People sometimes forget that you’re not only working in the horse industry, you also have a fruit company. How do you manage to combine the two companies? Would you say the horse industry is more important for you?
Wouter: No, for me the horses aren’t more important than the fruit company. The fruit is and remains a very important part of our business. The horses of course ask a lot of our time and because of that we have to engage ourselves and make sure all tasks are well divided. We’re really a family business and everybody works together to keep things going. Both me and my wife as well as Pieter and his wife (Caroline Poels) work in our company. Me and my wife spend about 80% of our time in the fruit company, the remaining 20% procent we spend with the horses. For Pieter it’s the other way around. Caroline is only occupied with the horses, she is our ‘stable manager’. She divides the work and makes sure that our grooms know when they have to do what.
Pieter: Of course it isn’t easy to combine the two companies. Us combining the fruit company and the stable, is only possible because we work well together. We’re a good team, as Wouter already said. We’re a real family and that makes it possible to run the companies. Wouter already stated that he and his wife Marie focus especially on the fruit company and that my wife Caroline is our stable manager. I’m only commercially active in the trading part of the fruit company. This way of working makes it possible for me to focus especially on the horses. I’m very happy with how things work right now and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m not forced to sell my horses quickly either, what makes it possible to work with them in the long run. I’m able to plan everything further in the future. Obviously sometimes we have to sell some horses because we want the horse company to maintain itself. Without selling that wouldn’t be possible.
How is the atmosphere in the stable? How do you get along in the stables?
Pieter: The atmosphere in the stables is very good. Both Wouter and Marie as well as me and Caroline work together in the same company, what is of course very special and makes it a very nice project. Besides we also have a good team. For me teamspirit is very important so I’m very happy that everyone gets along so well.
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Pieter Devos and ben Maher[/caption]
Wouter: The atmosphere in the stables couldn’t be better. Everybody rides and we’re always together, what makes us a close-knit family and team. For instance my wife is a dressage rider, she helps me to make sure my dressage is always on point. We also have one rider on service. Soon we will hire one more.
Do you work well together or is it ‘every brother for himself’?
Wouter: We work together. I’m convinced of the fact that working together makes you achieve more. Pieter for instance sometimes helps me with my jumping. But his hardly ever happens because Pieter had a very busy schedule. But yes, of course we work together, united we stand, divided we fall.
Pieter: Naturally we work together in all aspects of our company. We’re a real team and that’s our strength. I wouldn’t be able to run the company without my brother and I think that statement counts for him as well. It’s true that I try to help Wouter when time allows me. We also walk over the competition schedule together. Between us there’s a healthy competition. Of course I love to win, but if someone has to be placed before me, I’m happy if it’s Wouter.
