 1st 

place team 

1980 

1983 

Purchase 

of Big Ben 

LA Olympics 

with Big 

Ben, 14th 

individual 

and 4th place 

team 

1984 

1986 

2nd in WC 

Final in 

Gothenburg 

with Big Ben 

Individual 

and team 

gold Pan Am 

Games in 

Indianapolis 

with Big Ben 

1987 

1987 

Winner Du 

Maurier GP 

Spruce Meadows 

‘Masters’ with Big 

Ben 

Seoul 

Olympics with 

Big Ben, 15th 

individual and 

4th place team 

1988 

1989 

Winner 

WC Final 

in Gothenburg 

with 

Big Ben 

Winner Du 

Maurier 

GP Spruce 

Meadows 

‘Masters’ 

with Big Ben 

1991 

1992 

Barcelona 

Olympics 

with Big Ben, 

9th place 

team 

Atlanta 

Olympics 

with Play it 

Again 

1996 

1999 

1st individual 

and 3rd place 

team Pan Am 

Games Winipeg 

with Ivar 

Athens 

Olympics with 

Promise Me 

2004 

2008 

Hong Kong 

Olympics 

with In Style, 

2nd place 

team 

London 

Olympics 

with Star 

Power, 9th individual, 

5th 

place team 

2012 

2014 

Winner CP 

International GP 

Spruce Meadows 

‘Masters’ with 

Dixson 

Team gold 

Pan Am 

Games 

Toronto 

with Dixson 

2015 


Still 

going 

strong! 



THE RED CARPET 

“It is 

great fun to 

◀ Laura Kraut, Nick Skelton, 

Lisa Hales & Taylor Alexander 

Kim Huige, Alexa Larkin & 

Emma Romell ▶ 

Johan Sebastian & Geir Gulliksen 

Emile Spadone, Cassandra Kahle, 

Brian Feigus & Finn Appelhans 

Fancie Looke, 

Mr. & Mrs. Ridland 

Meet Francie Looke and Robert & Hillary 

Ridland, loyal customers of the auction. 

Mr. Ridland has served in the role of U.S. Show 

Jumping Chef D’Equipe/Technical Advisor 

since 2012. At the beginning of this year, 

he was appointed to the position again and 

will continue his tasks as Chef D’Equipe and 

Technical Advisor for the next four years. 

see everyone 

again!” 

Aike Viesbeek, Christin Carlberg, Jill Silvandersson, Erik Jerneld, Charlotte Rapp Hamrén, 

Anna Attvik, Pia Levin, Ulrika Hedin, Eva-Lena Jerneld, Kristin Nyberg, Fredrik Spetz 

Mr. & Mrs. Thieme 

Mr. & Mrs. van Gelderen 

◀ Nikki Liu Sumin, 

Mart Christiaens & Jikke van Gerven 

Hilary Scott & Frits Pellemans 

◀ Constance Kilmartin, 

Alexa Lallos, Natalie Gerst, 

Laura Gerst & 

Katie Randall 

Annelies Vorsselmans & 

Jeroen Dubbeldam 

We are always delighted to welcome Jeroen 

Dubbeldam and Annelies Vorsselmans to our 

auction. The Olympic gold winner is a living 

legend, thanks to his achievements with horses 

including De Sjiem. Jeroen and Annelies are 

fully committed to the Dutch show jumping 

sport and are welcomed guests at our auction. 

▲ Mariel Victoria & 

Derin Demirsoy 

Frederick Goltz, Mr. & Mrs. 

Slattery, Conor McMahon ▶ 

Stefanie van den Brink & Enda Carroll 

Mrs. & Mr. Bevan 

Crooks family 

Mr. & Mrs. van Mil 

“The event 

keeps getting 

better 

and 

better” 

Alise Oken & Sean Crooks 

Daisy van Nieuwkasteele, Luc van Moorsel 

& Janou Hendrix 



R I D I N G W E A R 

Charity: Interplast Holland Foundation 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales supports good causes. 

For a three-year period, the auction donates 5% 

of proceeds from the most expensive horse sold 

to one initiative. The past three years that was Uryadi’s 

Village, the initiative of Grand Prix rider Jennifer Crooks. 

It is our pleasure to introduce our new beneficiary for the 

coming three years: the Interplast Holland Foundation. 

Interplast performs reconstructive 

surgeries on children in countries 

including Tanzania, Bangladesh, South 

Sudan and Uganda. These surgeries 

are performed for conditions including 

burns, cleft lips, a cleft palate and 

congenital defects of the eyes and ears. 

Every year, several teams of experienced 

Dutch plastic- and reconstructive 

surgeons, anesthesiologists and 

surgery- and anesthesiology assistants 

are sent on a two-week mission. During 

this period, each patient’s health is 

stabilised so that he or she can heal 

safely under the care of a local hospital. 

The Dutch doctors and assistants, who 

are aided on site by local doctors and 

nurses, provide their services free of 

charge during their holidays. 

Ellen Campagne 

Children helped by these Dutch experts 

are among the poorest populations. 

