Merlot VDL

Biography

Merlot VDL, owned by VDL Stud and Saskia van Musscher, is a standout dressage stallion now aged eight. Bred by the Klinkhamer family in Sleen, he excelled at the KWPN performance test as a four-year-old with a score of 85.5 points. He continued his development with Bart Veeze, and at five moved to Femke de Laat, where the pair won the stallion competition in the Z/ZZ class. With his proven sire line and the celebrated Landsvrouw dam line, Merlot VDL offers breeders an exceptional mix of genetics, movement, and temperament. His sire Bordeaux is a confirmed Grand Prix stallion, bringing together United blood with leading influences such as Gribaldi, Donnerhall, and Rousseau. Through Florencio I and the influential Vivaldi—renowned for offspring including Dream Boy, Desperado N.O.P., and Cennin—Merlot’s pedigree is packed with performance. On the dam side, his mother Hyacinth-Vrouwe is a provisional keur mare out of the preferent Dolce Vita Vrouwe, who also produced the KWPN-approved stallion Incognito. Further back, Mimosavrouwe produced Glock’s Undercover N.O.P., Edward Gal’s Olympic and European Championship medal-winning partner. Merlot VDL is currently based with Dinja van Liere, where he is being produced for the higher levels of the sport—an exciting and promising partnership. He is admired for his appealing presence, elasticity, and expressive movement, paired with excellent rideability and an outstanding character. His foals are correct and well put together, showing three quality gaits and plenty of suppleness, with offspring such as Saillant and Riddle already making their mark at inspections and championships. With pedigree, movement, and character all in one package, Merlot VDL is a strong addition to any dressage breeding programme.