In a highly competitive 18-horse jump-off in the class M of the Blom Stallion Competition, Fabiënne Lichtenvoort Cats emerged victorious with the KWPN-approved stallion Tattoo H&DB TN. The Peelbergen Equestrian Centre drew a large crowd of breeders and enthusiasts. The Blom Stallion Competition provides a great opportunity to see a variety of approved stallions compete against each other. Tough competition Out of the 18 participants in the jump-off, 13 delivered clear rounds. Kars Bonhof set the stage with a steady round aboard the impressive jumper Onassis TN (Grandorado TN x Quasimodo van de Molendreef, bred by S. Wijnveen), though he opted for a slower pace. Ultimately, it was another Team Nijhof stallion who claimed victory: Tattoo H&DB TN (Parfait van het Schaeck x Kannan, bred by De Bock and C. Heyrman from Sint-Niklaas) under Team Nijhof rider Fabiënne Lichtenvoort Cats. “This doesn’t happen often—I don’t usually win!” Fabiënne exclaimed with excitement. “Tattoo is an amazing stallion; I believe he has everything it takes to develop into a top-level competitor. I’ve been riding him for over a year now and can feel how much stronger he has become, while still remaining sharp over the jumps. He has a golden character and an incredible attitude—10 out of 10!” Rounding out the podium were two other strong KWPN-approved stallions. Henk Frederiks claimed second place with the Heartbreaker son O’Macho VDP (Heartbreaker x Quidam de Revel, bred by Arend and Arend-Jan van de Pol), who had been designated at the KWPN stallion show as a three-year-old. Third place went to Only You DDH, a cooperative Emerald van ’t Ruytershof son (Emerald x Kannan, bred by Gely, Gabriac, & Calvet) ridden by Joep van der Kampen. Results Stallion Competition 2024/2025 JS for KWPN Photo of Tattoo H&DB TN: Horses.nl/Paardenkrant

The first winner of the Blom Stallion Competition 2024/2025 has been crowned. Under Alex Gill, Night Life VDL was the best out of three VDL stallions in a row in the Z/ZZ class. In the combined 1.30m/1.35m class, the large audience at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre was immediately rewarded with excellent sport. Twelve combinations advanced to the jump-off. Back in training Alex Gill and Night Life VDL (Erco van ’t Roosakker x Arezzo VDL, bred and owned by VDL Stud), who had previously triumphed in the Van Santvoort Makelaars Cup this summer, were the only pair to complete the jump-off at the 1.30m level in under 38 seconds. This performance edged out the powerful New Pleasure VDL (For Pleasure x Diamant de Semilly, bred by the De Maertelaere family) under Hessel Hoekstra and the sharp and speedy VDL Sambucci de Muze (Hunter’s Scendro x Vigo d’Arsouilles, bred by Joris de Brabander) under Luke Hill, who took second and third place respectively. Together, the three VDL stallions dominated the podium in Limburg. “This horse is truly incredible! He had a busy summer and ended the outdoor season with an 11th place at the World Championships in Lanaken, where he also jumped clear every day. That’s why I gave him a well-deserved rest,” Alex Gill explained. “Two weeks ago, I started training him again, and last week we entered our first competition. My goal here was just to have a smooth round, but Night Life picked everything up so effortlessly that we easily delivered a fast round in the jump-off. To win on top of that is fantastic. Night Life VDL is unbelievably careful, agile, and exceptionally athletic.” A strong start to the indoor season The competition brought together several stallions who had also performed strongly this summer. For example, No Mercy (Cape Coral RBF Z x Now or Never M, bred by Hans Vrijvogel) delivered two flawless rounds under Tom Martens, earning fifth place. The KWPN-approved stallions Never Lose (Lector vd Bisschop x Tolano van ’t Riethof, bred by Bert van der Kloet) under Marco Sas and Menno H (Stakkato Gold x Baloubet du Rouet, bred by Pieter van Hees) also impressed with clear rounds in the jump-off, with Menno H competing at the 1.35m level. Results Stallion Competition 2024/2025 JS for KWPN Photo of Night Life VDL: Horses.nl/Paardenkrant

Today, the dressage stallions and the Gelder stallion were assessed by the stallion selection committees. One dressage stallion was referred to the spring test in consultation with the owner. During the intake last week, the Las Vegas son Ramiera-de J was found to be slightly irregular during warm-up, but based on the current stallion selection decision for 2023/2024, he was allowed to be re-presented within a week. Yesterday, he was successfully presented, and his performance test will now last an additional week. Progression In consultation with the owners, the Jameson RS2 son Raece’s (dam’s sire Glock’s Toto Jr.) has been referred to the spring performance test. "The performance test lasts 21 days, which is a relatively short period during which we aim to see progression in the stallions. Most stallions show positive development, but in the case of this Jameson RS2, we have communicated with the owner that he would benefit from gaining additional strength and returning in the spring," explains committee chair Bart Bax. "Next Tuesday, the committee will gather to assess the stallions, and the final presentation will already take place the following Saturday." Outdoor arena Today, the Gelderlander stallion Royal King (by King Karim) was also assessed. He was ridden under saddle in the outdoor arena, and the committee looks forward to seeing him again at the next evaluation on Tuesday. Performance test fall 2024 JS for KWPN Archive photo