They do not have money for surgery, 

and there is no health insurance in 

developing countries. For these reasons, 

Interplast performs all operations free 

of charge. In addition, the team - in 

order to relieve local hospitals - brings 

along supplies for more than 100 

operations. 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales came in contact with Interplast through Ellen 

Campagne, a regular visitor of the auction. Ellen and her husband Ivo 

own the renowned sport stable Stoeterij Sterrehof. Famous sporthorses 

such as Calimero, Baccarat, Opium and Great Blue are among Stoeterij 

Sterrehof’s flagship horses. The stable’s horses are ridden by elite 

riders Marc Houtzager, Julia Kayser and Michael Greeve. 

Ellen came in contact with Interplast through her family foundation. 

Because of her background in nursing, Ellen was invited on one of the 

missions. The experience made such an impression on her that, since 

then, she has participated in a mission every two years to help children. 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales considers this 

a fantastic initiative. It is noble that 

these Dutch medical professionals work 

selflessly during their holidays for these 

children. They change lives. 

Burn Centre 

On past missions, the Interplast teams 

saw many disfigured children due to 

burns. Sixty percent of burn victims are 

children under age six. Common causes 

of burns include open cooking fires and 

mosquito nets which catch on fire from 

a candle placed in too close proximity. 

Local treatment was unsatisfactory or 

non-existent. To improve treatment 

for these victims, the Uganda Burns 

and Plastic Surgery Institute was 

founded in 2004, together with 

Interplast Uganda, a private-public 

cooperation between Mulago Hospital 

(Kampala), the Ministry of Health, 

Makerere University, Interplast Uganda 

and Interplast Holland. In 2007, the 

institute was expanded with a new 

department. 

Before 

After 

Prevention 

Together with the Dutch Burn 

Foundation, the Interplast Holland 

Foundation developed a burn 

prevention programme. For this 

purpose, so-called Burn Prevention 

Officers were trained. The prevention 

programme was launched in 2011. In 

addition, information began being 

provided at schools and health centres, 

often in cooperation with the local fire 

service. 


DSHS | The 2017 edition 15 

samshield.com

Berny Zeekaf 

Delicate & Powerful 

Berny Zeekaf is a freelance photographer located in Well, Limburg. She 

graduated from the Fotoacademie in Amsterdam in 2016. She strives for her 

portraits to reveal more than what the eye can see. For Berny, it is essential to 

show the interaction between the person portrayed and the photographer. As a 

result, her portraits are delicate and powerful at the same time. 

www.bernyzeekaf.com 



La 

Feria 

De 

Abril 

The Feria is the Andalusian 

festival par excellence. 

During the festival, a huge 

port serves as the entrance 

to a “village” with decorated 

casetas (tents). The women 

wear a faralaes (flamencostyle 

dress), and the men 

wear a short riding outfit. 

They parade through the 

streets with their magnificent 

carriages and Andalusian 

horses adorned with 

decorations. 



[SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT] 

HORSE Service 

International 

From office - to delivery 

Roy Oirbans on horse transport 

to the United States. 

CONTACT THE 

IMPORTER 

02 

While the horse owner ensures that we receive the 

necessary documents, we contact the agent in the 

US. We inform the agent of the horse, to whom it 

should be delivered, the date and flight on which it 

will be traveling, et cetera. 

01 

REGISTER 

The first step to the US is to 

register the horse with our 

office. Then we’ll inform you of 

the items required for export: the 

particulars of the horse and the receiver, a sales 

invoice for customs exports and blood tests. Once 

these items are in order, the ministry can issue the 

health certificates. 

BOOK A FLIGHT 

We of Horse Service International have weekly 

contract bookings with KLM. This means that we 

have several flights reserved every week, allowing 

03us to offer our clients a flight almost every week. 

This prevents long wait times. When the blood 

tests are on the way, we immediately 

book the right flight to the right 

destination for the horse. 

THE HORSE TO 

THE AIRPORT 

Once all the documents are 

in order, we book the flight, 

schedule quarantine and arrange 

transport for the horse to the airport. The client 

may opt for the horse to be transported by a 

recognized carrier with which we cooperate or 

transport the horse to the airport himself. 

THE FLIGHT 

ARRIVAL IN THE 

UNITED STATES 

Upon arrival, our agent is ready to receive the 

horse. Blood is drawn from the horse immediately 

for testing by the United States Department 

06 

of Agriculture. Next, the horse is taken to the 

quarantine station. Quarantine time in the US is 

three days, after which the blood test results are 

received. Geldings and horses under age two are 

then released for transport to their final destination. 

Mares and stallions undergo additional CEM 

(Contagious Equine Metritis) quarantine, which is 14 

days for mares and 30 days for stallions. 

05 

The airplane departs, and the horse is on its way to 

the US! Currently, KLM flies horses in a combi-aircraft. 

This means that passengers are on board in 

addition to cargo. The horses travel in the cargo 

area, behind the passenger cabin. 

A KLM groom is always in attendance 

to provide the horses 

with their necessary care. 

HOME 

SWEET HOME 

07After the horse is released 

from quarantine, it may go to 

its new owner. The client may 

pick up the horse himself or have the 

importer arrange for delivery. Our job is done! 



horse of the year award 2017 

Youngster of the year award 2017 

Apart 

Larino x Burggraaf 

Constable II 

Harley VDL x Lupicor 

Chica B Z: there’s no horse more deserving of the 

Youngster of the Year title. This elite jumper is the 

second horse ever to be honored with this award; 

last year, the honor went to Brighton Bay. Adolfo Juri 

purchased the striking grey mare Chica B Z at the 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales in 2015 and brought her to the attention of 

Chica B Z 

Canturano x Berlin 

the Fuchs family. Since then, the Canturano daughter has performed 

At the 2017 edition of the Dutch Sport Horse Sales, the Larino son and 

super jumper Apart was awarded the Horse of the Year title. In 2009, the 

Stevenson family purchased the then young jumper at the auction. The 

gelding’s current home-base is the stable of international rider Pieter 

Devos. Based on the excellent results achieved, it is evident that the 

Belgian rider is an excellent match with the powerhouse jumper Apart. 

