By Jenneke Smit / KWPN
Photography: Dirk Caremans et al.
The sale of foals is a topic that continues to spark debate. Each year, KWPN registers around 10,000 foals, many of which change ownership at a young age. We spoke with two jumping and two dressage breeders, each with different numbers of foals, to share their experiences, tips, and insights on the subject.
During 2025, dozens of auctions have been held in the Netherlands to help breeders sell their foals and give international buyers the opportunity to invest early in the sport and breeding horses of the future. In recent years, many of these auctions have largely moved online, including on the KWPN Auctions platform.
Introductions
A brief introduction of the breeders at the table begins with 2025 Breeder of the Year, Angèle Toonen, from Odiliapeel in Brabant. She has bred nine Grand Prix dressage horses from a relatively small mare line, including the Olympic horse Helix (Apache) ridden by Adrienne Lyle. The KWPN stallion Grand Galaxy Win (s.Apache), who competes at Intermediaire II level, also serves as a global showcase for Angèle Toonen’s breeding program. Each year, she breeds between five and ten dressage foals.
Noortje Radstake, also specializing in dressage horses, has increasingly made breeding a central part of her operation in Voorst, Gelderland, alongside her training activities. The Small Tour rider has pursued a German-oriented breeding approach, thanks to her former employer, Eugène Reesink. She has established a thriving program with, among others, Hot Shot, the dam of the successful Grand Prix horse Vamos Amigos (Vitalis), ridden by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour at WEG in Herning, and the full sister of two-time world champion Florencio (Florestan I). In recent years, Noortje and her partner have been breeding around 10 to 15 dressage foals. Recently, she was appointed by the KNHS as national coach for Team NL’s para-dressage riders.
Jumping breeders were represented at this table by the ‘small-scale breeder’ Doede de Jong from Spannum in Friesland, a former Breeding Council member, and the ‘large-scale breeder’ Erik Sleutels of Keystud from Roggel in Limburg.
Doede de Jong’s breeding program is currently in the spotlight thanks to the striking stallion Nadim Il Faut (Comme il faut), who already made a big impression last year in the final of the World Championship for six-year-olds. The passionate breeder has produced more than 60 foals in total. Erik Sleutels runs a professional jumping stud farm together with his wife Josje, where between 20 and 30 foals are born each year. His father, Piet, bred the well-known preferent sire Etoulon VDL, and their own breeding has already produced numerous international showjumpers, including top-level performers such as G&C Quick Star (Quick Star), Cleopatra (Quick Star), and Peninsula Croisette (Indoctro)...
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