The hugely influential sire Vivaldi has been posthumously honoured as KWPN dressage horse of the year.
A KWPN spokesperson said the Krack C stallion, who died in October aged 23, was named the winner of the title, voted for by the public, at the KWPN stallion show in ‘s Hertogenbosch on Saturday (30 January).
Vivaldi, who was out of Jazz mare Renate-Utopia, was reserve champion in his stallion performance test and won the Pavo Cup with Dutch Olympic rider Hans Peter Minderhoud in 2007. He won the KWPN stallion series in 2008 and 2009 but is most famous as a sire.
Among Vivaldi’s offspring are 60 who have gone to grand prix level, including Desperado and Dream Boy, who represented him on Saturday evening.
Hans Peter was also at the stallion show, as were Vivaldi’s last owners Joop van Uytert and Ad Valk, and his late breeder Antoon Versantvoort’s daughters.
H&H reported in 2018 that a two-year-old son of Vivaldi had made history at the Hanoverian licensing and stallion sale in Verden, selling for over €2m (£1.78m).
“Vivaldi’s offspring are loved by every rider because of their good character and rideability,” said KWPN inspector Floor Dröge.
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“Vivaldi’s breeding influence reaches far and wide; I think there is hardly a show or competition where we do not see a horse with Vivaldi in its pedigree. We are pleased that the general public once again recognises and appreciates this influential stallion.”
Vivaldi spent his retirement at Hengstenstation van Uytert stud in the Netherlands, a spokesperson for which said after his death: “What Vivaldi means to breeding is simply unexplainable.
“Vivaldi was a king at our stable and a king in global dressage horse breeding. He has been able to enjoy his retirement with us in the last few years and has always been fit. We continue to cherish wonderful memories of him and will never forget him.”
The Vivaldi son is the most expensive horse ever bought at a stallion licensing auction
Hans Peter Minderhoud ( NED) riding Dream Boy during the Grand Prix - Team and Individual Qualifier for the Olympic Dressage Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held at Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo in Japan between the 23rd July and 8th August 2021
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
