It is our pleasure to tell a small part of Gertjan van Olst’s story and his experiences with horse auctions and breeding. The Dutchman is no stranger to the world of auctions and has played an active role both as a buyer and an organizer for decades now. The latest auction Gertjan and his team organized was The Young Ones auction in February. The horses selected for this auction came from his own stables at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands, but as the horseman explains there is more than one way to gain a good horse. And he is one to know, with a large range of approved stallions and top Grand Prix horses, including reigning world champions Glamourdale and Kjento, flying the Van Olst Horses flag.
You organize several auctions a year. When did you start doing so?
“In 1999 I held my first auction, which came more or less by chance. Together with a partner, I bought a couple of horses in Germany. Buying those horses was one thing, but then they also had to be sold. We also had a stallion show coming up around that time, so the stands and the decoration were already there. So, I decided to add a few days to the show and auction off the horses. That worked out so well that we continued organizing auctions to this day. We now have a number of online auctions every year. The number of auctions rose during the corona period. I actually really like the online auctions. It gives us the opportunity to reach a large number of potential customers and provide them with as much information as possible. We have a wide reach, and it is an easy process for customers to place their bid.”
We often see the Van Olst stallions in the pedigrees of the auctioned horses. How do you select the horses?
“We organize auctions for foals as well as for young horses. The foal auctions are a service to the breeders who cover at our stallion station. Some of these breeders want to sell their foals every year, and our foal auctions are a great opportunity for that. We also buy a large number of foals ourselves every year, which all have to be selected and sold later in life. For that we have auctions like The Young Ones, the horses we auction here are our own horses whose entire history is known, providing the buyer with information they can work with. Only the better horses are selected for the auctions, because an auction is only as strong and hance successful as the quality you offer. It no longer makes sense to auction normal horses, you have to find another outlet for them.”
You not only auction horses yourself, but also bought stallions like Secret Lover and O’Frederic in German auctions last year. Do auctions have your preference?
“I have always bought horses at auctions, both at foal auctions and the auctions for young stallions. Around the stallion selections, I keep my eyes and ears open for interesting stallions that can add something to our stallion station. These auctions are a great place to see a large number of stallions together and to gather a lot of information. That is also why I think it is very important that extensive health data is made available.”
We know you as a breeder, a stallion owner and you have a successful sport stable. How do you combine all those facets in one business?
“The most important thing: getting up early in the morning and carrying on seven days a week. I love doing it all. Breeding, the stallion stud and the sport all have my full commitment. After The Young Ones auction in February, I’ve been busy at the NRPS Stallion Selection, where our Glamourdale son Promes was approved. In the same week, Zangersheide approved Asca Z son Archie T Z. We co-owned this stallion with the breeder, but he was auctioned after the inspection. In between, I visited breeders for breeding advice and trained sport horses. All these things I do with love and really enjoy every facet of it. In the end it is the stallion choices the breeders make that are at the core of the horses you aim to produce; that top Grand Prix horse originates from the knowledge you gain and share and the people that choose to breed with Van Olst stallions and you have to value them.”
Your sport stable is filled with Grand Prix horses, how do you select the horses for and how are they trained?
“I always look at the complete picture. A horse must have the capacities, but also be mentally and health-wise strong enough to cope with the task ahead. He needs to be able to give 100% in the ring and perform all exercises easily. A good walk, trot and canter are no longer enough. Talent for piaffe and passage is also part of it. For the market, it is also very important that a horse has the right looks and charisma. We prefer to sell horses that can perform at the highest level or are already doing so.”
“For me, it is essential that you handle the education and training of the horse with intelligence. You should always try to assess the physical condition of the horse as well as possible, so you don’t ask to much of them. We try to time everything well and give the horses as much time as they need. Some horses mature late, it’s important that as a rider you acknowledge that and act accordingly.”
The Van Olst horses have been unprecedentedly successful with your rider Charlotte Fry in the saddle and your wife Anne as trainer. Glamourdale became world champion at the highest-level last year and Kjento earned that title in the 7-year-olds category. How do you look back on this and what is the secret behind this success?
“I think it is a combination of teamwork and continuing to believe in what you are doing. Anne and Lottie are busy educating and training the horses. But everyone around them, such as the grooms, vet, physio and farriers, are also highly involved. The whole picture is important and that is ultimately the secret behind everything. With that, I think it is very important that you always keep believing in your team and your horses. And cherish the special moments, like the performance that Lottie and Glamourdale gave at the World Championships in Herning last year. It evoked such an amazing response from the audience, it really moved people and us. That a horse and rider can do something like that is truly very very special.”
In collaboration with Gertjan, we are offering our readers the chance to find the best auction horses on Barnbridge with a 50% discount on a membership. Enter vanolst50 at the sign-up process to claim your offer. The discount code is valid until May 15, 2023.
