Partner in the picture: Agterberg bv

Over the years, Foal Auction Prinsjesdag has not only built up a large network of buyers and entrants, the auction has also entered into a successful alliance with a select group of business partners. One of the partners from the very beginning is Agterberg bv. This company is known worldwide for its exceptional class equestrian surfaces.

Ton Agterberg is one of the faces of Agterberg bv. Together with his brother Frank, he is a owner-manager in the contracting company that specializes in sports surfaces, large-scale landscaping, ground, road and hydraulic engineering and events and calamities. The third generation is now joining the family business, which employs about 180 people. “Our company has both feet in the world of equestrian sport. That is why we are happy to support an event such as Foal Auction Prinsjesdag. We have been an official partner for about five years now. Before that, we already provided the soil for the auction at the KNHS center.”

Agterberg bottom, a household name in horse country
Hearing the name Agterberg rings a bell with many equestrian enthusiasts. The company is responsible for the soils at international equestrian events such as CHIO Rotterdam, Jumping Amsterdam, Outdoor Gelderland and CHIO Aachen. Not only equestrian sport is an expertise of the company. The football fields of PSV, Vitesse, Papendal and the KNVB center are also maintained by Agterberg.

Agterberg inherited the love for equestrian sport from home. “We used to have a pony riding school at home and we did a bit of breeding. Our parents had six children and they all wanted to ride, so we ended up in equestrian sport. My father always cared for the bottoms for the Veemarkt in Utrecht, the UTV. This is where the foundation was laid for the current core activity equestrian bottoms†

Professionalization
Agterberg closely follows developments in the equestrian world. “The sport is changing at a rapid pace. If you see what is happening in Aachen now, it is very different from 20 years ago. There is much more thought about everything than before. Good breeding is the basis of good sports performance. Competitions are becoming more and more technical. And the management around the horses is highly professionalized. You can also see a big difference in the soils compared to then. Our bottoms remain stable yet resilient. It is our goal to let the horses perform as well as possible. Certainly on a grass track like the one in Aachen, that is quite a job. We have made it as optimal as possible with a special mix of sandy soil and grass.

The quality of Agterberg does not go unnoticed by stable owners. “In the meantime, we have also built the first professional grass slopes in the Netherlands. Jan Vink of Stoeterij Blackhorses and De Peelberg had the scoop. We have a broad company, think in solutions and never say 'no'. Nothing is too crazy for us. You have to think ahead. Just like in breeding. That is our strength and that means that Agterberg and Foal Auction Prinsjesdag complement each other well.”