Draupnir, under Suldal Hestesenter AS, is a family business. It was started by Tonje Lund Ness and John Ragnvald Ness in 2000. In 2023, our eldest son, Vebjørn Ness, joined the company and will eventually take over responsibility for Draupnir.
Suldal Hestesenter AS has been professionally involved with Icelandic horses and cold-blooded trotters since 1993. We have been engaged in breeding, training, starting up, and competitions.
Tonje Lund Ness graduated from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science in 1991. After completing her education, her interest for further knowledge remained, and Tonje has since taken numerous courses and exams. She has additional qualifications in equine treatment, including veterinary chiropractic, osteopathy, craniosacral therapy, massage therapy for both horses and humans, fascia release, to name a few.
Tonje works as a veterinarian and complementary therapist for horses, carrying out almost 200 treatments per month. This has given her a deep understanding of equine anatomy, the musculoskeletal system, and the balance in the horse’s movements. She also knows what is required for a saddle to fit well on a horse’s back and can quickly determine if the horse is in balance or not. Perhaps it is this extensive experience — having seen so many horses, riders, and various challenges — that gives her such a great understanding of what is missing in the market and what could work for both Icelandic horse pairs and riders in other disciplines. This knowledge and experience have been, and continue to be, extremely important in the development of the Draupnir brand.
Tonje has had Icelandic horses since 1976 and currently keeps two Icelandic horses at home in Suldal, which she uses as luxury riding horses. Earlier in life, she also traveled extensively as a competitive rider, and the Icelandic horse holds a special place in her heart.
John Ragnvald Ness is educated as a physical education teacher and has many years of experience as a cross-country skier. John Ragnvald has seen how epoxy materials have replaced wood in sports equipment with great success and has acquired in-depth knowledge about the material and its benefits. Since 1993, John Ragnvald has worked professionally with horses, focusing on breeding, training, and both Icelandic horses and racing horses. As a harness racing trainer, he has had great success with several horses among the best in Norway and Scandinavia.
John Ragnvald is very focused on the small details, subtle changes, and things that others may overlook. His knowledge of sports equipment and his attention to detail have been immensely important in the development of Draupnir saddles from the very beginning. It has often been John Ragnvald who has traveled to the saddle workshop in Poland to suggest small and large changes and to oversee the production of saddles and other equipment.
Vebjørn Ness is an economics student at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), where he is currently pursuing a master’s degree. He grew up with horses but has only recently developed a deeper interest in saddles, horses, and riding. He is particularly interested in horse communication and how to influence horses on their own terms. He currently owns a stallion.
