239 L’Année Hippique Symbolic for Team Philippaerts. Where the knowledge/ experience, horsemanship and talent of Ludo, is complemented by that of the younger generation. Ludo: I am indeed still often the point of contact but I would like to divide the tasks towards the future. I usually do the buying of the horses. The intention is for Nicola and Olivier to become more and more involved in sales. I am less and less involved with their show jumping and training. Thibault started in the company this year, he limits himself mainly to riding horses, but as far as I am concerned he can also get a little more involved in the business. Talent Ludo: I focused on breeding for a while. But in the last five years we have greatly reduced breeding and focused much more on six- and seven-year-old show jumpers. At the moment, for example, we have 33 (!) talented seven-year-olds and 28 (!) sixyear-old horses in our stables. That is a conscious choice because we cannot do everything. And breed. And buy and train talented horses. And ride all those big competitions. We had to make choices and if you do something, you have to do it well and focused. We chose for the young and talented horses. Because we are strong in that part. Doubled Ludo: After all, there is always buying, selling and scouting to be done. Anthony is currently still in an apprenticeship with Emile Hendrickx. On the one hand to ride, but on the other already to learn the ins and outs of the business. It is good that he knows how things work at another stable. We are soon going to expand considerably and from the moment that is completed, the tasks will probably be divided even more. Stables and an indoor arena will be added. That’s really necessary to keep up with the evolution in our business. It is gradually becoming too small here. In the last three or four years we have almost doubled the number of horses.
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