Veron x Lux 

Dutsboy 

2014 

2015 

outstandingly under her enthusiastic rider Martin Fuchs. 

The combination’s achievements include capturing the highest place 

on the podium at the 1.40m level in the CSI3* in Arezzo, finishing 

third in the CSI5* Longines International Horse Show of Lausanne 

in October and placing second at the 1.45m level in the CSI2* in the 

French town of Cagnes-sur-Mer. 

The talented Chica B Z was six years old when she came to the stable of Martin 

Fuchs, who had launched his own sport stable in 2016 with his Finnish partner 

Anna-Julia Kontio, located in the Swiss town of Wängi. In addition to Chica B Z, 

their stable boasts elite competition horses including Clooney and Chaplin II. 

Martin on his DSHS horse: “Chica B Z came to us two years ago by way of the 

auction. Since then, she has posted good 

Viper Vrombautshoeve Z 

2016 

results time and again through the 1.50m 

level. She shows lots of potential for the 

future! I have great hope that she’ll be my 

top Grand Prix horse. I therefore want to express 

my thanks to her owner Juri for this 

horse.” 

Verdi TN x Karioka del Follee 

The 25-year-old rider regularly attends the 

Dutch Sport Horse Sales. This year at the 

auction, his father Thomas Fuchs and Chica 

B Z’s owner Adolfo Juri were presented 

the Youngster of the Year award, which was 

created by the hands of artist Jos Dirix. 

Top Rankings 

Devos and Apart have regularly posted outstanding results. This year, 

they won the CSI5* Grand Prix at the 1.60m level in Bordeaux and the 

CSI5* at the 1.55m level in Paris. In addition, they ended second in the 

1.50m at the CSI5* in Brussels and claimed third place at the 1.60m level 

in the World Cup for show jumping in Verona. 

Playing With This Height 

After the Stevenson family purchased the lightning-quick jumper in 

2009, he first came under the saddle of Caroline Poels. Due to her subsequent 

pregnancy, Devos took over the reins. Since then, Devos and the 

now 12-year-old Apart have frequently ranked first on the results lists of 

big competitions. Devos is full of praise for his DSHS horse. Following 

their victory at the 1.50m level in the GCT in Paris, Devos exclaimed: “The 

way that Apart jumped was really great; I think he simply plays with this 

height!” 

Competitive at the Highest Level 

“Apart demonstrates time and time again that he can compete at the 

highest level. I think that this certainly isn’t the last we’ve seen of Apart. 

I’m very happy that he’s competitive at this level,” says Devos. In combination 

with his excellent results, Apart can certainly be called a worthy 

successor to Viper Vrombautshoeve Z, who received the award at the 

previous edition of the auction. This Verdi son is achieving good results 

under the young American rider Emma Heise. 

“Apart demonstrates time and 

time again that he can 

compete at the highest level.” 

Brighton Bay 

2016 

Ultimo x Kreator XX 



FOALISH 

games 

Next October, Equestrian Centre 

de Peelbergen in Kronenberg again 

prepares itself for one of the most 

successful and international foal 

auctions of the Netherlands: the 

Limburg Foal Auction 

The first edition of the auction was held 

in 2000 in Weert and over the years, the 

auction has definitely proven its quality. 

HORSE TRUCKS 

popular Sires 

jumping 

Zirocco Blue VDL 

Comme il Faut 

Chapeau 

Cornet Obolensky 

Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve 

Berlin 

dressage 

Glock’s toto jr. 

Facts & Figures 

2017 edition 

Foals in total 109 

Fillies 37 

Colts 72 

Dressage Foals 26 

Jumping Foals 83 

Average prize Overall € 9.400 

Average prize dressage € 7.250 

Average prize jumping € 10.072 

Most expensive foal € 30.000 

Foals sold abroad 

total: 52 

Australia 3 

Belgium 6 

Canada 5 

Great Brittain 5 

Finland 1 

USA 18 

SWEDEN 3 

Germany 6 

Turkey 2 

Ireland 2 

Russia 1 



De ijzeren man 

Björn van Kessel 

Upon arriving at Equestrian Centre de IJzeren Man in Weert, I was enthusiastically 

greeted by an old mare who looked surprised by all the 

activities going on around here. It’s an understatement to say that there’s 

a lot of commotion on the property, even without the auctions. On 

the site where the first 12 editions of Dutch Sport Horse Sales took place, 

a dozen workmen are now on the move. Stud farm manager Björn van 

Kessel and international show jumper rider and trainer Yves 

Houtackers, whose businesses are both located at de IJzeren Man, finish 

their telephone calls as soon as they see me approaching their office. 

