Wijnand Van Stam, breeder owner of Turbo Z

'A breeder must test his findings about the lineage against the experience of the rider'

Turbo Z stood out this year in Aachen, Rotterdam, Valkenswaard and Sankt-Gallen. His big breakthrough followed at the start of the new World Cup season. Turbo Z and Kevin Jochems won the first round in Oslo and jumped the jump-off in Lyon. They even took the lead in the WB circuit. But who is the breeder and owner behind this revelation? Wijnand Van Stam, 73, entrepreneur and hobby breeder. Z Magazine went for coffee with him.

‘I have bred two horses that jumped in Aachen: Ginus and Turbo Z. There are 21 years between them. Just to say that you don't breed a Turbo every year'

Wijnand Van Stam's stables can only be reached by ferry. His accommodation looks spacious and wide, but Wijnand: 'when I moved here 43 years ago, I lived 3 kilometers from Schoonhoven, now it's only 300 meters. Everything is being built up.' They have not yet heard of the concrete stop here. Two broodmares, Bigicini (Kojak) and Digicini (Indorado), two half-sisters of Turbo Z, graze in the pasture. One gave birth to a foal by Aganix du Seigneur Z this year.

"With horses it is easier than good"

‘You see many good offspring from Aganix in the sport,’ Wijnand argues: ‘As a breeder I look at the pedigree and I link that information to the knowledge of rider Anouk De Ruijter, with whom I have several horses. I test my knowledge of breeding against her experience and insight. That's the way it is supposed to be. I can possibly breed the most beautiful papers, they have to get over it in the arena. But even with all that information you can never be sure and everyone is wrong.'

Stock mother Gicini

The stock dam of Wijnand Van Stam is Gicini (Renville x Nimmerdor). “She gave me four GP horses. To keep up with the times I would have to flush out her daughter's embryos, although I don't feel like doing that at all. My mares carry their foals.”

The first horse we see is a 27 year old pony. Small but brave, we hear. 'It is my spectator stallion, indispensable for every breeder', Wijnand knows: 'I have a few horses with my Belgian vet Bart Veldeman. We have been working together for years, there is a bond of trust, but it is my stallion who determines the time of insemination. It has often happened that I look at my stallion, then bring the mare to Bart, after which she ovulates that evening or night.'

Wijnand Van Stam's stables naturally contain several descendants of Turbo Z. And a three-year-old Aganix du Seigneur Z and his grandmother is the dam of Turbo Z. 'And now you would think, he has plenty of horses and yet I still have one bought (laughs): Thor van 't Specialleke Z (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve). A three-year-old stallion, bought as a foal in Belgium. His mother is Zini W (Ludo W x Corland) who was born with me and Ludo W comes from Gicini, the mother of Turbo Z. I really like something like that now (smiles). The resemblance is striking. Thor is just like Turbo at his age: a big skinny stallion. So you can't take that to the inspection.'

There are a few foals outside, by Turbo Z of course. And Aganix is also widely used in Turbo's mother tribe.

All the pressure on my shoulders

Van Stam's foals are weaned as late as possible, they leave the mare at the end of October. ‘I breed about five foals a year and when they are born they go to pasture as soon as possible. That is why I prefer to see my foals born at the end of April or the beginning of May. Unfortunately, grazing this year was disappointing with all that rain. So much so that I wanted to sell them all… I couldn't. Actually, I'm not busy with that and in the meantime they know that I don't sell foals. I realize that this is detrimental to the reputation of my tribe, it is true. On the other hand, I was able to sell Turbo Z's grandmother as a foal. That didn't happen in the end and that was my great luck. Otherwise we wouldn't be talking about Turbo today.

After all, I like to be busy with my foals and young horses, which I leave completely in their nature. Championships, selections and inspections are not for me. For the sake of the horses and because I also have to do it all alone. Fortunately I have good agreements and agreements with some riders and amazons such as Anouk De Ruijter who trains my horses. If they're not good enough, they leave. The better ones stay until they are 8 years old on average and are then sold. You have to sell once, although there is no rush. Not in training, not in sales. The first horse of my foundation mare Gicini was Kor II (Elmshorn), born in 1992. I sold him to Roelof Bril as a four-year-old. At the age of seven he won the Grand Prix of Vienna ahead of Hugo Simon and ET. Jumping a GP at that age is no longer allowed by law. I don't have to tell you that Kor II didn't have a long career. So you learn from that too. That's why my horses get all the time. That costs money, but a horse like Turbo is sold one day and that compensates a lot.

