The first stallion at the stud was Uebergabe de Lauzelle, the then still young stallion who jumped internationally with Eric Wauters and was eventually sold to Brazil.

The stallion that left his mark on the BWP studbook in the eighties and despite his death even in the nineties was Lugano van La Roche. Posthumously he has topped the ranking of the best breeding sires of the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses.

Lugano's arrival at Studfarm de Breemeersen in 1980 also ushered in the era of AI in horses. Because this was practically not done in Belgium, we then initially appealed to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University. This collaboration has also resulted in the first European foal born from a frozen embryo (it was called Keep it Cool ET van de Breemeersen).



Article from the magazine "Landbouwleven" March 2002

25 years of De Breemeersen Stud

A conversation at the Brondeel house

Going to sleep with horses. And get up again with horses. Riding horses have established themselves in the heads of the couple Jef Brondeel and Jo Vettenburg. At first horse riding and breeding was a hobby, then it became their profession. Many dream of such a turn but one must dare to do it! Jef and Jo have done everything for it, put everything aside for it without however being blind to what is next or above it. Their life's work "Studfarm De Breemeersen" is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.

"De Breemeersen", a beautiful name, ancient Flemish, it tingles with e-sounds, it sounds with echo, the echo of the low land. Deep through the hinterland past the Nevele exit of the E40 I drive to the Brondeel house. The landscape offers little guidance, that is, a wet potpourri of corn stubble and winter grass intersected with rows of pollard willows. At a crossroads near a lonely farm I hesitated for a moment. To the left in the distance I see the silhouette of the riding hall and the house with a clock on the ridge. On arrival they are busy giving the gates of the riding school a makeover. Jef is in his early fifties, the crown shines through the hair and the legs curve somewhat as a result of a few serious taps they had to deal with. The smile before and after the greeting betrays the wisdom gained in and around the horse world. Breemeersen has become a household name now that it has been involved in warmblood breeding for 25 years.

A start with pioneering spirit

 'The surrender to the horses became complete when we bought Uebergabe in the summer of 1976' says Jo. At the beginning of December the BWP approved the stallion and 1977 became the first breeding year at De Breemeersen! The business grew. In 1980 Goya (Goya x Duktus) entered the station. Back then, the stallions were still traveling. From 1981, with the arrival of Lugano van Laroche, the stallion business took a turn. Not only was the driving around with the stallions stopped, but a switch was also made to artificial insemination. Typical of De Breemeersen's entrepreneurship was that they took the lead in the field of new reproduction techniques together with Dr Spincemaille. Use the figurehead Lugano, bought at the age of 17, via AI! For the average breeder it was a revolution. Breemeersen was also among the pioneers with embryo transplantation and the use of frozen semen from renowned stallions. The stallion Nativio xx was the answer to the demand for thoroughbred within warm blood breeding. No assignment, but making an effort of your own will to offer the best under intensive veterinary supervision in a successful manner! Especially no boasting, no in their way with system striving for high pregnancy scores. That's how it worked at De Breemeersen. In addition, they were not afraid to invest in accommodation and especially in new stallions and sometimes also in mare material. Fresh blood arrived at the stud farm with great regularity. Usually, with a few exceptions, the new acquisitions came from Hanover.

The struggle for survival

 'Only an idealist can survive as a professional stallion owner', says Jef. You have to be able to take a beating, otherwise you will submerge yourself in the turbulent whirlpool of the equestrian scene. In those events you can see the eternally unfolding battle between stallion owners and breeders, between exterior and sport aptitude, between proven stallions and the young lions. Jef is not only a stallion owner, but also a convinced and sometimes stubborn breeder. He dares to stick his head out in studbook work, even if he has to go against the grain. A studbook should maintain an appealing correct exterior and rideability without compromise, he believes. Because of the consistent attention to these points, he has a strong appreciation for the Hanoverian Studbook. He confesses that excessive and inappropriate use of dressage stallions has made unfortunate problems there. Brondeel is about the only remaining stallion owner here who still has undamaged faith in the Hanoverian Springpferdezucht. The price he paid for this stubbornness was sometimes high. Sacramento (Sandro x Werther), a Hanover-approved and strong jumping stallion, for example, was not approved by the BWP. Brondeel considers this to be one of his biggest disappointments.

The fruits of the effort

There are currently three older stallions at stud at De Breemeersen: Hardi, Gottwald and Granusso. In addition, two newcomers were selected for the riding tests during the BWP stallion inspection last January. 'Grannusso's descendants are still a bit young for great sports performances, but in the meantime they are doing great at the prize camps', Jef continues. He tells with visible pleasure that Gottwald makes such successful sport horses. Several of his descendants are already competing at an international level. Commercially, Gottwald did an excellent job for De Breemeersen. Several of its products were sold abroad. "My own breeding is important in the business operations" explains Jef. If things go less well with the stallion business, I can earn back a bit by rearing and marketing my own foals or possibly bought from customers. Having products from a stallion that is well marketed is a real competitive advantage. Due to my breeding and a bit of trade, I don't have all my eggs in the hive of the stallion farm. This risk spreading provides a better income guarantee. "That is necessary, after all I have to live on it with my family," he continues. Breemeersen still has two candidate stallions in the running at the riding tests on Saturday 23 March: Escuro (Escudo II x Raphael) and Valco (Gottwald x Furioso). According to Jef they are two worthy young stallions. In Escuro, bought last fall at the Verdener inspection where he was an eye-catcher by the way, he has exceptional confidence and high expectations. "A fine stallion with excellent pedigree and a beautiful model that evolves fantastically under saddle" Jef clarifies his thesis. Despite some critical voices he continues to believe in Valco as well. He will sell his skin dearly, Jef thinks.

Sport and the future

Breemeersen has always had something to do with sport. Eric Wauters and Grant Wilson brought the stallions Uebergabe and Gottwald to international show jumping competitions. Lode and Donaat Brondeel are regularly found in the front of the results with Breemeersen products. Sport is of paramount importance at De Breemeersen. Jef thinks good contact with top riders is excellent, but he does not want to be in a position of dependence. He believes there must be a healthy balance between owner and rider. If the balance is tipping, there can be no continuity and that is what it is all about in a company. The whole family, Mom and Dad plus four sons, is working to move the cause forward. In addition, Jo Jef and now increasingly Maarten focus mainly on organizational, logistical and administrative tasks, while Lode and Donaat and sometimes Ruben take care of the driving. Nothing has yet been decided on succession. What Jef and Jo certainly do not want is that if one of the children takes over the company, it would be a millstone around his neck. "The sons get a fair chance and it is good that they study first, afterwards we will see if there is sufficient motivation and love for the craft" says Jef. In the meantime, the Breemeersen team will be hosting an anniversary show on Sunday 31 March. We look forward to it and wish Jef and Jo every success: Breemeersen will let your champions shine again and you dear reader make sure you are there you are very welcome.

E. Van Muylem