Report from the KWPN Stallion Show – Dressage

Pictures by Dirk Caremans for KWPN

Videos by Liz van Woerden for KWPN-NA

Selected Stallions 

On the first day of the Second viewing, the Stallion selection Committee invited 25 stallions for the Performance test. Two of them were declared Premium. On

Reinberg JB (Bloomberg x Cachet L x Rubinstein I) bred by Jolanda & Bert Lam, owned by Scot Tolman.

the second day, 21 stallions received an invitation for the Performance test. One of them was Vaderland (by Vitalis), who is already performing at Small Tour. He will only have to do the five-day character test for full approval. Three of the young stallions were declared Premium.

What stood out was that Blue Hors Monte Carlo TC (Dream Boy x United) had two sons selected from his first crop, which was only small and only three of them

were presented. Las Vegas, Secret, Bordeaux, Ferguson, Jameson RS2, Glamourdale, Lantanas, Kjento and Le Formidable all had more than one son selected for the Performance test. One of the selected stallions was a son of Bloomberg, the only son that was presented this year. This stallion is actually owned by KWPN-NA breeder and member Scot Tolman of Shooting Star Farm.

The Premium stallions are:

• Rayano (Glamourdale x Cum Laude) bred by H. Verthriest and owned by Van Olst Horses (he was later the high seller with 130,000 euro in the Select Sale Auction)
• Rumble VDK (Lantanas x Negro) bred by H.R.J. Vorselen and owned by Van Olst Horses and Domoplan
• Rome USB (Vaderland x Zambuka) bred by S.D.M. Beckers and owned by Stal Brouwer and Joop van Uytert
• Rohan (Jameson RS2 x Easy Game) bred by Lisman Stables International and owned by Joop van Uytert and P.J. Thijssen
• Rockstar Millionaire (D’Avie x Sandro Hit) bred and owned by Rebecca Dudley and co-owned by Yvon Kaptein and MT Stables

For the complete list of selected stallions, go to THIS page on the KWPN Website. 

You can watch all the stallions on demand via kwpn.tv. (members only)

Watch this vide to get an impression of the selected stallions:

Glamourdale chosen as KWPN Dressage horse of the Year

Van Olst stables seems to have a membership to Horse of the Year nominations: in 2020 Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) was awarded the same title and last year, his stallion Kjento won. Glamourdale was bred by Joop Rodenburg. He was the Champion of the Stallion Selections to begin with, then won the World Championship for Young Dressage Horses, the 7-year-old Championships, the CHIO in Aachen and in 2022 he became World Champion twice in both the Grand Prix Special and the Kür. Last year, the stallion was also very successful. At the European Championships in Riesenbeck he won the gold medal with the British team and the silver medal individually with a personal record of 92.38%. He is now in the race for the Olympics. He holds the second place in the WBFSH ranking for dressage horses and with that score he also played an important part in getting the Dutch dressage horses scoring so high overall.

Glamourdale and Lottie Fry in Aachen.
Picture credit: Dirk Caremans

Three new predicated dressage stallions

KRACK C

Krack C passed away in 2017 at the age of 25 in the pasture of Joop van Uytert’s stallion station. The Van Uytert family co-owned the influential stallion with Ad

Anky van Grunsven and Krack C
Picture credit Dirk Caremans

and Annemiek Valk. At the KWPN Stallion Show, breeder Fred Vlaar of Stoeterij Het Centrum in Wijdenes received a standing ovation from the audience as he was adorned with the orange sash. Krack C, initially named Kevin, was born to Flemmingh out of the Keur, Preferent, Prestatie mare Gicara II by Beaujolais. He grew into an elegant, high-legged stallion and achieved international success for years with Anky van Grunsven in the saddle. Anky described Krack C as “an incredibly sweet and cooperative horse”. Krack C has ten sons and thirteen grandsons approved. Through his sons United and especially Vivaldi, Krack C established a significant stallion line. Senior inspector Floor Dröge says, “A lot of good has come from Krack C: not only through his sons but also from Krack C mothers.”

Everdale and Charlotte Fry
Picture credit Dirk Caremans

DESPERADO

With great presence, Desperado entered the ring, showcasing his powerful movement with Emmelie Scholtens in the saddle. The sixteen-year-old Desperado has been a consistent asset to the Dutch dressage team for many years. The Andeweg family, along with Ad Valk, who is also an owner of Desperado, received congratulations and a certificate. The Vivaldi son Desperado was bred out of Sarita Elite Preferent Prestatie (by Havidoff) and has been successful at the highest level in sport with Emmelie Scholtens. Desperado has five approved sons: James Bond, Jamaica, Dettori, Mowgli V.O.D., and Purple Rain. Inspector Floor Dröge explains, “Desperado adds a lot of rideability and workability to breeding; he has several offspring performing at a higher level in the sport and a relatively high percentage of approved descendants.” Based on these qualities, the Dressage Stallion Approval Committee awarded Desperado the ‘Keur’ predicate. The stallion impressed in the victory lap, adorned with the orange sash, with Emmelie Scholtens maintaining a broad smile and waving to the enthusiastic crowd.

