Forum minutes

Point-to-Point Forum

Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells

Sunday 8th July 2007

The Forum was convened by Simon Tindall with the help and support of the SE Point-to-Point Secretaries Association and the SE Point-to-Point Supporters Club.

These notes have been compiled from a summary provided by Nicky Featherstone with the help of the panel members.

The subjects we discussed were as follows:

Ground Conditions

Going 

The importance of providing good racing ground dominated the meeting. Every course has different problems, some are not farmed and others have experienced varying difficulties with their farmers.

April meetings were likely to be in jeopardy in prevailing dry conditions on courses without proper watering facilities. More meetings will be lost if insufficient fields become the norm.

Use of Equipment

Two pasturators are available, and a vertidrainer and agrivators can be hired. Different equipment is needed for each course and soil type. The area owns two pasturators that are very effective when used in the off season to help reduce compacted soils, which has been very successful at Charing. There is a proposal for the Point-to-Point Board to appoint Area Ground Inspectors to assist Clerks of Courses and Course Inspectors in the future.

Geoff Stickels has expressed interest to advise our courses next season (on an expenses only basis) and he can be approached to work with each course. He will know the best machinery to be used for each course. Jamie Hawksfield and Warren Marshall endorsed the view that good ground preparation and post-racing reinstatement are vital if we are to attract good fields.

David Tindall will contact Clerks of Courses to ask if they want Geoff Stickles to help.

Treading-In

The importance of treading-in was emphasised. Detling and Penshurst were praised for their efforts in 2007 for producing good racing ground. Parham made major improvements for its early meeting. Two thoughts were put forward:

1)To ask the pony racers, via the Pony Clubs, to help clear up, particularly on Sundays or in holiday times. Could this be a condition of Pony Racer’s participating?

2)There is a proposal to hire the team that does the local NH courses. The team of six would have to be paid at a rough cost of £400 per day for treading in and forking, with possibly another half day for filling in. It was suggested that there could be a fund raising event in the Area to provide a kitty for all courses to hire the team throughout the season. It is worth investigating, but may have to be an option for 2009. (Levy to be withheld by Area?) John Hickman proposed sanctions on those courses that did not restore their courses after racing, whilst others did so.

Seminars

Some at the meeting were unaware of seminars for Clerks of Courses are run by the HRA and a David Tindall will circulate the next dates, when they are available.

Second Topic: Pony Racing and Novice Riders 

A.Pony Racing

Discussions took place regarding the South East Area Finals. Folkstone has rejected our approach for returning for our Finals next year and Lingfield is not prepared to stage these on a normal days racing. It was hoped that Parham might stage the Finals in 2008 at its second meeting, whilst future arrangements are agreed for 2009 onwards.

There was a request to standardise the start times at all meetings 45 minutes before the first point-to-point race; these earlier times should be publicised on all notices.

B.Novice Riders

John Bentley suggested a 7lb allowance for Novice riders up to five or even ten winners. This can only be implemented at national level; it features in the Point-to-Point Review recommendations.

The Area has appointed a Race Planning Committee and it will look at framing more Novice riders races, particularly in view of the new riders moving up from Pony racing. It seems wrong that Veterans should be allowed to ride in Novice races, which was agreed by the meeting. Could one course frame a Veterans race? There was a veterans race at Kingston Blount recently which was based on the combined age of horse and rider.

Third Topic: More Meetings

It was agreed that every effort must be made to retain as many meetings as possible, particularly when the ground conditions are much better in February and March. Stuart Robinson suggested that those courses who had the prime dates over the Bank Holidays where big profits are made, should be prepared to stage an earlier meeting in February or March which might not make a profit. The Support Fund continues to act as a safety net for those meetings who suffer from poor attendances in bad weather.

There was as suggestion that the SEHC should hold the Easter Saturday meeting to offset the losses that it risks on its February meeting, thereby contributing valuable cash into the Area Funds for ground preparations and improvements.

The meeting welcomed the Detling initiative to stage its first meeting at the end of January next year. There was hope that the Mid-Surrey Drag could again find a date in February, if sufficient sponsorship could be found, but it is unlikely for 2008.

Plumpton has offered the use of their course in the seven day period following their last meeting in May. It would be necessary to bring in portable fences and to run on the hurdles course, either as a midweek evening meeting or at the weekend.

The proximity to Folkestone United Hunts needs to be considered, but some thought that Plumpton would differentiate as a Point-to-Point meeting, compared to Folkestone’s Hunter Chase Meeting over regulation fences. The ground at Plumpton is now maintained at an excellent level throughout the season and it could provide a great finale after Peper Harrow to the end of the season.

Discussion ranged on who could run it, Jamie Hawksfield suggested that the Countryside Alliance could hold a meeting with the support of an area Point – to – Point body.

PR and Publicity

The importance of good PR was emphasised to publicise our race meetings and to educate the public in the big towns on the fringes of the Area, such as Maidstone, Ashford and Bromley of the attractions and cheap cost of a good day out. Mark Siggers has been appointed PRO and should consider setting up an advisory committee to work on new ideas.