Elizabeth "Betty" de Groot, the founder of the Dutch warmblood breeding and training stable DG Bar Ranch and of the KWPN-North America society, has passed away on 4 May 2023. She was 87 years old.
Betty De Groot was born February 5, 1936, in Ede-Bennekom, The Netherlands. Growing up, Betty’s family had a bakery. Looking for new opportunities, all but one daughter immigrated to the United States in December of 1955 and settled in Hollandale, Minnesota. Betty’s fiancé, Tony De Groot, came to America nine months later and married Betty on May 15, 1957.
They moved to southern California in 1959. Tony would bring home calves and colostrum from the dairies he was milking at and Betty would raise them. She was the driving factor in building a successful dairy farm operation in Hanford, CA.
DG Bar Ranch and KWPN-NA
Years later Tony wanted to go to Holland to visit family and Betty, being a homebody, did not want to go. Tony convinced Betty that they would go to look at horses and that got Betty right on the plane!
Tony and Betty purchased 2 stallions and 4 broodmares on that trip, which was the start of DG Bar Ranch - Betty’s dream and passion. Tony and Betty—along with Willy Arts and the family—worked together to produce one of the top Dutch Warmblood breeding farms in the nation.
In 1983, Tony and Betty were one of the founding members of the KWPN of North America and they have been one of its largest and most steadfast supporters in the more than 30 years since then.
In the first year after the DG Bar Ranch open house more horses were purchased and sale/breeding farm was in the making. DG Bar began hosting Keurings, clinics, competitions, USDF Sport Horse Prospect Development Forums, extravaganza dressage shows, etc. To this date DG Bar is the most successful producer of KWPN horses in the U.S.A.
In 2015 Tony passed away in a tragic airplane accident while on a fishing trip in Alaska.
The Love for Horses
De Groot's love for horses was undeniable. She was eager to ride every day and enjoyed every aspect of caring for horses. Even through one knee and two hip replacements, she never quit riding. Just a month ago she had come by the barn to give her horse some cookies and said, “I think I can ride tomorrow.”
She leaves behind Ingrid and John Hamar; Elizabeth and Don Veenendaal; Tony and Rochelle De Groot; William and Allyson De Groot; Tamara and Jason Locatelli; and Willy Arts. She had 32 grandchildren (including spouses) and 36 great-grandchildren. She is survived by her brother Gerrit Bothof and sister Alice Schuringa, as well as lots of nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life service for Betty took place on Friday 12 May at Visalia Christian Reformed Church, of which Tony and Betty were founding members.
Related Links
DG Bar Dutch Warmbloods Sweep the Board at 2022 KWPN-NA Inspection Tour
Willy Arts Improving After Carriage Accident
Idocus Honoured at 2020 KWPN-NA Meeting for His 30th Birthday