COURTESY ROLEX
PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER LLEWELLYN; ROLEX

Emile Hendrix, co-owner of Stal Hendrix, earned his notoriety as an international showjumping rider and now passes on the passion and entrepreneurship for horses as a trainer for riders from around the world. Today, Emile’s brother, Paul, is at the helm of their breeding enterprise, including a stallion station created in 2012, at its Kessel location in the Netherlands.

◆ How would you sum up the philosophy that guides Stal Hendrix in breeding and producing top sport horses?
The breeding side of the operation is handled by my brother, Paul, who is deeply involved and has a real passion for it. As it becomes increasingly difficult to buy into the sport horse market, we continue to scout actively, as well. In Paul’s breeding programme, we aim to produce exceptional horses as foals, yearlings, and two-year-olds, and then develop the very best as three-year-olds for the top of the sport. When we give lectures or host visitors at Stal Hendrix, we like to say that our philosophy is to combine the highest standards of scouting and breeding with delivering those horses to the world’s top owners and riders.
◆ With horses like Leone Jei and Dynastie de Beaufour in your stable’s history, what qualities signal that a young horse can reach Grand Prix level?
Firstly, the horse needs to have the right attitude and talent. One thing we’ve realised is that when you believe you have a special horse, the only way to help it reach the pinnacle – the top Grands Prix and the Rolex Grand Slam shows – is to match it with the best riders in the world. With our decades of experience, we know that a top horse for a top rider is very rarely a top horse for an amateur, and vice versa – this is where we have to be honest and realistic.
At Stal Hendrix, we aim to make the difference and always try to sell the best to the best. Of course, we're a business and we have to make a living, but ultimately, we are horse lovers, so seeing horses such as Leone Jei (Baltic VDL - Mom’s Dara x Corland), Dynastie de Beaufour (Diamant de Semilly - Sophia di San Giovanni x Cassini I), and Tres Bien Z (Toulon - Hermiona de La Pomme x Nabab de Reve) achieve greatness at the very top of the sport, this is what gives us the greatest satisfaction.
◆ What makes a horse capable of handling the unique demands of the four Rolex Grand Slam Majors – ’s-Hertogenbosch, Aachen, Spruce Meadows, and Geneva?
Today, with so many competitions on the calendar, great horsemanship is more important than ever, including meticulous planning and management of the horse. For a horse to compete at this level, it must have the necessary skills – and those skills must be paired with a world-class rider. These two fundamental elements create the ultimate package necessary for a horse to achieve results in the Rolex Majors. For me, the Rolex Grand Slam is the cherry on the cake. Aachen is the Wimbledon of show jumping – nothing compares; Spruce Meadows is unique and in a league of its own; Geneva is the best indoor show in the world with a fantastic atmosphere; and The Dutch Masters' organisers consistently deliver a class horse show. Every detail of these events is perfect, which is what makes them, and the Rolex Grand Slam, unique and the very best...

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