KWPN Preferent Sire Vivaldi Passed Away

Veterinary

Dutch warmblood

Vivaldi, the KWPN keur preferent sire who established his own "V"-line of offspring, has passed away on 21 October 2025. He was 23 years old.

Vivaldi was born in 2002 and was by Krack C out of Renate Utopia (by Jazz x Ulft). He was bred by Antoon Versantvoort in Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands.

Influential Sire

Vivaldi was one of the most popular and influential KWPN stallions in international dressage horse breeding. He sired no less than 1237 offspring registered with the KWPN studbook in Holland and produced more offspring registered with foreign studbooks.

Initially owned by stallion keeper Joop van Uytert and horse dealer Ad Valk, Vivaldi was licensed at the 2005 KWPN Stallion Licensing in 's Hertogenbosch, where he ranked third in the premium ring.

He did his performance test in 2005 and scored 8.5 for walk and trot, 9 for canter, 8.5 for dressage potential, and 4.5 for show jumping.

He sired 11 licensed offspring with KWPN of which two are now keur stallions themselves. He sired 138 KWPN elite mare daughters and 27 preferent daughters. According to Horsetelex, there are 73 licensed sons worldwide, such as Viva Gold, Livaldon, Van Vivaldi, Vainqueur, Vivaldi's Donnerhall, Vivaldon, and My Vitality, to name a few.

Sport Career

Dutch horse investor Ton Kies of company Exquis bought a half ownership share in Vivaldi and the ride on the stallion was allocated to Exquis team rider Hans Peter Minderhoud.

They were fifth in the 2006 Pavo Cup Finals and won the 2007 Pavo Cup Finals and the 2009 KWPN Stallion Competition Finals. Minderhoud produced the stallion to small tour level and competed him at several CDI's in Aachen, Munich, Mechelen. In 2011 they missed out on showing at the Dutch Small Tour Championships due to a loose hoof wall. Vivaldi's last significant public appearances were in 's Hertogenbosch at the KWPN licensing, where he won the 2012 and 2013 VHO Trophy in Den Bosch.

Shortly after the 2013 VHO Trophy Vivaldi was retired from sport at age 11. Vivaldi's last big public appearance under saddle was at the 2018 KWPN Stallion Licensing.

To Blue Hors

In 2020 Ad Valk and Joop van Uytert bought out co-owner Ton Kies and leased the chestnut stallion for one breeding season to Blue Hors Stud in Denmark.

Vivaldi was approved for Danish warmblood breeding at the 2020 Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing in Herning.

Vivaldi returned to Van Uyert's stallion station at the end of the one-year lease.

Passing

Joop van Uytert announced the passing of Vivaldi today.

"He leaves a big void in our stable," said Van Uytert. "What Vivaldi means to the breeding is simply unexplainable.
Vivaldi, was a king at our stable and a king in the global dressage horse breeding. He has been able to enjoy his retirement with us in the last few years and has always been top fit. We continue to cherish wonderful memories of him and will never forget him."

Legacy

" sire in 2016 and "preferent" sire in 2025. He was often featured in the top 10 of the WBFSH World Ranking of Dressage Sires. In 2020 he was ranked 6th.

Vivaldi consolidated his own line in breeding through his son Vitalis (by Vivaldi x D-Day).

His most successful offspring in sport are Desperado (Emmelie Scholtens), Dream Boy (Hans Peter Minderhoud), Expression (Diederik van Silfhout), Blue Hors Veneziano (Agnete Kirk Thinggaard), Chinook (Richard Howley), Cennin (Madeleine Witte-Vrees), Vitalis (Isabel Bache), Geniaal (Sarah Rao), Jersey (Sabine Schut-Kery), First Apple (Sarah Tubman), and Eye Catcher (Kirsten Brouwer).

As a dam sire he is found in the pedigree of renowned stallions and dressage horses Indian Rock, Dettori, Vaderland, and Extreme US amongst many others.