Nimmerdor Kwpn stallion origins
His name resonates with respect and admiration in the equestrian world. Born in 1972 from a combination of fine blood: Farn x Koridon XX x Senator. Nimmerdor this imposing Kwpn stallion, 168 cm tall and of an intense bay color, was bred by J.A. Dijkstra in the northern region of the Netherlands, a place known for its tradition of breeding high-quality horses.
Dam
Nimmerdor’s dam, Ramonaa, was a daughter of the thoroughbred Koridon, a highly talented horse who had excelled in show jumping, reaching the 120 cm category. Known for her elegance and temperament, Ramonaa gave birth to only one foal: the future champion Nimmerdor. Koridon, Nimmerdor’s maternal grandsire, boasts a curriculum of 96 races and 23 wins. This extraordinary stallion was not accepted for Warmblood breeding until he was 13 years old, he produced many show jumping horses. His most famous descendant was The Saint, ridden by Jan Maathuis.
The sire
Nimmerdor’s sire is the renowned stallion ‘keur’ Farn, born in 1959 (Fax I x Monarch x Meisterlaeufer II). Farn is described as, “Slightly unharmonious stallion with good head carriage. Slightly ‘downhill’ built, good shoulder, flat back, heavily padded loin. Heavy bone, weak metacarpals.’
Nevertheless, he impressed the Dutch visitors, the NWP committee members who bought him, hoping his daughters would improve Dutch breeding. And eventually he became one of the great stallions of the Dutch Warmbloods.
Nimmerdor and Wiepke
The story of Nimmerdor’s purchase is fascinating. Wiepke van de Lageweg, a cattle dealer with a growing passion for horses, decided to invest 25,000 guilders to acquire this young Kwpn stallion during an exhibition. This investment not only changed his life, making him one of the most important breeders of stallions , but also sealed the beginning of a special bond between him and Nimmerdor.
Wiepke tells
“In 1975, I took my first stallion found in the Holstein to a selection in Zuidlaren. Unfortunately, he was not up to the mark and did not make it past the second round. So, I decided to sit in the stands until I saw the best stallion in the competition. When Nimmerdor entered the ring, I was immediately impressed; he was just the kind of horse I was looking for: athletic, young and with a good head. I didn’t know anyone in the equine world at the time, so I contacted the breeder present at the selection, but Nimmerdor was not available for sale.”
“It was a Saturday night. On Monday night I went to the breeder’s house. He reiterated that Nimmerdor was not for sale, but he showed me mother Ramonaa and grandmother Friedhilde II in their stables. The mother was really gorgeous and I liked the grandmother as well, although she was of a heavier type. The breeder asked if I would like to have coffee, and from that point things began to improve. Eventually, he said he would only sell Nimmerdor for ‘a large amount of money.’ So, I got up, went into the hallway and told him that he should discuss the matter with his wife and let me know when I could come back.”
“Then he revealed the price. It was really a lot of money for a still unapproved stallion, but I wanted him. I had to buy Nimmerdor!” eventually purchased him at age 3.
Career
In 1975, Nimmerdor stood out during the performance test, showing exceptional jumping potential, but he needed an experienced rider to handle his lively and rebellious temperament. He began his jumping career with Bert Romp, achieving international success with Albert Voorn. Nimmerdor trod the fields of prestigious competitions such as Berlin, Paris, Gothenburg, Dortmund and London, and was even selected for the Los Angeles Olympics. However, his owner decided to concentrate on breeding activities, thus forgoing participation in the event.
Albert Voorn often expresses nostalgia for what he could have accomplished if he had Nimmerdor with the experience he has today; at the time, he was only at the beginning of his career and therefore inexperienced.
Sons of relevance
Nimmerdor’s contribution to equine reproduction has been astonishing. Among his most famous descendants are Heartbreaker, grandson of Silvano and founder of his own dynasty, Ahorn, grandson of Ladykiller XX, and Avenir of San Patrignano 160jump.
His influence is not limited to jumping: his sons also excelled in dressage, with champions such as Consul and Glendale, the latter being Totilas‘ maternal grandfather.
And then Jaywalker and Amethist, a stallion who sired Jazzman.
Several of Nimmerdor’s daughters have produced successful bloodlines, helping to further elevate the prestige of his name: Barones, who competed in jumps up to 150 cm and produced several approved sons, such as Freestyle Vd Wolfsakker in 2005 and Homer de Muze in 2007; Gancia de Muze, born in 2006, jumped with Niels Bruynseels in the 170 cm category. Other notable offspring include Dhelia, who sired Quality Boy, and Zancara, who produced such approved stallions as Great Pleasure, Montreal Vdl, Pessoa Vdl and Babalu Vdl.
Awards
Nimmerdor was a lifelong resident of Wiepke van de Lageweg’s VDL stud farm, obtaining stud licenses in various equine registries such as Holstein, Kwpn, Sf. In 2000 he was elected “stallion of the 20th century” in the Netherlands, and acquired the title Preferent. A recognition that underscores his lasting impact on horse breeding.
The end of a long life
In March 1999 he stopped breeding, and his journey ended peacefully on April 26, 2003, at the age of 31.
This unforgettable stallion Kwpn reminds us that: Nimmerdor is not just a name, but a symbol of excellence in horse breeding; his legacy lives on through his many descendants.
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