Biography

It will be a first Badminton for French rider Sidney Dufresne (31) who is based in the district of Yvelines on the outskirts of Paris.

Sidney began riding aged 10 and competed in his first pony international in 2002 and was later selected to ride for the French team at European Championships at Junior (2004) and Young Rider level (2006 & ’07).

In 2009 Sidney became the stable jockey to Mark Todd in Berkshire and later that year with  his Young Rider horse Gros Bonnet, Sidney completed his first four-star at Burghley. In 2012 he returned to France.

Last year with the stallion Tresor Mail (a son of Jaguar Mail) Sidney won the CCI2* at Le Pin – his first three-day win.

Sidney is the son of Yves Dufresne who also competes in international eventing – he competed at Burghley in 1992. Sidney and his partner Iris de Fleurieu have two children; Leon (3) and a ten month old boy.

Reliquaire owned by Agnes Troublé is a 12-year-old Selle Francais. He is by the Trakehner stallion Balisto out of a Dutch mare by the showjumper Emilion. ‘Chubby’ was spotted by Sidney in 2013 during his time at the yard of Jean Teulere who was then riding him. Sidney offered to buy him but it was not till a year later, in 2014, he was able to do so. Jean Teulere took him to two-star level. Last year with Sidney ‘Chubby’ was second at Le Pin CCI3* – this will be the first four-star for the horse. Chubby is owned by the famous French designer and stylist Agnes B.