Sjef Versleijen (Challenge) Breeder of the Year

At the Central Stallion Show 2022 in Ermelo, Sjef Versleijen of Stal Challenge has been honored as Breeder of the Year. Sjef and his wife Frieda are on vacation in Tenerife, so good friend John Lambers filmed the ceremony.

Sjef Versleijen emails, “We were lying on the beach relaxing when an app came in from our friend John Lambers. Text: Sjef and Frieda: Congratulations! With a video attached. I said to Frieda: Hey, we don't have a stallion at the inspection. Then opened the movie and we didn't know what we saw. Piet and Rhodé in the picture with a wonderful story about our breeding. Really a complete surprise!”

“We are the third breeder of the year after Piet Steeghs and Hub Kuijpers from Oirlo. A village with only 1,100 inhabitants. Apparently we have good Welshpony ground here!”

Section A breeding

Versleijen has been competing at the top of Dutch Section A breeding with his Challenge ponies for years.

Sjef Versleijen attended the shows with his father, who bred B's as a young boy. His interest then was already more towards section A. With Frieda he started Welsh A breeding around 1999-2000.

Vechtzicht and Springbourne

Versleijen often came out to Vechtzicht and Springbourne-bred ponies, and with the purchase of several ponies from these bloodlines, he began to build his breeding farm. This is how Vechtzicht's Caroline, who won the title best three-year-old to her name, came to Challenge stable. She gave the keur mare Challenge Cymbol and the star mare Challenge Countess, among others.

Another foundation mare was the mare Springbourne Patience who provided as many as nine offspring at Challenge stud, including the keur mare Challenge Panamera and the second viewing stallion Challenge Premium.

Champions

Both mares have been very influential in the breeding of Stal Challenge and the offspring managed to win many predicates and (day) championships so far.