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Badminton winner Classic Moet’s daughter and four other young stars who caught our eye at Blenheim
A Classic Moet daughter and a half-sister to five-star winner Hooney D’Arville were among the promising rising stars in the eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S at Blenheim
The young horse CCI4*-S “kingmaker” class at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials is always one of the highlights of the eventing calendar and this year’s batch of rising stars look set for a bright future.
The list of former champions from this eight- and nine-year-old class is bejewelled with five-star winners and medallists. London 52, Cooley Rosalent, Faerie Dianimo and Oslo are just a few of the winning graduates who have gone on to top-level success.
Cases could be made for any of the 105 entries in this year’s class, sponsored by GFS Saddles, to be on a list of ones to watch, such was the wealth of impressive young talent. H&H has already covered those who finished towards the top end of the leaderboard, plus many who were in with good chances during the week and a sprinkle of others with nice stories, through our Blenheim coverage on this website and in the magazine.
But there were many others who put in impressive performances and who had interesting stories. Here are five others who stood out at Blenheim last week...
Blenheim Horse Trials eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S: who else caught our eye?
Rosa’s Party (10th)
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Australia’s Sammi Birch and this lovely eight-year-old chestnut mare, who is by the late Party Trick, scored 28.3 in the first phase and jumped double clear with 10.8 cross-country time-faults to finish 10th. Rosa’s Party is owned by the Party Horses Club and was bred by Nick Gauntlett.
“She’s just a joy to work with,” said Sammi, after the pair’s dressage test. “She is just something else – she has the most incredible brain. She hasn't done a lot. She's only been eventing for two years, but she just loves it. It’s exciting.”
Faerie Good Golly (16th)
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
This royally bred mare is out of Badminton winner Classic Moet and by the late advanced eventing stallion Upsilon. The eight-year-old, born by embryo transfer, is ridden by Jonelle Price and looked a double for her famous dam as she soared across the country.
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Faerie Good Golly is bred by Tim and Jonelle Price and is owned by her rider, Maggie and Mark Woolhouse, Colin Reece and Ines Wagner.
Kilcoltrim Cooley (18th)
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Kitty King’s ride in this young horse championship looked class in every phase. The eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse is owned by Marshall and Sarah Riley and is the reigning British novice champion.
The Plot Blue son, bred by Aileen Doyle, joined Kitty from Clare Abbott in 2025 and the partnership has had a phenomenal 2026 season, jumping double clear on every start and stepping up to advanced.
The pair were sixth after the dressage on a score of 27.8, and Kitty told H&H at the time that it was a case of “taking each phase as it comes”.
“It’s about giving him a good experience for the future,” said Kitty.
The pair picked up 17.6 cross-country time-faults to finish 18th.
Lara told H&H that she had brought La La Land D’Arville to Blenheim to give her more exposure to this kind of atmosphere.
“She’s as fierce as she is small! Her heart is really big and she loves eventing, especially cross-country. She has the heart of a lion, she just loves it,” said Lara.
La La Land D’Arville, who is owned by Five Star Eventers and her breeder Larga Sprl, is by Herald 3 and out of Nooney Blue.
The Highlander (42nd)
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
The Diacontinus son, bred by Nicole Nehm, is already a two-time winner at four-star level. He hasn’t had a single jumping penalty this season (national or international), and has kept a flawless international jumping record throughout his career.
The big grey, ridden by Tim Price, was fourth in this class in 2025 and finished down the order in 2026 owing to a steady cross-country run, but looks a very exciting type for the future.
He is out of a Stakkato mare and is owned by Gillian and Stephen Brooker, Ginny Rusher and Glynn Norcutt.
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
