BY JEAN LLEWELLYN
PHOTOGRAPHY: EQUIGENIEK.COM; DAFOTOGRAFIE; ARND BRONCKHORST (WWW.ARND.NL)
Over the course of some three decades, Joop van Uytert and his wife Renate have grown a successful business representing some of the hottest sire names on the international dressage circuit, as well as purchasing, training, and selling talented horses.
The list of stallions who have passed through their hands or are, indeed, still in their possession, is mesmerizing: Bordeaux, Breitling LS, Diarado, First Verdi, For Gribaldi, Game Boy, Hermès, Hors La Loi II, Johnny Depp, Painted Black I and II, Sandrea, United, Verdi, Zidane... to name just a few in alphabetical order.
The offspring of legendary stallions in dressage – and showjumping since 2018 – have successfully competed in international arenas around the globe, achieving notariety with their results in both sport and breeding.
With any business, especially one that involves a livestock dimension, there are highs and lows, celebrations and tears, so this article follows is ‘A year in the life of...’ – in this case the Van Uytert.
Based in the picturesque Dutch village of Heerewaarden in the Gelderland, Van Uytert lies on the fertile land between the Waal and Maas rivers. It’s centrally located a short distance from some of the best known sporting venues for the Dutch Masters in ’s-Hertogenbosch, as well as World and Nations Cup arenas in both Amsterdam or Rotterdam.
So how did 2025 look for Van Uyert, starting with the most recent news and working backwards chronoligally.
Start of the 2025-26 KWPN stallion competition
Van Uytert stallions once again delivered wonderful performancses during the first competition of the 2025/2026 stallion competition season in Kronenberg.
The six-year-old group was represented by Extreme US (Escamillo x Vivaldi) and O’Toto van de Wimphof (Toto Jr. x Riccione), where both produced strong tests. Ridden by Renate van Uytert-Vliet, tne two-time Pavo Cup winner Extreme US achieved a fantastic score of 89.0 to claim third place. He was awarded a 9.2 for trot and canter, and a 9.0 for overall impression, while powerhouse O’Toto van de Wimphofalso impressed under Diederik van Silfhout. It’s true to say he was a little distracted at this, his first indoor competition, although he nonetheless he scored a solid 8.7 for trot and 8.3 for overall impression.
There were also two strong five-year-old contenters with Patheon (Hermès x San Remo), in the hands of Alvaro Rodriquez Siscar, achieving an impressive score of 89.4 points for second place. Patheon’s walk was especially praised with a good 9.4. The trot and canter also received high scores of 8.6 and 8.5, respectively. For harmony and overall impression he scored 9.2 and 9.0, respectively.
Lamborghini US (Lord Europe x Sir Donnerhall I) also performed fantastically under Renate’s saddle for an impressive fourth place with 81.8, including a 9.0 for trot, an 8.4 for canter, and 8.3 for overall impression.
In the four-year-old age group, Royal Dynamic (Dynamic Dream x Vitalis) achieved a fantastic score of 84.2 points with Alvaro, including 8.8 for canter. Both Rome USB (Vaderland x Zambuka) and Secret USB (Secret x Spörcken) performed well and recorded good scores with Wendy Kuiken, so it was a happy and optimistic start for the Van Uytert stallions.
October 21st – a black day
Vivaldi passes away at the age of 23, leaving a huge void in the stable for everyone who cared for him, and especially for his co-owners Joop van Uytert and Ad Valk who bought him as a two-and-a-half-year-old stallion. Vivaldi’s breeding influence cannot be overstated: “Vivaldi was a king in our stable and a king in the worldwide dressage horse breeding world. In recent years, he has been able to enjoy his retirement with us and has always been in top condition. We will always cherish beautiful memories of him and will never forget him...
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