“Demeures de Campagne” joins forces with the Derby de La Baule
The “Derby de La Baule – Demeures de Campagne” will be one of the high points of the 2025 edition of the Jumping de La Baule. With its new partner, the event will kick off a very promising Saturday afternoon, before an end to the day with the “Eventing Relay, presented by Forestier Sellier” hosted by the three French eventing medallists from the last Olympic Games and the younger generation.
The Derby de La Baule has always been part of the DNA of the Officiel de France. In a new feature for the 2025 edition, the event will be sponsored by “Demeures de Campagne”, owned by the Grape Hospitality group, a collection of hotels offering the promise of a rejuvenating stay. “With this partnership, our ambition is to promote “Demeures de Campagne” via the Jumping de La Baule and encourage all the event’s enthusiasts to come and enjoy the experience,” explains Frédéric Josenhans. “During our first three years as a partner, I rediscovered an event with values based on sporting performance but also conviviality, sharing, innovation and respect for animal welfare. When the organising team suggested to me that we give further backing to the competition through “Demeures de Campagne” sponsoring the legendary Derby, we were won over straight away. This partnership is also part of our brand development strategy in France and Europe. Additionally, it is a magnificent opportunity for us to invite our customers and partners to enjoy, together with us, an unforgettable moment that is in keeping with our values of conviviality, discovery and respect for the environment, in an absolutely outstanding setting”. As is often the case in La Baule, a more sentimental and historical dimension also plays a key role in this partnership. “On a personal level, I have often heard the story of my aunt who took part in the world championship for women riders on this course in 1974 and I was lucky enough to ride in the French amateur championships here in the early 1980s,” adds Frédéric Josenhans. “Coming back 40 years later was an obvious choice and, above all, a wonderful new experience. Horses are very much part of “Demeures de Campagne” especially at the Domaine de Maffliers. Our guests can bring their own horse with them or experience special moments with the horses on rides, in fun family workshops or via equi-coaching at seminars”.
Competition chairman Pierre de Brissac is also delighted with this new partnership. “This partnership is excellent news and I am delighted that Demeures de Campagne is one of the sponsors of the leading events at La Baule! All the more so since the partnership will continue for the next 3 editions. The support of our partners is essential and allows us to hold this competition year after year to welcome the world elite in showjumping. This year, the competition lost support from the Region but we have chosen to see the situation as a glass half full, with the opportunity to offer the sponsorship of the legendary Derby de La Baule to a new partner. It is a fantastic and spectacular event which is very popular with the spectators. Indeed, we have the biggest crowds on Saturday. However, it is an event that requires considerable investment from our partners, with prize money of € 56,800 for the Derby.
Frédéric was already a loyal partner of the event, enthusiastic about the competition, convinced of the value of communicating through it and therefore signed up for the adventure without hesitation. So, this year, we are proud to welcome the Derby de La Baule – Demeures de Campagne!”
The “Eventing Relay, presented by Forestier Sellier”: an elite level encounter
On Saturday 7th June at 20.00, the three French riders who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in eventing, will come together for the “Eventing Relay, presented by Forestier Sellier” alongside three young riders already at the highest European level.
The Jumping international de La Baule is constantly keen to offer a unique experience every year and for the 2025 edition there will be a new, very symbolic ‘event’. Following the “Legends’ Trophy” in 2022, which brought together showjumping legends (France’s Frédéric Cottier and Éric Navet, Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs and Germany’s Lars Nieberg), then last year’s “The Stars of Eventing” with the riders who have brilliantly represented France in the eventing discipline over the last two decades (Jean-Lou Bigot, Karim Laghouag, Stéphane Landois, Maxime Livio, Astier Nicolas and Nicolas Touzaint), now it is the turn of the riders who thrilled us last summer.
For this grand premiere, the three medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in eventing will be present on the grass tracks for a very friendly competition in the form of a relay. Nicolas Touzaint, Stéphane Landois and Karim Laghouag will be joined by one of the three young riders from the French team present at the most recent European Championships in their age category. Lisa Gualtieri (individual and team silver medallist), Alizée Bourguet (6th in the individual competition and a team silver medallist) and Vérane Nicaud (4th in the individual competition) will join the champions on the tracks of the Stade François André stadium, to provide a perfect illustration of the diversity of equestrian sports but also an opportunity to share thrills between generations.
There is no doubt that the spectators in La Baule will pay a fitting tribute to the Olympic medallists and emerging champions of the future.