First, I’d like to know why Dutch Sport 

Horse Sales moved to its new location: 

Equestrian Centre de Peelbergen in 

Kronenberg. Standing on a cold, windy hill – 

where a photo shoot is taking place – Björn 

begins: “Equestrian Centre de Peelbergen 

is located in the centre of Limburg. There’s 

also a connection between Stal Hendrix and 

de Peelbergen: they’re one of the founders. 

So it was one plus one is two.” Yves adds: 

“We noticed during the auctions that de 

IJzeren Man limited us with respect to space, 

especially with the Limburg Foal Auction. 

They outgrew our premises.” 

How did you react to the news of the 

move? 

Björn, who has worked for 20 years at de 

IJzeren Man, responds: “At first, we found it 

very unfortunate because we were losing a big 

event. But I’m not lying when I say that it was 

also a positive decision for us.” Yves: “Because 

of the auction, everything was turned upside 

down here; and all work was halted for two 

weeks every year. I have a lot of foreign clients, 

and I couldn’t train anyone, not even my own 

horses. Now we can just keep doing our work.” 

Björn, have your DSHS work activities 

changed since the relocation? 

“When DSHS was still held here, I was in 

charge of the facility’s amenities. That’s now in 

the hands of de Peelbergen. So it’s a lot quieter 

now, which allows me to put my energy into 

my own business. In conjunction with the 

equestrian events- and marketing bureau 

Equine MERC, I make sure that the facility 

is in order on auction days, I’m responsible 

for the VIP zone and I further help where 

necessary. A kind of flying goalie,” remarks 

Björn. 

Yves, we know you as a rider. 

“I’ve been involved with the auction from 

the beginning, in all kinds of ways. At the 

first editions, I was still active as a jumper 

rider and later as a trainer. Therefore I know 

precisely what the market wants and the 

requirements the horses must meet. Because 

of my knowledge and close cooperation with 

Stal Hendrix, I became a member of the 

selection committee,” explains Yves. 

The facility is undergoing a major 

“facelift”. 

Björn: “When we took over de IJzeren Man 

from the Gordijn family, nothing had been 

done to the facility for years; so last year 

around Christmas, we started the renovation 

to turn it into a modern facility.” Yves: “We’ve 

put new roofs on all the halls and part of the 

WHAT’S 

HAPPENING 

NOW 

AT 

THE 

FORMER 

AUCTION 

LOCATION? 

AGE | 45 

RESIDENCE | Weert 

NAME OF BUSINESS: 

Hengstenhouderij De IJzeren Man 

CORE ACTIVITIES: 

Stud farm, dressage- & sales stable, 

instruction and sales mediation 

AGE | 43 

RESIDENCE | Weert 

NAME OF BUSINESS: 

Springstal Yves Houtackers 

CORE ACTIVITIES: 

Sport- & sales stable, instruction 

OTHER ACTIVITIES: 

Sport Director for CHIO Rotterdam 

Yves Houtackers 

“NOW 

WE 

CAN 

KEEP 

DOING 

OUR 

WORK” 

stalls; all the walls and roofs in the halls have 

also been insulated. We’ve put in new arena 

kick walls everywhere, and the footing is upto-date 

again.” Björn: “We’ve also sprayed all 

the walls clean. And oh, yes, the paddocks 

have also been sown with grass.” 

How do you see de IJzeren Man in the 

future? 

Yves: “As a complete facility with all the 

desired amenities. We have a four-hectare 

grass arena, outdoor arenas and three 

wonderful riding halls; in short, all the 

opportunities for perfectly preparing people 

for the sport of show jumping. You’ll also 

notice that we’re completely full. In fact, we 

have a waiting list.” Björn: “In the future, we 

want to turn the grass arena across the road 

into an event area. We want to achieve this 

with the municipality and the province to 

put our equestrian centre and Weert back on 

the map. The plan is to hold subtop dressageand 

show jumping competitions there. We 

also want to let riding clubs use the site.” 

Like Father, Like Son 

After our conversation, two horses stand 

tacked up and ready for Yves. To escape the 

hectic environment, he goes on a trail ride 

with his son Philippe, who is just like his 

father with respect to horses. As I drive out 

through the gate, I wonder how beautiful de 

IJzeren Man will be when I return the next 

time… 



Customer quotes 

“We are very happy with our horse we bought at Dutch Sport Horse Sales. Everything 

went smoothly for our purchase and we are delighted with our horse. Looking forward to 

seeing next year’s collection.” 

“ 

“…what I like is the philosophy behind DSHS, based on 

professional knowledge in searching for and selecting top 

youngsters, sometime even years before they are presented to 

the auction. And this is a very hard job in today’s show 

jumping and breeding environment. 

But Yves, Paul, Emile and sons know exactly the horses they 

are presenting, and this unique excellence has built my trust 

in DSHS. Moreover, the young horses are trained with sound 

horsemanship and respect, which is not the norm everywhere.” 

- Nico Morosoli - 

- Enda Carroll - 

Let’s see what customers had to say about the auction! 

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT 

I have bought three horses 

at DSHS and have 

been very pleased 

with them. Every 

year, I get to sit on 

many quality horses. 

They are well trained, 

and the standards of the 

auction are very high. 

I will definitely go back next year 

to look for my future superstar. 

