First riders qualify for Badminton Grassroots Championships

This week saw the start of the Mitsubishi Motors BE90 and BE100 Regional Eventing Finals at Shelford Manor, Leicestershire (19-20 August). Over 80 competitors launched their campaigns to try to qualify for the coveted Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships at Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire next year (29-30 April 2010).

Shelford Manor held three sections of Mitsubishi Motors BE90 Regional Finals and two sections of Mitsubishi Motors BE100 Regional Finals, in which the top 25% of starters in each section earned their places for the Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships.

One competitor who will travel to Badminton next April is Fiona Edwards from Shropshire, who won her BE100 class, adding only one time penalty to her dressage score. Fiona won the class on her horse Konito and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to ride at Badminton: "I’m obviously very excited to win my class and qualify for Badminton; the thought of reaching those Championships really spurred me on.

"We had such a good day out at Shelford Manor, the ground, course and organisation was fantastic. Over the winter, I’ll continue competing in dressage and show-jumping as well as hunt him, and then I’ll do a couple of events prior to Badminton to get both of us prepared. I can’t wait until the Championships!"

The remaining Mitsubishi Motors BE90 and BE100 Regional Finals are at the following locations:

Mitsubishi Motors BE90 Regional Finals

22 August 2009 – Solihull (2), West Midlands

29 August 2009 – Milton Keynes (3), Buckinghamshire

29 August 2009 – Firle Place, East Sussex

6 September 2009 – Turnberry, Ayrshire

11 September 2009 – West Wilts (3), Wiltshire

12 September 2009 – Hutton in the Forest (2), Cumbria

19 September 2009 – Burnham Market (2), Norfolk

19 September 2009 – Somerford Park, Cheshire

29 September 2009 – Berkshire College (2), Berkshire

16 October 2009 – Broadway (2), Worcestershire

Mitsubishi Motors BE100 Regional Finals

22 August 2009 – Aswanley, Aberdeenshire

29 August 2009 – Milton Keynes (3), Buckinghamshire

29 August 2009 – Firle Place, East Sussex

11 September 2009 – West Wilts (3), Wiltshire

12 September 2009 – Pontispool (2), Somerset

19 September 2009 – Burnham Market (2), Norfolk

19 September 2009 – Somerford Park (2), Cheshire

26 September 2009 – Aske (2), North Yorkshire

2 October 2009 – Dauntsey Park, Wiltshire

10 October 2009 – Holdenby, Northants

17 October 2009 – Little Downham (2), Cambridge 

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Editors notes:

British Eventing (BE) is the governing body for Horse Trials in Great Britain and regulates the sport as well as scheduling over 190 events throughout the country. Eventing is a combination of equestrian disciplines including dressage, cross country and show jumping.

BE has over 12,500 members including day ticket holders, with classes for all abilities of rider, from 80cm (Training Classes) through to 1.20m (Advanced). It has successful gold-medal winning teams at Pony, Junior, Young Rider and Senior Level. Its Olympic team won Bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, as well as Individual Bronze.

www.britisheventing.com

For further information about the Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships, please visit www.mitsubishimotors-grassroots.co.uk

For further media information, please contact British Eventing PR & Communications Manager Liza Randall on liza.randall@britisheventing.com or 07702 901002

photograph courtsey of www.horsepower-photography.co.uk