The Mars Badminton Horse Trials has revealed that equestrian retailer LeMieux will become the title sponsor of the Grassroots Championships from 2025.
The LeMieux Grassroots Championships, which are the pinnacle of the sport for riders competing at BE90 and BE100 level, will take place at Badminton on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 May ahead of the CCI5* competition.
“The Championships continue to go from strength to strength with riders qualifying from far and wide across Great Britain to compete at Badminton. We are extremely grateful to LeMieux for extending their generous support and becoming the title sponsor of the Grassroot Championships,” said Badminton Horse Trials event director Jane Tuckwell.
Dressage is scheduled for the first day and a half of competition before horses and riders embark on their showjumping and cross-country rounds. The cross-country phase takes competitors around the Badminton Estate and through the famous lake and at the end of the competition a mounted prize giving takes place in front of Badminton House.
‘A fantastic showcase’
“From up-and-coming grassroots riders to professionals at the peak of equestrian sport, at LeMieux, we love to support riders coming up through the levels, and the LeMieux Badminton Grassroots Championships 2025 is a fantastic showcase for future talent. We expect to see some serious competition and very worthy winners,” said Dan Mahoney, managing director at LeMieux.
In order to contest the Grassroots Championships, horses and riders must qualify for the event by recording qualifying results at a regional final.
“The BE90 and BE100 Championships is one of the pinnacles of the Eventing calendar for those Grassroots riders who have aspired to qualify, and we are delighted that they are being supported by such a forward-thinking and innovative brand as LeMieux. We look forward to working with the team at Badminton and LeMieux to deliver a first-class Grassroots Championships to remember in 2025,” said Rosie Williams, ceo at British Eventing.
In 2024, the BE100 class was won by osteopath Lucinda Mills riding Chaconda Blue while first place in the BE90 was awarded to Dundee student Ben Fairbrother with Upper Limit.
