U.S. Olympic Team Rider Belinda Nairn-Wertman Passed Away

Dressage

U.S.A.

Belinda Nairn-Wertmann has lost her hard fought and brave battle against cancer on 12 June 2025. She would have turned 70 the next day.

Belinda Baudin

Born on 13 June 1955 in Wellington, New Zealand, Belinda Nairn emigrated to the U.S.A. as a young child and went to Prescott High school in Arizona.

She married Larry Baudin, the U.S. dressage team veterinarian, and rode by his name. She lived in Coatesville, PA, at the time.

Belinda's career making horses were Alegria (by ?) and the 1978 born KWPN gelding Christopher (by Cadmus xx x Amor x Dolman).

With Alegria she was the team reserve for the 1984 Olympics in L.A. She competed the horse through 1987.

Christopher, Belinda's life long friend and groom,
the late Jeanne Pakes, and Belinda at the 1988 Olympics

Christopher brought her life-time glory as the pair got nominated on the U.S. team for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. She rode alongside Robert Dover (Federlicht), Lendon Gray (Later On) and Jessica Ranshousen (Orpheus) on the team. Belinda and Christopher finished 33rd in the Grand Prix with 1248 points. The U.S. team finished sixth but individually Belinda did not advance to the next round.

In the FN Olympic book on Seoul, Harry Boldt wrote "Christopher was probably the most talented horse of the US team."

Belinda Nairn-Wertman

Belinda became Belinda Nairn-Wertman after meeting her husband Bill Wertman at Bear Creek Camp on a horse packing trip in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 1990.

Belinda and Bill ran INSPO, an operation dedicated to importing Dutch Warmbloods and Andalusians for dressage, hunter/jumper, and breeding purposes. They were based in Kirkwood, PA, at the time.

She competed extensively in the 1990s on horses such as Grand Prix horses Zodiac (KWPN by ?),with whom she won the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival, Corall (SWB, by ?), Disney (KWPN, by Ulft x Enfant de Normandie), Cidor (KWPN by Nimmerdor), Calimero (KWPN by Legaat x Amor), Boy Oh Boy (AWB, by Zauberklang x Our Dad), and Kirby (KWPN, by Amethist x Monarch). She rode Lynnette Wadsworth's Wietze G (KFPS, by Rypke x Reitse) in the Inter II.

Iron Spring Farm

Belinda was based in Pennsylvania and for years collaborated as a rider and trainer with Mary Alice Malone at Iron Spring Farm in Coatesville, P.A. She helped train KWPN stallion Roemer to Grand Prix level.

As of 2003 Belinda began competing Iron Spring Farm owned horses, which she had scouted in The Netherland. She began by showing Friesian Goffert (by Reitse x Cobus) up to Grand Prix level in 2003 - 2004, and then there were Sir Sinclair (by Lord Sinclair x Flemmingh) which she took from the 6-year old classes to small tour between 2004 and 2008. They were 12th at the U.S developing PSG horse Championship in 2008. She showed UB40 (by Olivi x Michelangelo) as a 5-year old in 2006. In 2007 she competed youngster Watch Me (by Sir Sinclair x Wolkentanz II) in his first classes at training level and

Iron Spring Farm's stallion Florianus (by Florestan x Damenstolz) was her last competition horse. She showed him at Grand Prix level in 2009, including at the CDI Raleigh in May 2009. Her last competition start in the books is at Dressage at Lexington in October 2009, scoring 73% in the Grand Prix Kur.

Florida Life

Bill and Belinda moved from Pennsylvania to Williston, Florida, and remained surrounded by horses, running a sales business, importing horses from Holland, full blast. After importing horses for 42 years, her last shopping trip to Holland was in June 2024

Belinda mentored several riders throughout her career, including U.S. team rider Anna Marek, as well as Catherine Gallegos, Dorie Addy-Crow, and Guatemalan Pan Am rider Alex Dominguez-Mulholland. She sourced multiple horses for Lauren Sprieser. In 2017 Belinda worked out of Peter and Diane Halpin's yard and as of 2019 she was based at GoldMark Farm, where she coached, for instance, Brian Hafner. At the start of 2025 Belinda relocated to Persaud Legacy Farm in Reddick, FL.

Belinda and Goffert at the 125th Anniversary
Celebration of the Friesian Studbook in 2004
(Photo © J. Melissen)

They had started their own breeding in 2007 but phased out of it in 2021, selling their last broodmares. Their most successful breeding products are the 2010 born KWPN mare Fienna (by Sir Sinclair x Paddox) who went on to become a Devon Breed Show Grand Championship finalist in 2021, and Nadine Schwartsman's Inter II competed William (by Sir Sinclair x Kennedy).

"Belinda was a phenomenal cook, a brilliant road warror, a team rider, a wedding planner, a photographer, and a terrific friend, with an infectious laugh and always a twinkle in her eye," Sprieser wrote in tribute to Belinda's passing.