Extreme US wins Stallion Competition for 5-year-olds 

The Stallion Competition in the L class was already decided on after the 3 selection competitions: Extreme US (Escamillo x Vivaldi) bred by Gestuet Lewis and

Extreme US (Escamillo x Vivaldi) and Renate Van Uytert- van Vliet.
Picture credit Dirk Caremans

owned by Joop Van Uytert and Paul Schockemoehle won each of them and would be the Champion. “Extreme US is a stallion with an extraordinary ability to shift gears, his movement and transitions are very good,” explains head judge Marian Dorresteijn. “Besides that, he has a very good natural posture and self carriage and a very good, down to earth character.”

Joop Van Uytert was very successful in this class overall, because also the number two and four came from his stables. One Million (Vivaldi x Apache), which he bred together with M.H.J. Gotink, won the second place. The judges loved his uphill tendency in all gaits. Van Uytert’s other black stallion O’toto van de Wimphof (Glock’s Toto Jr. x Riccione) bred by Carla Rienks- Kramer, came in fourth. The third place was for Obsession Taonga (Vitalis x All at Once), bred and owned by Stal 104.

For all the results, go to THIS page.

Nalegro wins Stallion Competition for 6-year-olds 

With a huge margin of 10 points ahead of the group, the black stallion Nalegro won the Stallion Competition in the M class. He is a son of Painted Black out of the

Nalegro wins the M class with Lottie Fry.
Picture by Dirk Caremans for KWPN

full sister of Valegro by Negro, bred and co-owned by Joop Hanse and Van Olst Horses. Charlotte Fry is his rider throughout the competition and their total score came to 89.6 with several 9’s. The judges complimented him for his power from the hindleg. “This horse has so much potential,” judge Marian Dorresteijn commented. “He has so much power in the hindleg. When he makes a transition back, you can immediately see how his weight gets moved to his hind end very easily. He was very well presented too, if we give him time  I am sure we will see him return in the top of sport.”

The son of Just Wimphof, Network, bred and owned by Daan Staller and Danique Broekema out of a dam by Negro, came in second. Network and his rider Femke de Laat showed a very harmonious ride with good transitions. Nacho (Negro x Krack C) , also ridden by Charlotte Fry and owned by Van Olst Horses, came in third place. He was bred by Sandra Maakenschijn.  He gave a relaxed impression with light connection and harmony despite the impressive atmosphere in the Brabanthallen.

For all the results, click HERE.

Merlot VDL wins Stallion Competition for 7-year-olds

Merlot VDL (Bordeaux x Florencio) bred by the Klinkhamer family and owned by VDL Stud, won all the selection competitions this season with high marks so he

Merlot VDL and Femke de Laat. Winners of the Stallion Competition class Z. Picture by Dirk Caremans for KWPN.

was a very deserving winner. “What especially stands out to us is the lightfootedness of this stallion, and the elegance and shoulder freedom,” judge Marian Dorresteijn explained. “He is very willing to work and focusses on his rider all the time, although we did see he shut down a bit in the beginning after just entering this impressive arena. He showed a great extended trot and canter changes. He is very good at transitioning too. For even higher marks he has to develop a bit more strength in the hind end.”

To find all the results, go to THIS page.

Presentation of The World’s Greatest 

An amazing number of eight KWPN Stallions are in the Top 10 of the WBFSH Dressage sire ranking this year, and Johnson was the number 1! The other sires in

Emmelie Scholtens and Desperado
Picture credit Dirk Caremans

the Top 10 are Apache (by UB40), Ampere (by Rousseau), Jazz (by Cocktail), Totilas (by Gribaldi) and Blue Hors Zack (by Rousseau).

Reason for the KWPN to honor these stallions and their offspring who got them these top positions in the presentation ‘The World’s Greatest’. During this show block, three Preferent stallions entered the arena: Vivaldi (by Krack C), Johnson (by Jazz) and Bordeaux (by United).  They all still looked very good for their age and seemed to enjoy being in the spotlights again. They were represented by several of their offspring, like Desperado (by Vivaldi), Glock’s Dream Boy (by Vivaldi), Johnny Depp (by Bordeaux), Le Formidable (by Bordeaux) and Luxuriouzz (by Johnson). Other stallions out of the WBFSH Top 10 were represented by their offspring too: I’m Perfect STH (by Blue Hors Zack), All at Once (by Ampere) and Indian Rock (by Apache). All these stallions gave wonderful presentations, and for Glock’s Dream Boy it was his final goodbye to the sport as well.

Watch this video with some short clips of the World’s Greatest show block:

For more news and footage on the other dressage presentations, go to THIS page on the KWPN website.