The History of Gestüt Wendeln

Paul Wendeln can look back on a remarkable performance record as an Oldenburg businessman and as an Oldenburg breeder. The company founded by his father in 1919 in Garrel, Wendeln Brot [Bread], expanded under the leadership of Paul Wendeln and his brother Bernhard with traditional brands of bread such as Golden Toast and Lieken Urkorn, becoming a company well-known throughout Europe.

More than 20 licensed stallions, more than 45 Premium mares and numerous highly successful sport horses are witness of his hippological and breeding expertise.

It all began with a billy goat – instead of the pony he had so wished for, Paul Wendeln's father gave him a snow-white billy goat with a harness and wagon. Little Paul earned his first money by making deliveries for his parents coal and farm product business. His business began to flourish. Very soon he was also making transports for the businesses of his neighbors, even if his billy goat was often very stubborn, stretching his patience to the limit, remembers Paul Wendeln with a grin.

After World War II, his father finally gave in and Paul Wendeln learned how to ride on a Trakehner. His first attempts in breeding were made the beginning of the 60's with Heidemei. He had purchased this bay Markgraf-Orient daughter as a foal from the Vorwerk family, bred her to Furioso II several times which resulted, among others, in two advanced (S) level dressage horses, Flinthörn and Format.

In 1975, the mare called Cinderella, who was born in 1968 in the Netherlands, took up residence at Paul Wendeln's breeding farm in Garrel – through a swap arrangement. This good-sized chestnut mare proceeded to found one of the most outstanding mare lines in Oldenburg. Paul Wendeln was also extremely successful with his second line out of Juliane III.

When asked what his greatest achievements in breeding were, Paul Wendeln and his wife Hilde immediately agree: "The position of  the Champion Mare, Chinchilla, then the National Champion Family title in 1990 in Verden with three full sisters, Chinchilla, C’est la Vie and Chrystal, and of course, the National Champion Mare, C’Dur." But the social get-togethers with breeders, stallion owners and friends at the DLG, State and National Shows, the foal branding events, broodmare shows and licensings always were and still are of great importance to both of them.