The Showjumping Fund of the Netherlands (SFN) Auction will take place on September 21, 2016.
All six horses currently under its ownership, including SFN Zenith N.O.P. – Jeroen Dubbeldam’s World and European Championship mount – will go up for sale via an internet auction operated by BVA Auctions in The Netherlands.
Formerly known as Springpaarden Fonds Nederland, the SFN was created in 2006. The uniquely structured syndicate group was the brainchild of Dutch equestrian journalist Jacob Melissen.
It was Jacob’s initial vision to create a financial fund, open to Dutch equestrian fans, who wanted to invest in keeping some of the finest Dutch-bred horses on home soil and made available to Dutch riders. Uniquely, five of Holland’s leading horse dealers, Emile Hendrix, Willy van der Ham, Egbert Schep, Teus van den Brink and Johan Heins advise the SFN Board on the horses the Fund should purchase and which riders they should be given to. Only when all five agree unanimously will an investment go ahead.
The SFN has been closely responsible for an unparalleled period of Dutch success both at team and individual level. Its strategy has achieved exceptional results, not only through the world class SFN Zenith N.O.P., who will be the highest profile lot offered at the September sale, but also Aquila SFN. Under Wout Jan van der Schans, Aquila SFN jumped one of only two double clears in the 2015 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Dublin and again at the 2016 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in La Baule, also winning the 3* Grand Prix in Luxembourg earlier this month.
Another former star of the SFN, Utascha SFN who was sold in December 2013, competed at the FEI World Equestrian Games and two FEI European Championships, as well as numerous Furusiyya FEI Nations Cups.
Discussing the sale, Henk Rottinghuis, the President of the SFN Board, said, “The first SFN has been hugely successful and has not only contributed towards an unprecedented period of success for The Netherlands in the sport of show jumping, but has also given the original investors a great deal of emotional pleasure in supporting the horse and rider combinations. We thank everyone involved in the SFN for their support and commitment over the last ten years, and we hope to reward them with a good financial return from the auction.”
He continued, “The original SFN always had a lifespan of 10 years and the Board has been focussed on ensuring that the investors received a significant financial return. It is this approach, managed in partnership with Van Lanschot Bank that has allowed us to launch SFN II, which will be open to investors from around the world, and which we hope will enjoy equal success and support for the sport in The Netherlands.”The horses in the auction will be:
SFN Zenith N.O.P., an impeccably bred 12-year-old, a son of Rash R, out of a Jalisco B line mare, has surpassed the expectations of the SFN, who acquired the gelding as a seven-year-old. SFN Zenith N.O.P. and Jeroen Dubbeldam have been regulars on the 5* Grand Prix circuit in recent years, with highlights including team and individual gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Caen 2014, team and individual gold at the FEI European Championships in Aachen in 2015, and team gold at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, also in 2014.
Another 5* horse to be offered up for sale is the 10-year-old gelding Aquila SNF, who with Wout-Jan van der Schans, has represented Holland in Nations Cup teams, most notably when one of only two combinations to jump double clear in Dublin in 2015 and in La Baule in 2016. Aquila SNF was the recent winner of the 3* Grand Prix at CSI Luxemburg in early June, again as one of only two to jump double clear.
SFN Zenith N.O.P. and Aquila SFN will be aimed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro before entering the sales ring in the autumn, with both making the longlist announced earlier this week.
Chuck Blue SFN will be offered from the stable of Emile Hendrix, where he is currently ridden by Niels Knape. A nine-year-old gelding, with world class breeding, Chuck Blue SFN has been competing in 1.40m classes with continued success.
Djumpsina SFN, an eight-year-old daughter of Zurich, moved to the yard of Gerco Schröder at the end of 2015 following a successful career to date in the Dutch young horse classes. Gerco will bring the mare on over the summer, giving her valuable competition experience before she goes up for auction.
Another to achieve great success in the young horse classes is Eloma’s Blue SFN, who under Wout-Jan van der Schans was joint winner of the KWPN six-year-old championships in 2015, finishing sixth in the World Championships six-year old final in Lanaken. The seven-year-old stallion has a promising future and will continue to progress through the age class ranks in 2016.
Similarly, Ferrari SFN, the youngest horse to be offered for sale within the SFN consignment, will continue to train on in 2016 under Hester Klompmaker. The six-year-old stallion, by Argentinus stallion Thunder van de Zuuthoeve, is full of promise and an exciting prospect for the future.
The horses can be purchased by auction, both on location at BVA Auctions in Amersfoort, The Netherlands, or online, on Wednesday 21st September, 2016. The decision to sell the horses through BVA Auctions was due to their experience in the sport following the successful sale of Eurocommerce Stables’ consignment in 2014, which included Olympic silver medalist, London.
For further details on all horses due to feature in the sale, please visit www.sfnauction.com or follow @SFNAuction
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