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The Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection returns to the Brussels Stephex Masters on Friday night, bringing ten carefully selected foals to the Grand Place Arena.
When the final horse has left the Grand Place Arena on Friday evening, the spotlight will shift from today’s sport to tomorrow’s potential. At 10 PM, the Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection Auction takes centre stage at the Brussels Stephex Masters, with ten foals set to go under the hammer.
This year’s collection brings together ten 2026-born foals, combining some familiar names among modern jumping sires with dam lines that have already proven their value in sport and breeding. Cornet Obolensky, Casallco, Mosito van het Hellehof, Hardrock Z, Baltic VDL, Vagabond de la Pomme and Cascadello I all feature in the pedigrees. On the dam side, names including Jasmien vd Bisschop, Soory de l’Hallali, Jeunesse van ’t Paradijs, Fragile van ’t Paradijs and Catokia 2 underline the sporting background behind the collection.
Among the ten lots are, for example, Casamigos Pommex Z, a Cornet Obolensky son out of Jasmien vd Bisschop; Crazy In Love Pommex Z, by Casallco out of Jeunesse van ’t Paradijs; and Hoorah Pommex Z, a Hardrock Z daughter out of Soory de l’Hallali. But pedigrees on paper are only part of the story.
Behind the 2026 collection
Ahead of Friday night’s auction, we caught up with Tom Kerkhofs to find out more about the thinking behind this year’s Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection.
With just ten foals, the collection is deliberately kept compact. For Kerkhofs, the number itself is not what matters.
“We don’t want to make the collection bigger simply for the sake of having more horses,” he explains. “The most important thing is that we really believe in every foal we present. We prefer a smaller collection with extreme quality throughout.”
Pedigree naturally plays a major role in that selection, but it cannot be the only deciding factor.
“Of course we start with the bloodlines, because we want proven families behind these foals. But then you still have to look at the individual foal: the type, the movement and the overall impression.”
The strength starts with the mares
The maternal side is particularly important within the Pommex breeding programme, and this year’s catalogue once again includes several mares whose names are closely linked to top-level sport.
“For us, the mare line is extremely important,” says Kerkhofs. “We work with mares that have either proven themselves in the sport or come from families that have produced horses at the highest level. Then you try to find the stallion that suits that mare and can add something to the combination.”
One example is Jasmien vd Bisschop, dam of Casamigos Pommex Z. The former partner of Daniel Deusser competed successfully at the highest level, including at 1.60m level.
Jeunesse van ’t Paradijs is another mare whose offspring continue to return in the Stephex exclusive breeding collection. Her daughter Unlimited Pommex Z topped the 2025 auction at €180,000, and this year Jeunesse is represented by Crazy In Love Pommex Z, a filly by Casallco.
“Those are families we know very well,” Kerkhofs continues. “When you see offspring from the same mares and families coming back and developing well, that obviously gives you confidence in what you are breeding.”
The same applies to Kracotte Z, dam of this year’s Mojito Pommex Z, by Mosito van het Hellehof. Her offspring have already attracted attention in previous auctions, including Hohneck Pommex Z, who topped the 2024 edition.
From the auction ring to the sport
For the Pommex team, the real measure of a breeding programme does not come on auction night alone. The first generations from earlier editions are now old enough to begin proving themselves under saddle.
“That is ultimately what you want to see,” says Kerkhofs. “Selling a foal well is nice, of course, but the real satisfaction comes a few years later when those horses start performing in the sport. Then you know that the choices you made in breeding and selection are starting to pay off.”
Horses including Eastcoast Pommex Z and Ciamant, formerly Copernic Pommex Z, are already producing impressive international results, while Windsor Pommex Z recently became Belgian Champion among the four-year-olds.
For Kerkhofs, results like those are particularly valuable. “It is still early, because the horses from the first collections are young, but seeing them come through is very rewarding. Hopefully there are several horses in this year’s collection that we will be talking about again in a few years’ time.”
One night to discover the next generation
Friday evening will offer potential buyers the chance to see those ten prospects away from the photos, videos and pedigree pages.
“You can study everything online beforehand, and that is important, but seeing a foal live always gives you something extra,” Kerkhofs says. “You see how they move, how they present themselves and what kind of impression they make when they come into the arena.”
The Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection Auction starts at 10 PM on Friday 28 August, after the final competition in the Grand Place Arena. The auction can be followed live at the Brussels Stephex Masters and online.
For more information and online bidding click here.