- Martin Fuchs- 

“We look forward to the Dutch Sport Horse Sales 

auction every year. Finding quality young horses is 

"For me DSHS is one of the highlights of the year, both privately 

very difficult and risky. Knowing that the horses at 

and professionally. To see how the Hendrix family and Yves 

DSHS have been bred and produced by top-notch 

Houtackers have developed the event over the years is simply 

horse people gives us great comfort that the 

Stal Hendrix Baarlo 

Napoleonsbaan Zuid 32 

NL-5991 ND Baarlo 

The Netherlands 

phone +31 (0)77 4771556 

Stal Hendrix Kessel 

Rijksweg 45 

NL-5995 NT Kessel 

The Netherlands 

phone +31 (0)77 4620428 

fantastic. I think that the quality of the selection and the 

transparency when it comes to presenting the horses makes 

this an ideal place to invest in the future." 

- Erik Jerneld - 

youngsters we buy will have the quality necessary to 

succeed at the top of the sport. Our results and those 

of many others offer ample evidence of this.” 

- Frederick Goltz - 

e-mail info@stalhendrix.nl 

e-mail info@stalhendrix.nl 

www.stalhendrix.nl 



THE RED CARPET 

Mr. & Mrs. Devos 

The Belgian couple Caroline and Pieter had 

an extra special reason to visit DSHS this 

year: in addition to viewing talented horses, 

their flagship horse of the auction, Apart, 

was voted the 2017 Horse of the Year. 

Under Pieter, he already boasts numerous 

victories at the CSI5* level. 

Leslie Mayer & Peter van der Kallen 

Britta Lippert & James H. Fairclough II 

Sanna and Markus Backlund, Julia Engblom & Jenni Engblom 

Mr. & Mrs. Philippaerts 

◀ Cristian Sottas, Daisy van Nieuwkasteele, Mr. Juri & Mr. 

Fuchs 

Timothy Hendrix, Efe Siyahi, Agata Torun, Malgorzata Gisza Jurczak & Burcu Özdemir 

Michel Hendrix, Ivo Campagne, Julia Houtzager-Kayser, 

Marc Houtzager & Timothy Hendrix 

“It seems impossible, but 

the collection improves 

every year.” 

Willemijn Poels, Ken Ruysen & 

Aniek Poels ▶ 

◀ Neil Stevenson, Sarah 

Borthwick, Morgan Kent & 

Richard Howley 

Mr. & Mrs. Jacobs 

Timothy Hendrix, Line Raaholt 

& Yves Houtackers 

Every year, we look forward to the 

arrival of our loyal Norwegian guest 

Line Raaholt. She is excelling with her 

DSHS horses Elisabeth and Cupido. Line 

can regularly be found at our former 

auction location, Equestrian Centre de 

IJzeren Man. 

Michel Hendrix, Jacomien Lammers, Karin Brouns, Yves Houtackers, Driek Lammers, Joy Lammers & Timothy Hendrix 

Thuur Lucassen, Roxanne Hermans & Peter van Nieuwenborg ▲ 



AT HOME WITH 

BARRY O’CONNOR 

the horseman who plans five years ahead 

It's probably the worst day of the year to visit Ireland. It's raining like it 

only can rain in Ireland. The roads are flooded because the rivers have 

overflowed their banks. But once past the gate to Blackwood House, 

I suddenly forget the dampness. The long entry heralds something 

beautiful and ends between the stables of horse sales professional Barry 

O’Connor. Together with his family, he lives on this property which spans 

seven acres in total. Today, I'm going on the road with him. 

Construction is in full swing at Barry O'Connor's 

business. Workers are busy setting up the new 

tackroom, and from his spacious office, construction 

on the frame of the indoor arena is clearly visible. “From here 

I can see both the indoor arena and the outdoor jumping 

arena behind it,” remarks Barry. He looks at the construction 

drawings to see if everything is still going according to plan. 

Because Barry is abroad most of the time, he likes to check 

everything himself when he's home. 

“I always have a plan for what I'm going to do five years from 

now. In the coming years, I want to focus more on training 

riders. That's why we're building this indoor arena now. I'm a 

level three FEI coach, and I soon want to train international 

students from Dublin,” reveals Barry. 

"I am based in Ireland, 

but I travel like a nomad." 

Partners That Add Value 

Barry’s parents purchased the property in 1986, a former 

Thoroughbred stud farm in Malahide. The village has a 

population of approximately 11,000 residents and is a 

25-minute drive from Dublin. Barry's parents and his brother 

both have homes on the property. But the stables are Barry's 

domain. Although there are 18 stalls, horses occupy only a 

few of them. Why is that? Barry: “I have 13 horses in Limburg, 

where I rent a stable one kilometre from Stal Hendrix. Then 

there are four horses in America that I co-own with others. 

In addition, I have nine horses, all under the age of four, 

together with a partner of mine in West Ireland. I own two 

with Stal Hendrix, and those are being trained there.” 

The horses are elsewhere, as Barry says, because his longterm 

plan is better than his short-term skills. He likes to take 

time with his horses. As a result, it's better for the horses' 

training to have them in Limburg. “I only have partners, who 

in my view, can add something to the cooperation,” asserts 

Barry. 

Proud Irish 

“I like being in the Netherlands. They sometimes say: ‘Luck 

is where preparation meets opportunity.’ Well, the Dutch 

were always prepared, and I had the opportunities. At 

the beginning of this year, I even seriously thought about 

emigrating to the Netherlands with my family. In my view, 

Limburg is the epic centre of the horse world. But I love 

Ireland. This is where I want to live. You have to be unique in 

life; you should do something different from all the others. I 

need to make my location my advantage. I can do a great job 

from here. There's a fantastic horse culture here too, and we 

have Guinness,” jokes Barry with a laugh. “So I'm based in 

Ireland, but I travel like a nomad.” 

