Poland - In 1995, Vim van Dongen founded the Eurostud Farm in the north of Poland, close to the Baltic Sea coast. He leased a vast number of hectares in order to raise young horses sent by Dutch breeders.
Currently, this Polish pastureland is supporting some 480 horses from the Netherlands. Before he moved, Vim van dongen had been involved with horses for many years in a variety of ways in Holland.
Q How did you become involved with horses?
My family had a small farm, and my father was a horse breeder himself. He used them both for working in the fields and also in sport. I learned to ride when I was eight-years old, and when I was 20 I started buying horses on my own account and with the accompanying risks. I used to buy young horses, train them, compete with them, and then sell them.
Q In what type of competition did you take part - dressage or showjumping?
Both. At that time, in the south of Holland, at local shows, the dressage classes were held during the morning, while showjumping took place in the afternoon. I competed in both, but preferred jumping, where I reached 1m30-1m40 level. I was an active rider until the age of 28 but started to breed horses three years earlier.
Q It appears that you were a horse dealer rather than a breeder?
Yes. During those years (1960-1980) I bought and sold around 4,600 horses, including some 1,000 ponies. In 1984 I founded a stallion station at Wagenberg, which I kept for 11 years until 1995, when I began the business in Poland. During that time I kept between three and four stallions each season.