‘Goodbye, my best friend‘: tributes paid to ‘one of a kind’ stallion put down after accident
Dallas VDL, the international showjumping sire and former ride of the Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling, has been euthanised following an accident at a stallion show aged 16.
The VDL Stud’s Belgian warmblood had been at the Saint-Lo Sport Stallion Show in Normandy, France (23-25 February).
“Due to an unlucky accident at the stallion show in St Lo, we had to put our top stallion Dallas down today,” read a VDL Stud statement yesterday (25 February).
“He has been out of the sport for several years and was a popular stallion at our station. He impressed with his beautiful conformation, his jumping ability and his great offspring. We will miss this stunning superstar.”
Dallas was bred by Kenis Frans and was by Douglas, and out of a Heartbreaker mare. He was produced throughout his 10-year showjumping career by Jur and competed at top level around the world, including at Hickstead, Falsterbo, Shanghai and Paris. The pair won the Falsterbo puissance in 2016, and in 2019 they enjoyed a victory at the London leg of the 2019 Global Champions Tour. They also had many top-10 places at 1.50m level.
Jur said: “Goodbye, my best friend Dallas.
“It has been a pleasure working with a horse like him. He really was one of a kind, one of the best partners in the ring and loved by everyone at the stables.”
Dallas retired from competition in 2021 aged 13, and continued with stallion duties. He has many offspring competing internationally at 1.50m level, including Poden Farm’s 11-year-old Dacantos who has competed at five-star with Lorenzo De Luca. He also has many up and coming young offspring starting out in their international careers.
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