09/04/2025
Super Nova II
We are very saddened to hear the passing of a truly remarkable horse and we send Jen Goodman his owner and Spencer Wilton his rider, our deepest sympathy.
My Dad, David Slater spotted him when we were visiting Mrs Kirby.
Dad had developed a formula to score horses breeding, based on the official Verband Studbooks statistics. By applying that formula he recognised that the mix of bloodlines was genius and despite my doubts he insisted that we bought him from Mrs Kirby.
So he joined us at Ruxton Horses as a weanling. Mrs Kirby named him Dimitri. To us he will always be Ruxton Dimitri.
He was a huge character and he soon won a place in our hearts.
I backed him as a four year old but I didn’t compete him until he was five as he needed time to mature.
I competed him at novice level where he always stood out as a star and then took him to the National Championships to compete in the young horse classes in 2008.
I trained with Carl at the time and it was when I took Dimitri for a lesson with Carl that he also recognised his potential and asked me if he could buy him - and the rest as they say is history!
We bought several horses from Mrs Kirby who were all successful and we still have Ruxton Whisper who is now 25 years old and enjoying her retirement. Mrs Kirby was an incredible breeder with an amazing eye and a huge knowledge.
Without my Dad being super clever we would never have had the chance to experience such a wonderful, talented soul as Dimitri.
We feel so lucky to have been involved in a small part of Neville’ s story. We loved him very much and always believed in his outstanding star quality. He will continue to shine brightly from over the rainbow bridge - so, from all of us at Ruxton Horses, rest in peace Super Nova II.
