About us - K-Stables
K-Stables

About us

K-Stables horse breeding centre
The origins of a stud farm in northern Luxembourg

K-Stables horse breeding centre

K-Stables was born out of the passion for equestrian sport shared by Annette and Erny Schmitz-Knauf, the founders and long-standing owners of the Knauf Shopping Centers in Schmiede and Pommerloch.

What began as a hobby became the fulfilment of a lifelong dream in 2017: the construction of a modern equestrian centre in Huldange, northern Luxembourg. They built a spacious and advanced horse breeding centre directly opposite their K-Restaurant

The entire project was overseen by experienced partners from the outset. Working closely with the Luxembourg riding horse breeding association SCSL and its President André Nepper, a place was created that places the highest priority on breeding, training and horse welfare.

K-Stables horse breeding centre
K-Stables horse breeding centre
K-Stables horse breeding centre
Our philosophy - K-Stables

Our philosophy

The focus at K-Stables is on respect for our animals, as well as on breeding and developing young horses. Our goal is to breed and train sport horses with excellent character and great potential. We believe that it is only through patience, expertise and individual care that horses can develop their full sporting and mental abilities.

Our philosophy combines state-of-the-art technology with traditional care. We work closely with breeders, veterinarians and experienced riders to provide the best possible support for each horse's development.

Our infrastructure - K-Stables
A stud farm in the heart of nature

Our infrastructure

K-Stables offers horses and their riders the highest standard of facilities. The equestrian centre comprises a light-filled indoor riding arena measuring 65 by 25 metres and a spacious outdoor riding area measuring 90 by 35 metres. Both surfaces are fitted with the innovative ebb and flow system, which ensures consistent sure-footedness through automatic watering and drainage and offers a significant advantage for horse training and health.

Two modern stable wings contain a total of 24 bright and airy stalls for our sport horses. The centre is complemented by a young horse stable with individual paddocks for daily exercise, which can accommodate up to 30 animals, as well as a broodmare stable in the upper area, where pregnant mares are housed and foals are raised.

The facility also includes a horse walker for several horses, around 20 hectares of well-maintained pasture land and an administration building with offices and living quarters. All processes are designed to ensure the animals' well-being around the clock.

Our infrastructure - K-Stables
Our infrastructure - K-Stables
Our infrastructure - K-Stables
Training and tournaments - K-Stables

Training and tournaments

Horses are trained at K-Stables by professional riders with international experience. Our riders compete with our horses at tournaments and guide them through the various stages of training.

The centre is ideal for free jumping, breed certification and seminars. We work with the SCSL to organise regular events to promote competitive and recreational sport, attaching great importance to a professional exchange of ideas and the continuous development of our work.

Training and tournaments - K-Stables
Training and tournaments - K-Stables
Training and tournaments - K-Stables
A close-knit network - K-Stables

A close-knit network

K-Stables benefits from an extensive network  of experienced partners who support our work in breeding, training and sporting events at the highest level.

We are supported by a team of expert advisers, including Charles Bettendorf and his family, Belgian show jumper and four-time Olympian Ludo Philippaerts, as well as François Mathy, former Olympic show jumping champion and currently one of Europe's most successful horse dealers and trainers, with whom Charlotte Bettendorf trained for a number of years. Our veterinarian also provides us with advice, and his expertise contributes significantly to the well-being of the horses.

Alongside these individual partnerships, we work closely with leading breeding associations to continuously ensure the quality of our horses. In addition to the Luxembourg association SCSL, these include Zangersheide (Belgium), Schockemöhle, the Holstein Association and the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Sport Équestre (FLSE), represented by Paul Engel and Guy Franziskus.

This extensive network enables us to consistently select the best stallions for our breeding programme, incorporate the latest findings into our work and maintain our position among the international show jumping elite.