We drink a cup of coffee in the home where Barry, his 

wife Sally, sons Jamie (16) and David (15), and daughter 

Meghan (13) live. The home is beautifully decorated, cosy 

and spacious. Where horse people live, dogs live too; that's 

no different here. The kitchen is the heart of the home, but 

Barry's favorite room is the breakfast room: “It's wonderful to 

have breakfast here with our entire family.” 



The Early Years 

As we sit in the breakfast room, Barry explains that he 

started his business when he was 21 years old. Prior to that, 

he had worked for Marcus Mändli in Switzerland for three 

years. Barry: “I owe so much to that man. He taught me the 

horse trade. When he went to buy horses, he let me come 

along, also when he went out to eat with clients. As a result, 

I got an insider's view into the business, and I was captivated 

by it. I thought it was wonderful.” 

Several years after he returned to Ireland, Barry began 

working closely with the Irish Grand Prix rider Conor Swail. 

Barry: “We started with absolutely nothing. For example, we 

hauled the horses in a lorry that his father had converted. We 

sometimes look back and realise that that was actually the 

best time: half wild, half fun. 

“In that early period, we had the horse Conduct. With Conor, 

he placed second straight away in their first Grand Prix. But 

we also had Lansdowne, and we brought the stallion Guidam 

to Ireland. Conor and I were a top duo. He could walk the 

walk, and I could talk the talk.” For ten years, the duo was 

among the top three most successful stables in Ireland. 

Then we get in the car and drive to the Goffs auction house in 

Dublin, where Barry's wife Sally works. On the way there, we 

pick up David and Jamie. Unfortunately, Meghan can't join us 

because of her music lesson. 

Capital Injection 

From behind the steering wheel, Barry explains his newest 

initiative. His vision of the future is also clearly recognisable 

in this plan. Together with other influential Irish equestrian 

businesses and in cooperation with the Irish government, 

he wants to make the equestrian sector stronger than it was 

before the financial crisis. The first investment must come 

from the sector, after which the government will hopefully 

join in. “We want to create jobs and structurally increase 

exports. We also want to train and help riders, stable staff 

and breeders. We also want to create better competitions 

through capital injections, where more prize money can be 

"It's wonderful to have breakfast 

here with our entire family." 

"They'll 

wonder 

who this 

man is 

who's 

attracting 

all the 

paparazzi." 

earned. In this way, quality is boosted. And that's exactly what 

we need here!” asserts Barry. In September 2018, the Irish 

government will issue a decision on the financial cooperation. 

Barry continues: “After the financial crisis, everything 

collapsed here. The smaller stables dramatically reduced their 

activity or closed. The horse people who were associated with 

these stables often went to Canada and America. They got 

the best jobs there. They worked hard. As a result, the crisis 

ultimately had a positive turn for the whole industry as we 

have Irish people in key positions within the horse industry 

worldwide.” 

Goffs 

Once we arrive at Goffs, we find Sally in her office. We're 

here to take a family photo. Sally still has some work to 

do and finds us after ten minutes. In the meantime, we're 

immersed in a true auction Walhalla, where the day before 

a Thoroughbred foal by the stallion Galilieo was sold for €1.1 

million. 

Just before we take the photo, Barry asks with a smile: “Can we 

not be too obvious when we take the family photo? I deal in 

show jumpers, and now we're here in the racing world. They'll 

wonder who this man is who's attracting all the paparazzi.” 



01 

02 

04 

Sportfot © 

06 

11. Lorstakov 

Lordanos x 

Sir Shostakovich xx 

Lauren Hester (USA) 

12. Zira II 

Zurich x 

Quickfeuer van Koekshof 

Anthony Condon (IRL) 

15. Eretto 

Vinesse x Iroko 

Michel Hendrix (NED) 

13. Gloria 

Cicero Z van Paemel x Silvio I 

Hillary Scott (AUS) 

14. Private Life 

Verdi x Voltaire 

Scott Stuart (USA) 

16. Elisabeth 

Applaus x Colman 

Line Raaholt (NOR) 

17. Kamara van ‘t Heike 

Epleaser van ‘t heike x Carthago Z 

Tom Slattery (IRL) 

18. Haufom 

Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Hamlet 

Conor McMahon (IRL) 

07 

08 

03 

09 

01. Anatevka 

Ustinov x Pierrot 

Susanna Granroth (FIN) 

02. Cescha M 

Diamant de Semilly x Calando IV 

Isabelle Lapierre (CAN) 

03. Apart 

Larino x Burggraaf 

Pieter Devos (BEL) 

04. Chica B Z 

Canturano I x Berlin 

Martin Fuchs (SUI) 

06. Clearwater 

Clearway x Come On 

Marilyn Little (USA) 

05. Escoffier 

Lord Z x Numero Uno 

Werner Muff (SUI) 

07. Gerton 

Ukato x Lovefever II 

Katharina Offel (GER) 

08. Extra B 

Canturano I x Quick Star 

Erynn Ballard (CAN) 

09. Enchanted 

Bustique x Burggraaf 

Erynn Ballard (CAN) 

10. Hello Senator 

Carambole x Indoctro 

Scott Brash (GBR) 

12 

13 

Sportfot © 

14 

Sportfot © 

05 

15 

DUTCH SPORT HORSE SALEs 

16 

Sportfot © 

AMBASSADORS 

These jumping stars represent 

the Dutch Sport Horse Sales 

all over the world! 

