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brain amateurs could enjoy.” This also meant they would focus on quality and performance even if that meant selling fewer breedings. “We didn’t want to overbreed Nico; we wanted to create a legacy,” she remarks. Sherry began collecting what she jokingly referred to


as a “small but hand-selected harem” for Nico. This harem included imported and domestically bred Hanoverian, Dutch Warmblood, Trakehner and Ster Friesian mares. Nico went on to become the first pinto Friesian


Sporthorse to be fully approved for breeding by the Friesian Sporthorse Association in 2008. (To date he is still the only pinto Friesian Sporthorse to have been approved for breeding.) He was one of the most highly recognized Friesian Sporthorses in the world. The Koellas became pioneers in pinto Friesian Sporthorse breeding, and Nico became a prime ambassador for the breed. Sherry admits, “Nico spurred on the popularity of Friesian crossbreeding and really brought attention to it. I felt so privileged to own him.”


CRISIS AT CHRISTMAS And then, in the early hours of Christmas morning 2010, a tragic barn fire turned their world upside down. One of Sherry’s last memories before the fire was of her and her husband leading two of the mares in for the night. “The snow was beginning to fall, and it was so peaceful that Christmas Eve,” she says. That peacefulness was shattered hours later, when they


awoke to a neighbor (who was also a volunteer fireman) honking his horn and flashing his lights wildly in the yard. A neighbor had called 911 to report a fire—it was one of the Koella’s barns. “My husband has always been my hero. He is the


strongest person I know. He can fix anything, but I heard something in his voice as he looked out and yelled ‘no!’ I knew it was terrible, and it was too late.” One of their barns was engulfed in flames and the


fire was spreading quickly. Sherry and Jon frantically rushed to the barns, but, she says, “The fire was horrible, the flames were everywhere, 100 feet in the air. I’ll never forget the popping sounds—the fire was so huge and horrible. I knew my animals were dying, and I couldn’t do anything.” There was tragically no way to get to Nico. Sherry was


able to save one of the mares and her foal, but two other mares and their foals were also lost. The fire had also spread to the second barn which housed Adonai, one of the only stallion sons of Nico. They could only see flames where Adonai’s stall was, and the halter hanging outside the stall was too burning hot to touch. Her husband ran in with literally a piece of string and was miraculously able to lead him out to safety. The fire quickly engulfed the second barn as well, destroying all of their tack and nearly


16 July/August 2011


all of their farm equipment. In the end five horses died in the blaze which included their beloved Nico. Their area is serviced by a volunteer fire department which had only a small crew that night, most likely due to the holiday. They fought the fire through the night with the help of neighbors and friends while the Koellas prayed it wouldn’t spread to the house. By 6:00 a.m. the firefighters began to leave. For the next four days, the Koellas, along with friends, family, and neighbors, stayed up in rotating shifts 24 hours a day watching as the fire smoldered, hoping it wouldn’t re-ignite.


PAINFUL RECOVERY Sherry says the fire was a nightmare they can’t ever wake up from, but says her faith in God has helped her to find peace. Although her heart still aches, she has to trust God. “I am so blessed to have had Nico. He had a wonderful life, and he knew he was special. My heart is broken to realize what we lost. I don’t know what God has in store for us or the farm, and for now I just stay busy and have faith. We are so grateful for the people who are praying for us and the huge outpouring of support.” Recovery has been a slow


process, and the flooding in late February and early March of 2011 in that area of Tennessee has only added to the difficult clean up. The future of Hidden Promise Sporthorses remains


unclear. Luckily the Koellas have some frozen semen from Nico. They also still have Adonai, their stallion by Nico. Adonai has sired two foals so far, which Sherry says were both breathtaking. “We were so excited to see they were so similar to Nico. Nico was such a prepotent sire, we are thrilled and thankful for Adonai.” Sherry admits that they are still not sure what they will do about breeding and the future. They also have two other young stallions: Malachi, a purebred Friesian, and King, a third generation Friesian Sporthorse who is 7/8 Friesian by Adonai and a Nico grandson. Another Nico son, a gelding named Elijah, is currently in training with Jochen Hippenstiel and was expected to make his FEI Prix St. Georges debut this year, although all plans are up in the air at the moment. They are also expecting four Nico foals this year. Two


are out of Friesian Ster mares, one is out of a Hanoverian mare, and one is out of a pinto Warmblood mare by the German Warmblood stallion Rainbow. Even after his tragic death at the age of 14, seeing Nico’s progeny on a daily basis is a gentle reminder of Nico’s majesty and presence that still reigns at Hidden Promise Sporthorses.


Above: Adonai, one of Nico’s stallion sons, out of the FHANA Ster Friesian mare Marije Ant.


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