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About Mando

photos courtesy of the Kindle family

by Norma Jenner, Ernest Jenner and Linda Kindle, Washington

A very special stallion, Mando, passed on. We have three Mando offspring in our barn, including a licensed son Magneto Jenner. The one most like Dad in personality is our mare Gesi Jenner. Mando impressed me more than any other horse I have met. You had to be there to know what it was.
Norma

This Special Stallion Mando

… 1974 Mando, son of Dutch National Champion Mandus, born 6.9.74 in Gravenhage (Zh), Netherland

… 1977 Rating highly in a series of breeding shows for stallions under age three, Mando qualified for fall pre-licensing inspection show. He passedthe pre-inspection show with a rating of 1-A, the highest. Mando was sent to Ermelo for 18-day stallion evaluation by the government. He was judged in-hand and under saddle at all gaits, in harness, in front of a drag to assess pulling power and technique, jumping free and mounted, as well as for his temperament, barn behavior, eating habits and willingness to work. He was also medically evaluated, with blood tests/typing, leg x-rays, and sperm count. Passing all requirements, Mando was approved for a breeding license for three seasons. Mando traveled to the mares, and continued to be shown.
… 1978 & 1979 Mando continued to be rated 1-A in the fall shows
… 1980 Judged on quality of his offspring up to age three, for consistency, type, conformation, color, size, movement, and temperament. Also required is >85% birth rate over three years. Mando and offspring passed with flying colors, and his breeding license was continued.
… 1980 Regional champion
… 1981 & 1982 First premiums at fall show
…
… 1982 & 1983 National Champion, rated 1-A for life
… 1984 & 1985 Reserve National Champion
…
1985 Mando joined Linda and Wes Kindle in Wash. state, USA. On the airplane ride from Holland, he let himself out of his stall, then released the Arabian mares from their stalls. Settling in as barn manager for Haflingers, Freisians, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, New Forest and Shetland ponies, Mando kept mares, stallions, visitors and family well in hand, remaining THE MAN always. Winter sleigh rides for hundreds, kids sliding up and down his back, lifetime service to hundreds of mares, wowing the crowds, rides for visiting dignitaries, tolerance of hundreds of admiring hands/hearts, and most of all, special snuzzles for the special woman in his life, Linda, all were clearly gifts, gifts of love from this special stallion and his maker.

… 1999 Recovering nicely from a hip/pelvic injury (overexhuberance),,Mando, apparently overexhuberantly dancing to reach the overhead hay loft,,injured his spine. He was released from this paralysis to the required,Mando freedom of Whatever-Comes-Next in Sept. 1999. He is held in a,special room of the heart by his adoring family Linda, Wes, Frannie and,Vivie Kindle and untold others.

Mando's offspring in the USA and Canada include,Canada: 1 son Grand Champion of BC exposition, gelded (Manfi)
U.S.A: 5 daughters (Rosie NTF, Galaxy BCF, Gesi Jenner,,Trillium, Lyndy)
1 licensed stallion (Magneto Jenner)
3 geldings (Milky Way, Monostory Jenner, Mandano),
multiple grandchildren, including M.T. Magon


Everyone's Mando

I just looked at a photo of him doing a half pass while facing the camera,,those adorable short ears poking up through,his incredible snow white mane, brilliant brown eyes gleaming with life,,tail in his trademark hula swish... and... Oh God, he's gone!

What do you say about the horse that changed everything you ever thought,about horses? If you told people what he was they would not believe you.,His presence was like gravity. No matter what other horses or people were,around, Mando was where all eyes looked, again and again and again. Like
a waterfall he drew and rewarded attention with all-knowing, perfectly crafted entertainment even if he was only eating grass. He was a wink, a tag, and you were it, now let's run and play!

Mando was impatient but never intolerent. There was just so much to do and so little time. People to charm (and the audience was never big enough).
Mares to meet (and never enough of them either). LIFE to GIVE! Oh God, why did it have to end?

