“Sometimes you are lucky in life, you don't see so many horses of this kind”

Buyer/owner: Lens and Berna Nekeman

1. Why did Boston appeal to you at the time at the auction?
“It was pure emotion! He noticed us at the first presentation, then we went to have a look in the stable and then we thought: We want to see it grow up! During the auction itself, he continued to perform fantastically, even during the bidding! It was quite exciting, but we just wanted it, so you keep bidding.”

2. How was Boston's education?
“As a 2.5-year-old Boston came home after rearing and my daughter Denise trained him together with our stable rider. She rode the Pavo Cup with him as a four-year-old. How impressive he was then! We were invited to the World Championships for Young Horses. Denise had exams at school and then we asked Hans Peter Minderhoud to drive him. At the World Championships for Young Horses he showed himself fantastic, he came out of the ring piaffering and everyone was on the benches. That was a special moment. Hans Peter has done both the World Championships for the five- and six-year-olds and then Denise took him over again. Within a year and a half they achieved team silver at the European Young Riders Championship and all other successes followed. They still train weekly with Hans Peter and last month became Dutch champion at the Grand Prix U25 in Ermelo.”

3. Did Boston live up to your expectations?
“We are very pleased with Boston's development and performance to date. However, he is still developing and our expectations of him are much higher. He gives a lot of confidence. Boston has been more than worth his money as a foal in relation to what he is worth now!”

4. What is the most beautiful thing you have experienced with Boston?
“It's just beautiful! Sometimes you have to be lucky in life and we have that with Boston. You don't see so many horses of this kind. The National Championships, the European Championships and the World Cups are great, but the best thing is that he has never been sick, weak or nauseous and has never been injured.”

5. Do you have a special bond with Boston?
“Every evening at 11 p.m. we walk through the stable and Boston gets its last portion of food. He always demands our special attention. And that emotion that we already had at the auction is still there. As soon as he comes in the ring you see him looking, where's the party? We still get goosebumps watching Boston walk!”

6. What are other people saying about Boston?
“We are not the only ones with goosebumps. He is a special eye-catcher. You often hear oohs and ahs in the stands when Boston is in the ring. We love to see our own emotion in other people when Boston walks.”

7. Why do you advise people to buy a foal at the Foal Auction Prinsjesdag?
“First of all, we like to be in control of the entire development and training of a horse from the foal. Furthermore, the best horses as three or four year olds are no longer for sale or they have become unaffordable. Finding good foals yourself is not easy; after all, everyone is looking for the best. At the Foal Auction Prinsjesdag, the pre-selection of the foals on the basis of health and potential has already been done for us. Of course you can always have bad luck in the development of the horse, but that is your own bad luck. With older horses, problems can always be concealed when purchasing or you can be cheated in another way. We are not bothered by that this way.

Even with a limited budget you can buy horses at the auction, which later become champions. Just look at the 2011 stallion selection champion Diebrecht (by Zizi Top), who was bought at an auction for 7,500 euros. We bought our very first foal at the Prinsjesdag auction in 2004, this was the Samba Hit mare Zamba Dream.

We have now bought seven elite mares through the foal auctions and have bred about 50 foals ourselves, but now and then we buy some at the auction to keep a balanced number. Furthermore, the auction is always a great party! We just sometimes have trouble staying on our hands.”

Click HERE for the nice interview with rider Denise Nekeman.

Click HERE for the instructive interview with breeder Jan Temmink.