10 

Sportfot © 

11 

17 

Sportfot © 

18 



Katharina OFFEL 

Located a stone's throw from Maastricht is the village of Bemelen, 

which in October of this year became the homebase of Grand Prix 

rider Katharina Offel and her partner Jannicke Naustdal. Their 

brand new facility is located just 300 metres from the 

village church, which is the heart of Bemelen. Upon 

entering their property, an oasis of tranquility 

emerges, with a view of the beautiful loam 

mountain of Bemelen. Why did Katharina and 

Jannicke choose to settle in Limburg? 

Photo: Katharina giving kisses to Gerton, bought 

at the Dutch Sport Horse Sales in 2016 

Jannicke Naustdal puts her horse Pioville (by Koro d’Or) in the solarium after a training session. 

We are based here to be in the middle of the action! 

In 2015, Katharina began applying for the 

permits to build her facility. A dilapidated 

cowshed had previously occupied the site. 

In order to build a compact, state-of-theart 

equestrian complex, everything had to be 

leveled. Katharina comments on the project: 

“Both the municipality and the province were 

very cooperative. Our friends Dorine and Menno 

Kaan helped us with the design and to apply for 

the permits, without them it would not have been 

possible to build this place.” After everything was 

demolished, the building was constructed in an 

astonishing time of just seven months. 

Near Maastricht 

Prior to moving to Bemelen, Katharina's business 

had been based in Sittard, where she leased stalls 

for two years. Before that, she spent 15 years 

near Cologne, Germany. When asked about her 

reason for relocating to Bemelen, she responds 

enthusiastically: “I love Maastricht! It's easy to 

ride your bicycle from here to there. It's also ideal 

because I always teach a few international pupils 

Why Limburg? 

who study at the University of Maastricht. That's 

why this is the perfect place for me. I feel at home 

here.” 

Jannicke adds: “The landscape is beautiful and 

daily life is relaxed. The people are friendly and 

helpful.” Jannicke, the co-owner of the popular 

website World of Showjumping, continues: “To 

create content for our website, it's important to be 

where the action is. Consider competitions as well 

as young talented riders who are in training with 

the seniors in the profession, for example.” 

Logistical Advantages 

The logistical advantages that Limburg offers 

also played a role in Katharina's decision to 

move to Bemelen. Katharina: “You never have to 

travel far. Both Equestrian Centre de Peelbergen 

(Kronenberg, NED) as well as Sentower Park 

(Opglabbeek, BEL) are less than an hour drive. 

You can also get to Germany in the same time, so 

I can easily visit my family, friends and business 

relations who are still in Cologne.” Regarding her 

facility's location, Katharina says: “If I had a stable 

in Bavaria, for example, no one would ever be in 

the neighbourhood by chance and stop by with 

clients. The distances are simply too big. In that 

respect, this location also helps me.” 

Although Katharina doesn't consider herself a 

horse dealer, she occasionally has to sell a horse. 

“My focus is on showing young talent in the sport. 

I like training young horses to the Grand Prix 

level, but I also enjoy it when other riders work 

further on the foundation I've laid,” she explains. 

Consider the horses Hello Sanctos (Scott Brash) 

and Lacrimoso (Patrice Delaveau). 

Climate 

Another advantage of living in Bemelen is the 

climate. Katharina on the topic: “Although it's not 

that far from Bavaria, it's still warmer here. I can't 

remember having an entire week of snow here. 

That was certainly different in Bavaria, brrr.” 



CRAZY HORSE FACTS 

Royalty The horse is close to mankind and has 

always been in service to mankind, through which the horse became 

noble. Also only royalty rode horses in the past. Everything that had 

to do with royalty was special, noble. Similarly the horse. 

Dartboard 

A common misconception is that a dartboard is 

made of horse hair. This is an urban legend! The main 

component of a dartboard is sisal, a vegetable fibre that 

is primarily harvested in Brazil, Asia and Africa. 

Black widow 

Horses are very sensitive to the venom of the 

black widow spider, but do not die from it. 

Sheep and rabbits are immune to the venom. 

Carrots Eating too many 

carrots can turn your skin orange. 

Children are most at risk. An example 

of this phenomenon is babies who 

are fed too many jars of baby food 

containing ground carrots. 

Wild horses 

They spend 60% of their time grazing, while covering 

a distance of approximately 30 km. Stabled horses, 

in contrast, spend considerably less time eating, 

15%. 

Ostrich An ostrich can reach 

a top speed of 72 km per hour. A horse can 

reach an average speed of approximately 55 

to 65 km per hour. The fastest racehorse on 

record is Winning Brew. In a race in America 

on May 14, 2008, he reached a top speed of 

70.76 km per hour. 

Caligula 

Emperor Caligula’s horse, named Incitatus, was kept in a marble 

stable, ate oats mixed with grains of gold and had about 18 private 

servants. 



CRAZY HORSE FACTS 

The Falabella 

This breed is being trained in America as 

a potential alternative to guide dogs. 

