A standing ovation for a horse. That doesn’t happen every day. But the enormous appreciation, on Sunday afternoon from the public at The Dutch Masters in Den Bosch, went out to a top horse: Verdi TN. The stallion with which Maikel van der Vleuten has achieved so many successes and who has retired. “I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him for so long.”
Van der Vleuten walked a last lap with his Verdi in the arena of Indoor Brabant, as the horse event used to be called. The show jumping rider from Someren has not competed with the successful 20-year-old stallion for some time. Due to corona, the goodbye to the golden combination had to be postponed, but Sunday was the day.
“A very beautiful, but also an emotional moment. I felt it tickling”, said Van der Vleuten in the Zuidtribune, the sports program of Omroep Brabant radio. “I have traveled all over the world with Verdi. With him I started at the bottom of the seniors and eventually won Olympic medals. He has been of great significance to me. Every reason to think about it this afternoon, with people who were important to him and me.”
“Verdi was able to make the difference at key moments. Because of him I have competed on the toughest courses and I was able to compete with the world’s best. His great strength was that he has always remained sober. Whether that was on a small or large track or during transport in a truck or plane. He always and everywhere remained calm and when he needed to be there, he was there. He has always been careful with himself. That’s the main reason we lasted so long.”
Maikel van der Vleuten actually grew up with Verdi, owned by the Nijhof family in Geesteren. He actually said goodbye to a friend, to his buddy. “As a young boy I dreamed of being able to be a fixed value for the Dutch team later on. To be able to participate in the Olympic Games and other major competitions. I think I hit Verdi at the right stage in my career, thanks to him I was able to nestle myself among the top players. And now, with other horses, I realize once again that it is not easy to replace him. And how beautiful it has been for the owners of Verdi and my parents.”
While Maikel van der Vleuten continued with competitive sport, Verdi has not appeared in the arena as a show jumper for years – except for the farewell this Sunday. The animal remains active as a breeding stallion. “There is no pension for him in that area, but that is not a punishment”, laughs Van der Vleuten. Verdi is the sire of dozens of international horses, many of which have already competed at Grand Prix level. Van der Vleuten: “I hope that many more horses will be brought into the world by him that will make the necessary people happy.”
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