The Mullingar Rising Stars Young Horse Series is an innovative series, designed to give young horses time and the opportunity to develop to their maximum potential at their own pace. The series caters for 4, 5 and 6/7 year old horses.
Qualifiers run from March through to July, with the courses increasing in height and technicality as the season progresses. The Rising Stars Finals has a fantastic prize fund of €10,000 and is live streamed to a global audience.
The Rising Stars Series 2026 was an incredible success, with two particularly special stories emerging from the 5 Year Old and 6/7 Year Old Finals.
The 5 Year Old champion Castlelost Well Dignified was bred and produced by Holly Lenahan who also competed the geldings mother up to 1.35m.
Similarly, Orla Cassidy bred and produced the 6/7 Year OId Champion Whitetree Baby whose mother she also competed up to 1.35m. The combination have followed the Rising Stars Series since Whitetree Baby’s 4 year Old Year, and in 2026 they shone on the Final Day in Aloga International Sand with an exceptional jump off round to take the win.
These stories epitomise what the Rising Stars is about, the slower production of talented horses, giving them time to develop to their full potential and allowing them to showcase their talent at the Finals.
2026 5 Year Old Champion
Castlelost Well Dignified (Dignified van’t Zorgvliet x Well Chosen)
Bred, owned and ridden by Holly Lenahan
2026 6/7 Year Old Champion
Whitetree Baby (Zinedine x Glenbar)
Bred by Aoife Cassidy, owned and ridden by Orla Cassidy
4 Year Old Champion 2026
Serado (El Dorado)
Owned by Michael Balfe, ridden by Feaha Moore
The 6/7 Year Old Rising Stars Champion 2025 Laconda 50 went on to place 3rd in the prestigious Irish Breeders Classic Final in Barnadown in August 2025. Laconda 50 has since been sold to America where she has been successfully competing in Young Horse Classes with Irish 5* Grand Prix Winner Conor Swail.
The 5 Year Old Rising Stars Champion 2025 Isla Flight topped the sale in the Stride Horse Auction in late 2025. In 2026, the mare by Ganash Hero Z qualified for the Young Riders class at the RDS Dublin Horse Show, and recently placed 2nd in the Irish Breeders Classic 6 Year Old Final.
The 2025 4 Year Old Champion Ruben continued to impress in 2026, qualifying for the 5 Year Old Championship in Balmoral, and also placed in the 1.20 5 & 6 Year Old Final at Millstreet International.
The 2024 6/7 Year Old Rising Stars Champion Kathleens Candy Clover returned to Mullingar in 2025 to win the Plusvital CSI 2* International 1.30m at Mullingar CSI2* International Tour before repeating his victory in that class in 2026. The gelding by Sligo Candy Boy has also placed in many 1.30m and 1.40m classes on the national circuit this year.
Amos L Z, the 2023 6/7 Year Old Champion has remained under the saddle of James Derwin and the pair have since successfully represented Ireland on Junior Nations Cup Teams. In 2026 they won the 1.35/ 1.40 Young Rider Championship at the RDS Dublin Horse Show, after winning the Kilbaha U25 Class at the Army Equitation School Centenary Youth Show earlier in the summer.
Some incredibly talented Rising Stars have competed in the series since its initiation and these success stories highlight the important contribution the Rising Stars Series makes to producing young horses in Ireland. We look forward to following the continued progress of the Rising Stars graduates, and we can’t wait to see what their future holds.
2025 6/7 Year Old Rising Stars Champion
Emma O’Dwyer & Laconda 50
2018 Bay Mare (Million Dollar X Con Air)
2025 4 Year Old Rising Stars Champion
James Derwin & Jim Derwin’s Ruben
2021 Grey Gelding (Grandorado X Bugatti Vdl)
5 Year Old Rising Stars Champions 2025
Taylor Cummins & Isla Flight. This mare owned by Marie Moloney by Ganash Hero Z was picked as the horse with the most potential
Amber English & Castlebridge Super Nova
Eimhin Kellett & Lagans Van de Star
Dylan Savage & Dhf Defiant
James Derwin & Mr Priority
Tim McDonagh & Hollypark Sassy
Catriona Fitzgerald & Blf Eezee
2024 6/7 Year Old Rising Stars Champion
John Mulligan & Bernard Reynolds’ Kathleens Candy Clover
2017 Bay Gelding by Sligo Candy Boy
2024 4 Year Old Rising Stars Champion
Olive Clarke & her own FF Limited Edition
2020 Bay Gelding by For Pleasure out of the dam Annouk van’t goor by Asca Z
2024 5 Year Old Rising Stars Champions
Gary Dooley & Kathryn Duffy’s Amor Van Het Genishinde Z (Pictured) This 5 year Old bay stallion by Amado Van’t Vossenhof Z was picked at the horse with the most potential
Feaha Moore & Mick Smith’s Muzika
Feaha Moore & Jenny McCann’s Volare
Jim Donohoe & Ailenn McDermott’s Le Tot Romanov
Aoife Cuffe & Cathy Cuffe’s One and Only TN
Olive Clarke & her own FSS Sunlight
Samantha Bretzer & her own Salander
Grace McHugh & Joe Bolger’s O Lala EB
Lauren Quinn & Brian Quinn’s A Time to Remember
Cora Sharkey & her own Dowdstown Jordie
2023 4yo Rising Star Champion
Olive Clarke & Olive Broderick’s ‘KMS Ballygriffin Max’
2019 Bay Mare by ‘Tyson’ out of the dam ‘Max Naughty but Nice’ by ‘Chacoa’
2023 6/7 YO Rising Star Champion
JamesDerwin & Ballywalters Stables ‘Amos LZ’
2017 Bay Gelding by ‘A Golden Boy Hero Z’ out of the dam ‘F.Luna L’ by ‘Cantu
2023 5yo Rising Star Champion
Joanne Blair & Mark Harley’s ‘Jibber Janner PH’
2018 Bay mare by ‘Dominator 2000