Some horses I have half ownership with the rider and then we talk openly when a customer presents himself. If we both feel good about it, we sell. Turbo Z is still all mine and that means all the pressure falls on my shoulders. Everyone wants Turbo to remain in Dutch hands. For the sport and for Kevin Jochems. I understand that, but why are there no Dutch investors? All responsibility is mine. Ginus also remained mine. He was 10 years old and injured himself against a stanchion in Bremen. End of career. That's how it is with horses.'

Wijnand Van Stam once had a carpentry factory where window frames were made. He sold that company to a British buyer in 1989. Today, Van Stam still has a timber trade and a company where plywood panels are painted. He is a member of the Board of Directors, and he has outsourced the day-to-day management. His priority is his horses.

Not all will be Turbos

 "Turbo jumped phenomenally in the World Cups in Oslo and Lyon, didn't it? My phone was ringing red. Has it already happened that a horse wins its very first World Cup? I do not think so. Kevin  (Jochems) is a world class rider, which of course makes a difference. And hey, luck must be on your side. In the horses, the easy is not too bad. I have bred two horses that jumped in Aachen: Ginus and Turbo Z. There are 21 years between them. Just to say that you don't breed a Turbo every year. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.'

Never ridden a horse

Wijnand Van Stam has never ridden a horse. He bought a Gelderland filly a long time ago. “I come from a farming family on my mother's side and animals have always appealed to me. That has stuck. I wanted to breed good sport horses and my first was Ginus (Renville), an approved KWPN stallion. That's the best thing I've seen in sports. Because it was also the first time that my breeding product jumped GPs. My plan was successful. As a novice breeder it is guesswork and miss. And being lucky enough to meet the right people at the right time. I have not always made the right stallion choice, fortunately I did get to know Renville and Nimmerdor.'

‘What is the right stallion choice? Anyone who knows can say so and then you will hear nothing'

How does Wijnand choose the right stallion? “I mainly look at the bloodlines. For example, I use Kincsem (Carrera VDL) because he is a grandson of my Ginus. But what is the right choice? Who knows, may say so and then you will hear nothing. In other words, I wouldn't know. Everyone does it in their own way and I have a preference for a stallion whose (grand) mothers have given jumpers. I think that is an important reference.”

Not pretty as a foal and young horse

‘Turbo was not as beautiful as a foal and a young horse. Because Turbo's mother is small, Bart Veldeman advised to use Thunder vd Zuuthoeve. And I effectively got a great model. For the same reason I have already used Taloubet Z. Turbo was not only big, he was also a weak stallion. A very normal horse actually. That's why I kept him home longer. Turbo was only brought to Michael Greeve when he was five years old. He drove Turbo for about five years and then I placed him with Kevin Jochems, ten minutes from my door.' Wijnand does not want to elaborate on that transfer.

Turbo Z is the thirteenth foal of his mare Gicini. Her first (Kor II) and last (Turbo Z) foal won a five-star GP/WB. "I couldn't predict that Turbo would do this. You won't know until they've done it.' Turbo Z was especially on the radar this year with a fourth place in the GP of Sankt Gallen and a fifth place in the GCT GP of Valkenswaard.

He jumped the Aachen Nations Cup and for Wijnand Van Stam it was not the first time he was in the stands as a breeder. My Ginus won the final of the 8 year olds with Ulrich Kirchhoff in 1996. “Your horse must be given opportunities and Kevin Jochems got those from Rob Ehrens. If you can live up to it, the train has left. Kevin and Turbo have been given opportunities and seized them. They were reserves for the Olympic Games, the European Championship and the final of the country competition in Barcelona. Then you are close to the top. And now he confirms again in the World Cups.”

It is rather a coincidence that Turbo Z and Kevin Jochems found each other. ‘I brought Turbo Z back home after his stay with Greeve and there he was, at home in his stable. I did not know Kevin Jochems. I do know Jan Vink who lives not far from here. That is how the idea arose to bring Turbo to Jan Vink and he assigned him to his rider Kevin Jochems. We've gotten to know each other and I'm glad they found each other.'

Turbo Z was once AES approved, so Wijnand can use him for his breeding. Turbo Z is not in demand outside of that. Or not yet? "Yes, although we didn't want to breed him fresh this year because he had opportunities in the sport and was on the long list for the Olympics. After his World Cup victory in Oslo, there was suddenly a question. The only thing we can offer is frozen.' It wasn't bad, Wijnand says when he looks back. He thinks that there are breeders who will never breed a Turbo Z. On the other hand, he thinks that more Turbos could have been born in his stable.