They are being used in an experiment 

for people who, for example, are 

allergic to or afraid of dogs. In June 

2017, the first guide horse began 

service in England. 

“If you want a stable 

friendship, get a horse” 

The largest eyes 

After the moose, horses have the largest eyes of all land 

mammals. They measure about 2 inches in diameter. The 

horse’s eyes are located on the side of the head, allowing 

an almost 360-degree view. However, they have two “blind 

spots”: directly ahead and directly behind the horse. 

“No hour of 

life is wasted 

that is spent 

in the saddle” 

China By 2025, equestrian sport will be one of the 

nine largest sports in China, with an estimated value of 

€640 billion. According to a report from the Bank of 

China International, the sports industry generated 

about 1.5 billion yuan (approximately €192 billion) in 

sales in 2016. By 2020, that amount could double; 

and by 2025, sales are estimated to reach 5 billion 

yuan (€640 billion). 

Traffic In London, traffic moves at 

an average speed of 10 mph. That is the same speed 

at which the horse and wagon traveled 3 centuries 

ago. Not only is the speed of traffic the same as it 

was centuries ago, but traffic jams have also been a 

problem in London since the 17th century. 

Did you 

know all 

this? 

How much? The most expensive 

racehorse ever cost $70 million and won 

the Kentucky Derby in 2000. After that he became 

the most popular breeding stallion since Shareef 

Dancer. Coolmore Stud purchased him for an estimated 

sum of $70 million. Initially, his stud fee was 

$150,000, but his offspring were not half as good as 

he was. Now a breeding to him costs just $7,000. 



SEE YOU IN 2018! 

selection committee 

We would like to invite you to the 2018 

edition of the Dutch Sport Horse Sales. 

Mark October 1st and 2nd on your 

calendar so you won’t miss the event. 

The following day, October 3rd, the 

prestigious Limburg Foal Auction will be 

held at the same location. Last year, 109 

dressage- and jumper foals went under 

the hammer. 

In the meantime, we would be pleased 

to inform you of news regarding the 

auction. Please see below for our contact 

details. 

If you have any suggestions or notices, 

you can always contact us by e-mail. Our 

team is at your disposal throughout the 

year! 

info@dutchhorsesales.com 

www.dutchsporthorsesales.com 

SAVE THE DATE! 

Timothy Hendrix 

Emile Hendrix 

Michel Hendrix 

Paul Hendrix 

Yves Houtackers 

ISSUE NO. 

03 

DECEMBER 


DSHS Presentation 

Monday, October 1, 

2018 

DSHS Auction 

Tuesday, October 2, 

2018 

LIMBURG FOAL AUCTION 

Wednesday, October 3, 

2018 

COLOPHON 

Website 

Publisher 

Hendrix Events B.V 

Rijksweg 45 

5995 NT Kessel (NED) 


www.dutchhorsesales.com 

Production 

Equine MERC 

P.O. Box 91084 

3063 AD Rotterdam (NED) 

info@equinemerc.nl 

www.equinemerc.nl 

Editor in chief 

Luc van Moorsel - Equine MERC 

Daisy van Nieuwkasteele - Equine MERC 

Articles 

Equine MERC 

Peter van der Waaij 

Eva van den Adel 

Poppy Blandford 

Annette Paterakis 

Manon Kitslaar 

Luc van Moorsel 

Liz van de Vorstenbosch 

Print 

DTP Graphic Products 

Postbus 7210 

5980 AE Panningen (NED) 

info@dtp-group.nl 

www.dtp-group.nl 

Lay out & DTP 

Liz van de Vorstenbosch - Equine MERC 

Photography 

Cover: Meghan Bacso 

P1: Luc van Moorsel, Ridemagazine, 

Dick Holthuis, Digishots 

P2,3: Digishots 

P4,5: Luc van Moorsel, Digishots 

P6: Adolfo Juri 

P9: Luc van Moorsel 

P10,11: Noelle Floyd, Chronofhorse, 

Ridemagazine 

P12: Dick Holthuis 

P15: Interplast Holland Foundation 

P16-19: Berny Zeekaf 

P21: Luc van Moorsel, Horse Service 

International 

P22,23: Digishots, Jack Mancini, Sportfot 

P25: Digishots 

P26,27: Luc van Moorsel 

P30,31: Dick Holthuis 

P32,33: Sportfot, Erin Gilmore, Clicphoto, 

Stefan Keturi, Jack Mancini, Ben Radvayni, 

Haley Kane Photography, S. McMiller, Digishots 

P34-37: Luc van Moorsel 


P34-37: Luc van Moorsel 

P38,39: Luc van Moorsel 

P41-43: Pexels, Shutterstock 


You can find the latest news 

about the auction on our 

website: www.dutchhorsesales. 

com. Visit the site regularly so 

you can stay up to date. 

www.dutchhorsesales.com 

Follow us on Instagram! Take 

a look at the gorgeous pictures 

that were taken during the 

auction 

#dutchhorsesales 

Several times a year we 

send out a mailing via 

MailChimp. E-mail us at info@ 

dutchhorsesales.com if you’d 

like to be on our mailing list. 


Stay up-to-date ! 

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dutch sport horse sales 



46 DSHS | The 2017 edition DUTCHSPORTHORSESALES.COM

DSHS Magazine 2017

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