LUDGAR THÖLE
Ludger was born and grew up in Cloppenburg, Germany. There he was involved with the Oldenburg breed from early childhood on.  Ludger’s father Helmut Thole was General Manager of the annual Vorwerk stallion parade for many years and his first riding instructor was Theo Wienken, member of the Oldenburg stallion selection committee in the 1960s.

At the age of 15 he moved to Warendorf to train and show for five years at the Westfalen State stud. After finishing his Abitur in Warendorf he moved to Vechta to complete his education at the local University. During that time he worked for the Schockemöhle stallion station, then owned by Werner Schockemöhle an internationally renowned breed judge and chairman of the Oldenburg Verband. Ludger spent 3 years as Bereiter at Schockemöhle’s. There he was responsible for starting the young colts and the training of the stallions at stud. He showed several of the Schockemöhle stallions in shows, the annual stallion exhibitions, and the Oldenburg and Hanoverian Stalion licensings. Ludger moved to the US with horses sold by Schockemöhle. He now lives in Camarillo, California with his wife Nicky and daughter Halina. He has trained and shown many horses through Grand Prix, and shown jumpers to modified level on the A-circuit.