Holsteiner Sire Indoctro Passed Away

Breeding

Holsteiner

The legendary Holsteiner show jumping breeding stallion Indoctro has passed away on 6 April 2025 at the blessed age of 35.

Indoctro was a 1990 born Holsteiner stallion by Capitol out of Vanessa VII (by Caletto II x Calypso I). He was bred by Gerd Hansen

VDL Stud

Wiepke van de Lageweg of VDL stud in Baers, The Netherlands discovered Indoctro as a foal in 1990 but breeder Hansen had already sold it to Maas Johannes Hell, who then asked a huge figure to Van de Lageweg to buy the foal. The Dutchman made the investment and it turned out to be one of the best decisions in his life. Indoctro became one of the world's most successful jumping sires and build VDL's business as a stallion station.

His Dutch owners named him Indoctro, but as he was also licensed in Germany, he also went by the name C-Indoctro. The bay did his stallion performance test in The Netherlands in 1993.

VDL stud gave the ride on Indoctro to German Ulrich Kirchhoff who had made his claim to fame on Jus de Pomme. He was trained up to jumping 1.50m courses and then retired to stand at stud.

Legacy

With Kirchhoff at the 1998 World Young
Jumping Horse Championships in Lanaken

In Germany he sired 19 licensed sons and three state premium daughters, but as he was based in Holland he had a huge impact there. He sired 15 KWPN licensed sons, including Bustique, and was the sire of Olympic jumper horses Imothep, Amarillo, Don Porfirio, VDL Orestus, Nike, and Vedor.

Indoctro sired no less than 4,335 offspring registered with KWPN of which there were 191 elite mares. 76 daughters became preferent. Indoctro was named Keur stallion in 2022 and preferent in 2006.

Influence on Dressage

Indoctro also had a small impact on dressage horse breeding. His most famous dressage offspring is probably international Grand Prix horse Ostra, who competed for Belgium with Claudia Fassaert before selling to Australia where Lone Jorgensen and Fiona McNaught took over the ride.

He sired international Grand Prix horses Picasso (Kebie van der Heijden) and small tour horses Ohio (Anne and Lotte Meulendijks), Fanta Bejart (Ai Kawakami), Urbi et Orbi (Yulia Gorbacheva), Infernal T (Lisa Munter), Nouveau Encore (Merel Peper), and Swedish licensed stallion New Balance.

As a dam sire he was featured in the pedigree of World Young Horse champion and Dutch Grand Prix team horse Uzzo (by Lancet x Indoctro / under Patrick van der Meer) and Belgian YR team horse Timor (by Matterhorn x Indoctro / under Alexa Fairchild).

Farewell

Indoctro was put to sleep a day after the VDL Stud spring open house.

"This morning, after 35 remarkable years with us at VDL Stud, we had to say our final goodbye to our Preferent stallion, Indoctro," VDL stud posted on 6 April 2025. "A stallion whose impact on the equestrian world is beyond measure, his legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come. Yesterday, he was still enjoying all the attention at our annual Stallionshow. Thank you, Indoctro, for everything you’ve given us — your strength, your heart, and your undeniable presence will never be forgotten. You will always have a special place in the history of VDL Stud and in our hearts."