The countdown is just about done, so it’s time for the talking to stop and the tapes to rise on the 2025 ACU International British Masters Grass track Championship. This year’s blue ribband event is being hosted by Ledbury MCC at their Sparrington Farm venue situated at Pencombe, Herefordshire, HR7 4SL and what a thriller it promises to be!
The 2025 Masters certainly includes the very best riders currently fit and available, with entries from Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, the Channel Islands, Wales and England all going in search of the coveted 500cc solo, 500cc sidecars and 1,000cc Right-Hand sidecars titles.
Let’s start with the 500CC solos as defending Champion Chris Harris attempts to make it a third consecutive title. Victorious in both 2021 and 2022, which were the last completed Masters meetings, ‘Bomber’ will surely start the 2025 event as hot favourite, but there’s plenty of high-quality opposition waiting to steal his crown! The stacked line-up includes three other former Masters Champions in Andrew Appleton, James Shanes and Zach Wajknecht. Appleton, a regular competitor on the international stage, has won the Masters on no less than four occasions, his last success coming in the Astra-promoted event in 2014. Also, a four-time Masters Champion, James Shanes, was victorious in 2015,2016,2017 and 2019. Having suffered a serious arm injury a couple of years ago, James has only just returned to racing during the current season, but you know he will have the speed, be ultra-competitive and looking to be right in the mix at Ledbury. And, what about Zach Wajknecht the Masters winner at Cheshire in 2018? Well, Zach currently tops the World Long track Championship table and should certainly arrive at Sunday’s event rightly full of confidence and ready to hunt down another title.
Of the other challengers in an entry dripping with star appeal, there are plenty more potential podium chasers. What about Paul Cooper, an eight-time ACU British Champion but never a Masters title winner, his best placing being a runner-up way back in 2008? Or, what about riders currently mixing their grass racing with some shale action, such as Arran Butcher, Darryl Ritchings, Luke Harris, Alfie Bowtell, Charlie Wood and the always spectacular and very entertaining Mickie Simpson, who has just qualified for his maiden European Grass track final? Of that group, Butcher is certainly the form man on the grass with wins at Helsby, DR Events and Dalton, although a broken hand sustained in a recent speedway accident does put his participation at the Masters in a little bit of doubt!
Continuing the quality on view in the 500cc solo’s you can also never discount the threat offered by Charley Powell, another European Grass track Final qualifier, and the consistent duo of Cameron Taylor and Jack Roberts whilst Jade Mudgway and Jacob Bukhave add some international flavour. Indeed, Bukhave, a rider with plenty of World Long track and European Grass track Championship experience, must be considered as a potential major spoiler in the shake-up for honours. Completing the entry in this class are Martin Williams, Jamie Fenn-Smith, Callum Wlaker, Will Thurlby, Jordan Derrick, John Cox and Ryan and Liam Ashcroft.
For the first time at a Masters event, the 500cc Sidecars will be coming to the tapes with Mitch Godden/Paul Smith looking to make it five consecutive titles. In 2025, Godden’s challengers will include crews from not only England but also Belgium, Denmark and Wales. For this Sunday, the only other rider in the entry to have enjoyed title success is Josh Goodwin, victorious on six occasions with Liam Brown in the chair. Josh last tasted glory in 2018, and he now has his cousin Scott Goodwin as a passenger. The other English crews on duty at Ledbury will be Chris Neame/Zoe Pay, Simon Field/Joe Page and Mike Skelding/Louis Skelding. Representing Wales and sure of some big support from just over the border are Barrie Bennett/Rowan Lucas and Shaun Hughes/Louis Bennett, who have made a welcome and strong return to action in 2025 after a lengthy lay-off due to injuries sustained at a European event. Carrying the International challenge in the 500cc sidecars will be Danish crew Mike Frederickson/Jorgen Qvistgard and Belgians Kennith van Eeckhout/Axelle Cannaerts. In this one, it will be particularly interesting to see how Dane Frederickson fares as a regular competitor at European Championship level.
So, what about the race for the 1,000cc right-hand sidecar title? Well, in both the last two completed Masters, Mark Cossar has been victorious, making it an incredible seven Masters crowns in total. During the aborted 2024 event, Cossar crashed out suffering nasty injuries, which forced him to sit out the first couple of months of the 2025 season. And, so far in 2025, proving just what an ultra-competitive class the 1,000cc chairs really are, there have been six different finals winners. Starting with Matt Fumarola/Andrew Wilson, other podium toppers have included Terry Saunters/Liam Brown, Robbie Simmons/Frankie Courtney, Gareth
Winterburn/Billy Winterburn and Paul Whitelam/Richard Webb. Ominously, though, and having switched from Suzuki to Yamaha power, Mark Cossar, since his return, has quickly got right back on the pace and bagged a couple of finals wins himself. All of the above crews will be coming to the tapes at Ledbury, along with, amongst others, some former Champions, Rob Bradley, a four-time winner who now has Bradley Shiels in the chair and Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh, two-time winners who were last victorious in 2015.
Continuing with the high-quality theme and always showing plenty of speed, determination, and desire to get stuck in, Michael Austin/Wayne Rickards should be right in the shake-up for a final spot. You can also attach that Austin label to the always entertaining Tom Cossar/Ryan Wharton, Neal Owen/Jason Farwell, Will Offen/Ricky Pay and Channel Islands aces Clint Blondel/Stephen Russell. Completing the 2025 Masters line-up are Mick Stace/Terry Madley, Andrew Minard/Lewis Davies, Dale Fish/Jordan Fish, Will Penfold/Freddie Wood and Simon Beaney/Brook Fowler.
This promises to be a simply epic weekend with the fun kicking off on Saturday, 2nd August, courtesy of some great FGA grass track racing, followed by live music in the evening from the Black Mercian band. Onsite there’s going to be a beer tent, trade stands, hot and cold food stalls, a bouncy castle for the kids and lots of other activities. Then on Sunday it’s the big one, the 2025 ACU British International Masters.
Practice is scheduled for 10.30am before a full rider presentation in which young Cruz Harris, son of top star Chris, will be handing over event mementoes to all of the competitors. At noon, it’s then tapes up as the race for the Masters titles commences. Admission charges are £20 for Adults, £18 for Concessions and under 16s are FREE. Camping at the venue is available from Friday, 1st August until Monday,4th August at a fee of £10.
Words and Images by Mike Wood – DirtHub.co.uk