Sleep now, everyone's MANDO, until we laugh again. Ernest Jenner

(Immediately below is an excerpt from an e-mail sent from Ernest Jenner to the Kindles. This is not part of the article in "WHA Happenings," but
pictures and most words don't tell this story: "Ernie, here. I just want you to know how very very much I appreciate your kindness in sharing Mando with us, and how deeply I feel about your having to let him go. The all too short time I had the honor of being with Mando really did change my life. I never really understood what that change was, but now I realize Mando made me yearn to overcome every barrier to fully knowing him. I was going to add that Mando was the most profoundly beautiful gift from God imaginable, but that isn't true, because I don't think anyone could have ever imagined Mando in real life. The truth is, we have been in the presence of the divine.")


In Loving Memory of our faithful friend
Mando 1974 - 1999

And Thank you to all his truly devoted friends

Mando was born on the 9th of June in 1974 on the "Stichting Haflingerclub" farm in Holland. He was then sold to Mr. H.J. Folmer and Mrs F. Dijkstra
as a stallion prospect. In 1985 he was sold to Wes and Linda Kindle in Washington state in the US.

Monarch HF.K 5
Mandus HF.K 17
Nat.Champ Oslia HF.K 178
Mando HF.K 58
Nat. Champ Absam GB.nr 647
Rosalien HF.K 1132
Burga HF.K 438

Mando has produced 275 Registered Haflingers all over the world.Holland, Belgium, Scandinavia, US and Canada. This does not count the offspring that fell outside of the registry. Mando had in 8 years of breeding in Holland, 3 approved sons. Mando bred mares from 1977 after his approval and his last breeding was spring of 1999.

Mando's photo was featured in the Dutch stallion promotional book of the "Nieuwe Heuvel Stallion Station" where Mando stood at stud .

Mando was appreciated with both breeders and inspectors all over the world. You mentioned his name and people said, "The Mando."

Mrs F. Dijkstra who raised Mando and brought him to his approval and National Championship remembers Mando as the show bink. "We had many Haflinger stallions standing at stud but none like Mando. On the yearly Stallion Inspection Show, people remember Mando as the stallion that would announce himself entering the building; when Mando spoke, people and horses listen."

A Haflinger breeder and stallion station owner in Holland said about Mando; "We used Mando in our breeding program for his solid and correct legs, good
temperament and performance ability. We tried to purchase him before he left for the US."

In the May-June 199X issue of the "Haflinger and Draft Horse magazine" was an article written by Mrs H.Kwekkeboom, a Haflinger judge in Holland,
about the Dutch-bred Haflingers in Europe and elsewhere. She has traveled all over Europe and has visited Haflinger breeders in the US and Canada and
went to the sale in Ohio, in search of Dutch-bred Haflingers.

The article made a tribute to Mando, who turned 20 years old that year, and to his breeding influence in Europe and the US and Canada. Mrs Kwekkeboom
wrote: "Mando with his striking appearance, his beautiful chestnut color, and luxuriant bundle of white mane and tail make him a good advertisement for the breed. Not only the stallion was appreciated, but his offspring as well. They show good type, color and especially his good temperament."

The Haflinger breeding Director of Germany said about Mando; "very correct conformation with good type, color and beautiful mane and tail.
Never seen big beautiful eyes like his. Is he for sale?"

Dr. Oeppert, Haflinger stallion inspector and judge in Bavaria, Germany said; "Mando made great improvement to the US Haflinger mares. All the inspectors of Germany, stated 'it takes a very high quality stallion to have accomplished so much as this one.' Mando is an extraordinary horse, none alike. Very correct conformation and beautiful head, eye and gorgeous white mane and tail." When told that Mando had passed on, he was upset to see his friend gone. He said it was the best horse not only on conformation, but what a personality he had. "There never will be a horse like him."

For me Mando was my childhood dream that came through. He was my favorite horse ever, in 30 years of owning horses of all breeds. The friendship I had with Mando is undescribable . There never ever will be another horse like Mando. There is not a day that goes by that I do not miss him.

Mando passed away in my arms on September of 1999. Thank you Mando for the wonderful time and friendship you gave us, I always love you.
Linda.