Meet our equine partners

Kirsty Chabert

British Five-Star Event Rider

Quick facts

Full Name

Kirsty Louise Chabert

Born

27 October 1988

Discipline

Eventing

Base

Landford, Near Salisbury, Wiltshire

Meet Kirsty Chabert

Eventing runs through Kirsty Chabert’s family. Her father, John Johnston, competed at the highest level and completed Badminton in 1984 and Burghley, while her late mother, Debbie Johnston, evented and rode international Grand Prix dressage. Her brother, Ben, has also represented Great Britain in tetrathlon.

Debbie founded the family’s Opposition Stud, which stood the influential stallion Fleetwater Opposition - one of eventing’s most successful sires and the father of championship horses including Opposition Buzz. Today, Kirsty continues that legacy through Team Opposition, producing and competing horses from the family’s celebrated bloodlines.

Kirsty represented Great Britain at the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses with Opposition Detective in 2010 and Opposition Skylaw in 2013. She made her Badminton debut with Opposition Detective in 2016, completing the iconic five-star and receiving the Laurence Rook Trophy.

Her partnership with Classic VI has delivered some of the biggest results of her career. Together, they finished second at Luhmühlen CCI5*-L in 2022, sixth at Pau CCI5*-L in 2023 and represented Great Britain in Nations Cup competition, helping the team win the prestigious SAP-Cup at CHIO Aachen in 2021 and 2024 and Bicton in 2026.

Kirsty has continued to establish herself as one of Britain’s most experienced five-star riders, with successful appearances at Badminton, Burghley, Pau, Luhmühlen and Kentucky. In 2024, she finished sixth at Luhmühlen with Opposition Heraldik Girl, further demonstrating her ability to compete consistently at the very highest level of the sport.

Alongside her established five-star horses, Kirsty continues to develop an exciting string of talented younger horses through the levels. Global Empress won the five-year-old CCI-S 1* Championship at Ballindenisk in Ireland and the CCI2* at Wellington in 2024. Opposition Helios competed at the prestigious Mondial du Lion d’Angers seven-year-old World Championships in 2025. In 2026, Helios continued his progression with victory in the CCI-S 3* at Wellington, where Tykillen Shindig completed a standout weekend for Team Opposition by winning the CCI-S 2*

The story so far

1
Luhmühlen 5* Runner-Up
2022
2
Pau 5* Sixth Place
2023
3
Luhmühlen 5* Sixth Place
2024
4
Aachen Nations Cup Winner
2021 & 2024
5
Badminton Completion
2016 & 2025
6
5 x CCI4*-S Victories and 11 podiums with Classic VI
7
Bicton Nations Cup Winner
2026

Key achievements

2010 FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses, Le Lion d’Angers
Represented Great Britain with Opposition Detective
2013 FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses, Le Lion d’Angers
Represented Great Britain with Opposition Skylaw
2016 Badminton Horse Trials
Completed her first Badminton with Opposition Detective and received the Laurence Rook Trophy.
2019 Pau CCI5*-L
Completed with Classic VI.
2022 Luhmühlen CCI5*-L
Finished second with Classic VI, completing on their dressage score.
2022 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Final, Boekelo
Helped Great Britain secure victory in the final leg of the series.
2023 Pau CCI5*-L
Finished sixth with Classic VI.
2024 Kentucky CCI5*-L
Finished 19th with Classic VI after sitting second following the dressage phase.
2024 Luhmühlen CCI5*-L
Finished sixth with Opposition Heraldik Girl after producing a double clear.
2024 CHIO Aachen SAP-Cup
Helped Great Britain win the Eventing Nations Cup with Classic VI.
2025 Badminton Horse Trials
Completed with Classic VI, finishing 34th.
2026 Bicton International CCI4*-S
Took individual victory with Classic VI and helped Great Britain win the FEI Eventing Nations Cup.

The Horses

Classic VI

Stable Name: Betty

Born: 2009

Height: 16.1hh

Colour: Bay

Owned By: John Johnston and Carole Somers

Highlights: Has been on the podium 11 times at 4* and 5*. Runner-up at Luhmühlen CCI5*-L in 2022, sixth at Pau CCI5*-L in 2023 and a member of Great Britain’s winning Nations Cup team at CHIO Aachen in 2024.

Personality: Sassy! Absolutely knows she is is the queen of the yard

Favourite Treat: Loves polos

Heraldik Girl

Stable Name: Rocket

Born: 2012

Height: 15.1hh

Colour: Dark brown

Owned By: John Johnston, Kate Monserrate and Caroline Caines

Highlights: Finished sixth at Luhmühlen CCI5*-L in 2024 with a double clear and completed Pau CCI5*-L later that year. Won Boekelo Nations Cup 2022

Personality: Cheeky, the queen bee, a real rivalry for top spot with Betty. Her actual name was Cleo but this was soon changed to Rocket!

Favourite Treat: Apples

Opposition Helios

Stable Name: Helios

Born: 2018

Height: 17.1hh

Colour: Brown

Owned by: Kate James and Hans Bishop

Highlights: Competed at 7 yr old World Champs at Mondial Du Lion D’Angers in 2025, won CCI-S 3* at Wellington as 8 year old in 2026

Personality: doesn’t realise his own size! Has his own dinosaur toy

Favourite treats: Sugar lumps

Global Empress

Stable Name: Rosie

Born: 2018

Colour: Grey

Height: 16.1

Owned by: Carole Somers

Highlights: Won 5 year old CCI-S 1* World Championships at Ballindenisk in Ireland and CCI-S 2* Wellington

Personality: Very kind, endearing, she squeals going into show jumping!

Favourite treats: Bananas

Tykillen Shindig

Stable Name: Indy

Born: 2019

Colour: Brown

Height: 16.1

Owned by: Claire and Robin Holiday

Highlights: Winning CCI-S 2* Wellington 2026

Personality: Likes to please, an amazing temperament, quick learner

Favourite treats: Polos

Why Agria?

“For me, horse welfare always comes first. These horses are our partners but above all they’re part of the family, and their health and wellbeing throughout their whole lives really matters to me. That’s why partnering with Agria feels such a natural fit for Team Opposition — we share the same commitment to putting the horse first, supporting their wellbeing and giving them the best possible care, not just during their competition careers, but for the long term”

Kirsty Chabert

Agria Partner