About Us
Caroline van der Merwe
Caroline began riding at age seven in Dallas, Texas, training with local hunter–jumper coaches. In her teens, she consistently qualified for all four equitation medal finals and competed in junior hunter finals, earning numerous year-end and “Horse of the Year” awards, along with wins in local hunter derbies. She also competed successfully in jumpers.
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She went on to ride for the TCU equestrian team on a full scholarship, after which she transitioned into selling hunters. Eventually, Caroline relocated full-time to Wellington, Florida, where she trained under industry leaders like McLain Ward, George Morris, Katie Prudent, Michelle Grubb, and Ivan Rakowsky. Summers spent in Kentucky and Middleburg kept her close to top East Coast competitions, including the Hampton Classic (NY), American Gold Cup (NY), Bluegrass Festival (KY), Capitol Challenge (MD), Tryon (NC), Aiken (SC), GLEF (MI), and Spruce Meadows (Calgary).
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While based in Wellington, she met her husband Nico and they moved to Littleton, Colorado to grow their business and be centrally located to compete across the country. Caroline focuses on training and competing at the highest level of the sport. She also maintains an active breeding program, developing future performance horses from foals to FEI-ready prospects.
Nico van der Merwe
Born and raised in South Africa, Nico van der Merwe’s equestrian journey began in the Children’s Jumper divisions, where his early passion and talent quickly stood out. He went on to earn his South African colors for ponies in both show jumping and eventing, setting the foundation for a competitive junior career that saw him representing his country at the top levels of the sport.
In his early twenties, Nico focused on developing young horses while continuing to compete in South Africa and gain international experience riding in Germany. This period refined his skills both in the saddle and in the development of sporthorses from the ground up.
In 2015, Nico took a leap and moved to the United States, where he joined Benjamin Meredith in Wellington, Florida. There, alongside Meredith and Olympic dressage rider Caroline Roffman, Nico gained invaluable experience riding a variety of sales and client horses, learning the ins and outs of the U.S. sport horse industry and building strong relationships with owners, trainers, and professionals.
Today, Nico is proud to call Colorado home, where he has established VDM Stud — a growing program focused on producing talented young horses with proven international bloodlines. VDM Stud combines Nico’s passion for sport, horsemanship, and training with a clear focus on long-term success, both in competition and in the sales ring.
With a strong foundation in international competition, deep experience in horse development, and a loyal base of clients and horses he works with daily, Nico continues to build a name as a trusted professional in the U.S. show jumping scene
