HX Magazine 2024 | Edition 2

Text: Jenneke Smit | Photo: Four Oaks
In November 2024, Lambada Shake AG moved from Stal Hendrix to his new owner, Cian O’Connor. The
eight-year-old talent made an impressive international debut at 1.50m level this past summer, turning
heads across the sport. For five years, the Aganix du Seigneur son served as a remarkable showcase for Stal
Hendrix and co-owners Jan van Meever and the Lammers family. It’s the perfect time to look back on the
beginning of his illustrious career.
Lambada Shake AG was born on the 1st of May 2016 in the
stables of local passionate breeder Alex Gisbertz, who gave him
the name Alabama Shake AG Z. He was sold by his breeder to
stallion owner Jan van Meever. Two years later, Jan presented
him during the first-round viewing of the KWPN Stallion Show,
where he immediately made an impression.
Promising start
During the KWPN Stallion Show two months later, he caught
the eye of Paul Hendrix and others. Joy Lammers had already
shown interest in the stallion, and after brief deliberation, Jan
Highlights
Lambada Shake AG
continues to raise the bar
van Meever decided to sell part of the stallion to Stal Hendrix
and part to the Lammers family. Until the middle of November,
Lambada remained under the shared ownership of these three
parties. The son of Aganix du Seigneur was selected for the
performance test and participated at the end of 2019. There,
he showcased exceptional talent, which was rewarded with
remarkably high marks and an impressive score of 90 points.
It proved to be the first success in a series of many. With Tim
van den Oetelaar in the saddle he received the highest marks
in the final of the Dutch Championship for four-year-olds, but a
time penalty prevented him from winning. He then continued
to impress year after year in the stallion competitions. Under
the guidance of Pieter Keunen, this exceptional talent was
developed to international 1.45m level, with highlights including
a victory in the VHO Trophy at 1.40m level during the KWPN
Stallion Show earlier this year.
League of his own
Michel Hendrix smiles when the main character of this story is
mentioned. “Lambada came to the stable here as a four-year-old
and has been very special from the start. The good feeling we all
had right from the beginning has only grown. Pieter rode him for
a long time and did a great job. This spring, Giampiero Garofalo
joined our team, and with this change of rider, we were able to
give Lambada more opportunities at international competitions.
That’s when we started entering a different level of shows, and
every time it was confirmed just how exceptional Lambada
truly is. Time and time again, he stood out among horses of his
age", says Michel Hendrix. The duo has delivered a series of
highly promising performances, debuting at 1.50m level at the
CSIO5* in Dublin and continuing to impress in the Sunshine
Photo: Digishots
Tour, which only amplified interest in the stallion. “Whether it
was the competition in Dublin, Eindhoven, or the Sunshine Tour:
Lambada was never impressed by any of it and always gave his
best in the arena. How easily he jumped those courses made
us realize once again what a super talent we were dealing with.
We really had a long-term plan with Lambada Shake and were
already looking ahead to the big championships in the future.
Next year, he could start competing in his first Grand Prix.”
“How easily he jumped those
courses made us realize what a
super talent we were dealing with”
Karlswood
But it didn’t come to that. Following immense demand, his
owners decided to finalize the sale. “Lambada Shake wasn’t
originally for sale, and over the years, we’ve had to turn down
numerous offers. Ultimately, it became almost impossible to
justify keeping him, as the demand was very high", Paul Hendrix
shared. “As owners, we sat down together and decided to give
Cian O’Connor a chance. It is definitely a huge loss for our
breeding station and sport stable, but we have great confidence
that Lambada Shake AG will make an even greater impact in
the years to come.” It is the intention for Cian O’Connor to ride
the stallion himself, shares Michel Hendrix. “Of course, we will
continue to follow Lambada closely and can’t wait to see what
the future holds for him.”
Breeding legacy
Lambada Shake AG’s first crop of foals was born in 2021, and from
that inaugural generation, two sons were immediately selected
for the KWPN performance test and son Raas R being crowned
AES champion in Poland. “His initial offspring exhibit tremendous
promise. They possess athletic conformation and outstanding
jumping ability. Last year, Lambada Shake remained available
for fresh breeding for a few months at our station, so there are
more foals expected next year. We are proud to have been part
of the foundation of his brilliant future, and for us, it is definitely
not a closed chapter. Because who knows, perhaps one of his
offspring will someday follow in his footsteps,” concludes Paul
Hendrix.
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