Wellington A Place To Thrive And Call Home For Stable Manager Miranda Van Kol
When Miranda Van Kol arrived in Wellington in 1999, little did she know that she would call the village home. Almost 20 years later, she is the current stable manager at Marcus Fyffe Dressage and is based year-round in the winter equestrian capital.
After garnering an impressive grooming and stable management resume that took her all around the world, Van Kol is thrilled to have found her permanent home in Wellington.
Van Kol’s career in equine management began when she was just 17 years old at an eventing barn in the Netherlands. She began working for Eric van der Vleuten, a Dutch Olympic show jumper, for six years before moving to Germany. The life-long equestrian also worked for Lynn Little, the Leading Lady Rider in Donaueschingen, Germany, before starting with renowned show jumper Tani Zeidler and Olympic show jumper Joe Fargis.
“My love of riding and the equestrian industry blossomed because of the people at that first eventing barn,” Van Kol explained. “After I worked with them for a while, I thought, ‘Why would I go to school when I have this?’ So I stayed. I love it, otherwise I wouldn’t do this job. It’s not just a job — it becomes your life. Your whole life revolves around horses.”
Throughout her career, Van Kol has been a top groom at nearly every large international competition, including the Paralympic Games, the World Cup Finals, the Dutch Championships, the European Championships, the Pan American Games, CHIO Aachen and multiple Olympic Games.
Van Kol continued to work at the eventing barn and rose in status among the other workers there until she was considered the highest-level groom. Within that promotion, she was able to travel to all of the large shows with the competitors. As she traveled more, and later moved on to a jumper barn, she realized her passion for horse shows and the travel they involved.
“I got a little bit addicted to showing,” Van Kol laughed. “I wanted to see more of the world, meet new people and see more cultures.”
In 1999, Van Kol left home in the Netherlands and made the big move “across the pond” to the United States. With her close friend, she drove directly south to Wellington after landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
When they arrived in Wellington a few days later, Van Kol was immediately impressed by the community. She knew right away that she had made the right decision in moving halfway across the world. “It’s beautiful here!” Van Kol exclaimed. “When I first saw the barns down here, I thought they were mansions. I was shocked when a horse walked out the first time. We loved it here right away. Our hours were better, the shops are always open and I love the sun. There are a lot of equestrian jobs here, and you can only find this kind of community in Wellington. There’s always something to do.”
Van Kol worked for several different barns when she first arrived in Wellington, traveling to many large shows all over the United States and Canada. In 2004, she was also able to visit her home in the Netherlands and attend the Paralympic Games in Athens as a groom.
“That was one of my favorite experiences,” Van Kol recalled. “The joy all of the riders had was incredible and inspiring. They have a whole team behind them cheering them on, and you don’t see that everywhere. It was just wonderful.”
In 2015, Van Kol was recruited as the barn manager for Marcus Fyffe Dressage in Wellington. Run by Olympian David Marcus and international Grand Prix rider Nicholas Fyffe, the world-class training operation boasts a team of highly experienced and skilled staff members. Van Kol has used her extensive knowledge and experience in grooming and barn management to help keep the full barn of elite equines in top shape and provide the best care possible.
“David and Nicholas are hard workers; that’s what I like about them,” Van Kol said. “They are very straightforward, and so am I. That’s why we get along so well. We have the same sense of humor, which makes it fun. All three of us are on the same level. I give advice based on my knowledge, and they take it into consideration. I think we work well together.”
Van Kol recently purchased a house in Wellington and loves what the community has to offer.
“I love, love, love it here,” Van Kol said. “I love the heat, and I definitely don’t miss the winters, which is why I moved from the Netherlands. I settled down here because of the environment. There’s no place else like this in the world. The horse shows brought in a lot of jobs, and everyone is here in one place. All of my friends are here, too. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