It’s always a moment eagerly awaited by breeders: the new generation presenting itself for the first time at the Anemone Horse Trucks Hengstencompetitie Dressage. With 87.8 points, Kjento-son Pjethro claimed the victory in the L class today under the saddle of Zandra Birkeland. Floor Dröge, Domien Michiels, and Marie Louise Moerings judged a group of 12 horses from the 2020 generation this evening. They placed Pjethro (Kjento out of Jaomie elite IBOP-dressage D-OC by Desperado, bred by A.J. Beerens from De Moer) in first place, with 9’s for the trot and canter. “What a powerhouse,” said Floor. “This stallion has a lot of push and energy, is sharp to the aids, yet remains well focused on his rider. The walk is powerful and correct. Sometimes this stallion could take a bit more stride, but he always continues to step forward actively from the hindquarters, creating space. In trot, he has a lot of mechanics and push, is well balanced, and maintains his balance even in lateral movements and extensions. If he can relax a bit more, allowing the front leg to extend further, his scores could improve. The canter is uphill with a lot of push, leg technique, and balance.” F1 Acceleration for Lamborghini U.S. Pjethro edged out Lord Europe-son Lamborghini U.S. (out of Sondra by Sir Donnerhall I, bred by Gestuet Lewitz from Steinfeld) for the top spot. This half-brother of Total U.S., presented by Gerrel Vink, scored a 9 for harmony. “This horse truly lives up to his name. He’s like an F1 car with many gears. This makes it difficult to always achieve a consistent picture. In the walk, we see his energy, though he could be a bit more relaxed so the quality comes out more clearly. The trot is very expressive in the front leg, and in the canter, there’s a lot of spring and a nice lightness. What stands out about this horse is the ease with which he transitions, always immediately balancing and moving beautifully from the hindquarters to the hand.” Elegant Pina Colada Bart Veeze presented Pina Colada (Governor out of Cinola M elite pref IBOP-dressage D-OC by Dayano, bred by J. Mol from Diepenheim) in this competition. With 85.6 points, this stallion finished in third place. “A very elegant stallion with a lot of self-carriage. He walks actively, relaxed, and moves well through the body. He could push more powerfully from the hindquarters. The trot is light and elegant. In the canter, he has good balance and maintains a nice self-carriage. This stallion is correctly to the aids with a naturally upward posture. If he gets more accustomed to an environment like this, he can open up a little more in length next time.” Hengstencompetitie 2024/2025 MvE for KWPN Photo: Melanie Brevink / Horsesnl

With a very strong top group, the M class in this Anemone Horse Trucks Stallion Competition Dressage promises to be an exciting battle. Under Charlotte Fry, Secret Lover claimed victory in the first competition round. The son of Secret achieved a score of 88.8 points. As the last starter in the M class in the first competition of the Anemone Horse Trucks Stallion Competition Dressage at Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg, Secret Lover (Secret out of Oh La La by Fürstenball, bred by B. Zumbruch from Wangerland) took the lead. Highlights included a 9.3 for his trot and 9 for overall impression. “This is a very impressive horse, we really enjoyed the performance,” said Floor Dröge, who judged this competition alongside Marie Louise Moerings and Domien Michiels. “The walk is active, powerful, and well through the body, with the hind leg always working diligently. In trot, we see a lot of collection, expression, and beautiful extensions, with excellent ability to come back. In the stretch, we saw that the collection and mechanics remained the same; this horse has a very easy way of trotting. The canter has a lot of spring and mechanics, with a diligent hind leg and good collection. This stallion was very well on the aids and moved with a beautiful self-carriage.” Light-footed Obsession Taonga The first combination stayed in the lead for a long time, but with 88 points, Lara van Nek and Obsession Taonga (Vitalis out of Jatilinda elite pref IBOP-dres sport-dres PROK by All At Once, bred by Stal 104 from Wijdewormer) narrowly lost out on the win. This stallion also stood out with a good trot, for which he received a 9.2. “A very pleasant test to watch, showing a lot of lightness and harmony. We saw a natural picture of a horse beautifully presented from behind to front. In walk, he is diligent and well in rhythm with a hind leg that steps through resolutely. The trot is very light-footed and elegant, with good rhythm and collection. In canter, we saw much limb technique and an upward picture. Compared to the other gaits, he could show just a bit more use of his body.” O'Frederic Charlotte Fry had a second stallion in the top three with For Romance son O'Frederic (out of Riana by Fidertanz, bred by H. Schulte from Eggermühlen). He earned 84.2 points. “This is a stallion with a lot of power and strength. The extended walk has a lot of space and body use. In the working walk, he could remain a bit more consistent through the body. The trot has a lot of swing, rhythm, and expression. The hind leg could connect more decisively, but we saw beautiful extensions. In canter, this horse also showed a lot of expression and strength to carry.” Stallion Competition 2024/2025 MvE for KWPN Photo: Melanie Brevink / Horsesnl

The Z class in the Anemone Horse Trucks Stallion Competition Dressage is typically not characterized by a large number of participants, but rather by quality. Three of the five horses scored above 80 points, with Jerveaux son New Dreams emerging as the winner. Adelinde Cornelissen presented New Dreams (Jerveaux out of Jillz ster by Dream Boy, bred by Tim Coomans from Oud-Beijerland and Irene Verheul from Apeldoorn) in the combined Z, ZZ-L, and LT class for six-year-old and older stallions. With scores including an 8.8 for walk and 8.6 for harmony, the stallion earned 85 points. "This was a sympathetic test from a stallion that is beautifully focused on his rider and performs his work in a well-balanced way," said Floor Dröge, who, together with Domien Michiels and Marie Louise Moerings, judged this round of the Anemone Horse Trucks Stallion Competition. "We enjoyed the walk. After every transition, it immediately released, with good reach and power through the body. In trot, we see much lightness and swing, though the hind leg could step through a little more decisively and with more power. However, this stallion does shift the weight well onto his hindquarters and remains beautifully collected. In canter, we see excellent limb technique and balance, and he makes his work look very easy. He could also develop a bit more power in the canter, but we can see that he is very capable of collecting." Harmonious Network Femke de Laat and Network (Just Wimphof out of Keyveniz Texel stb-ext pref D-OC by Negro, bred by D. Staller and D. Broekema from Westbeemster) were last year's reserve champions and took second place in this competition. The stallion scored 84.2 points, with harmony being the highlight. "A functional horse with a nice attitude and a very beautiful, consistent picture," said the judges. "The walk is rhythmic, and the extended walk is also beautifully relaxed, although he could still develop a bit more power in this. In trot, we see a lot of cadence, good collection, and excellent rhythm. The canter also has a good balance, and he remains beautifully collected, keeping his collection even in the lateral movements." Pavo Cup champion Everest Former Pavo Cup champion Everest (Especial out of Fresia ster PROK by Negro, bred by Van Olst Horses from Den Hout) was presented by Charlotte Fry. The grey stallion earned 82.4 points, with an 8.7 for trot, securing third place. "This horse gives a very diligent, expressive, and light-footed impression," said the judges. "The walk is rhythmic and very diligent, though at the start of the test, he could have been more consistently relaxed. We also saw a lot of diligence in the trot, where he can easily change pace and shows great expression in his forelegs. The canter is active and collected but showed a bit more tension in his body compared to the other gaits today. He has excellent limb technique and effort but could remain more consistent in relaxation." Stallion Competition 2024/2025 MvE for KWPN Photo: Melanie Brevink / Horsesnl

Presented by Anouk Slabbers, Ojee - B won the first competition of the KWPN Gelder Horse Stallion Competition in the M class tonight. This diligent, light-footed son of Ibsen B impressed with an excellent canter and earned 80.6 points. The KWPN Gelder Horse Stallion Competition featured only entries in the M class tonight. Judges Floor Dröge and Jan Pen awarded high marks to the stallions, which were closely matched. Ojee B (Ibsen B out of Jorien Tilde elite IBOP-dressage PROK by Rubus B, bred by G.S.W. te Bokkel from Eerbeek) was the only stallion to score above 80 points. "This was a pleasant, diligent test to watch, with a light-footed image," explained Floor Dröge. "The walk is functional and active, although the stallion could cover more ground. The trot is well-balanced, and at times we already saw a lovely steadiness in the movement. In the extensions, he showed excellent foreleg use with plenty of shoulder freedom; however, he could remain more consistent over his back and provide more support from the hindquarters. The canter is light-footed, with active hindleg engagement and good balance. He also demonstrated smooth transitions. Today, the stallion could have been slightly steadier in the contact, but he responds well to the aids." Relaxed Olaf Official Under Zoë Kuintjes, the Henkie son Olaf Official (out of Diamant ster by Sirius, bred by G.J.W. Roerdinkholder from Winterswijk Kotten) claimed second place. The stallion earned 79.6 points, including an 8.5 for walk. "A pleasant test to watch, with a beautifully relaxed image," noted the judges. "The walk, after every transition, immediately returned to a calm rhythm, with excellent activity through the body and good overtrack. The trot showed a diligent image, with the hindleg stepping well under the body, although he could develop more carrying capacity. The canter displayed good balance and impulsion. In the extensions, he could maintain a more uphill frame, but he executed the transitions back well." Palomino Odin Dirk Jan van de Water presented last year’s winner, Odin (Edmundo out of Buonaternel elite pref sport-dressage IBOP-dressage PROK by Vitens, bred by M.H. Zwaneveld and P.E.M. Herweijer from Assen) and finished third with 78.8 points. "A horse with plenty of presence and the right attitude. The walk has excellent rhythm, but the activity could be more consistently transferred over the back into forward reach. In trot, we see plenty of shoulder freedom and expressive foreleg use. The hindleg pushes off well but could develop more carrying capacity, especially in the extensions. The canter shows great expression with excellent use of the forehand." Stallion Competition 2024/2025 MvE for KWPN Photo: Melanie Brevink / Horsesnl