Hunter’s Challenge raises £5k for Countryside Alliance

H&H head of news Abi Butcher was pipped to the post in the Hunter’s Challenge charity race at Lingfield yesterday.

Abi and her own Hawkstar Express ran in second to race winner Libby Lawson of the East Kent Hunt, on her husband Chris’s Ivory Fair.

Libby, who was recently appointed joint-master of the East Kent, has ridden in point-to-points and ran in last year’s Newmarket Town Plate.

“I tried to stay out of trouble but gave us too much to do at the end,” said Abi, who was representing the Kent & Surrey Draghounds and finished within a length of the winner.

“I am disappointed not to win, but happy my horse finished in one piece.”

The inaugural Hunter’s Challenge involved nine runners from six hunts, racing over a mile on the all-weather track at the Surrey racecourse.

Open to amateur horses and riders who hunted last season, the flat race raised over £5,000 for the Countryside Alliance Foundation.

The race was started by Bob Champion who stopped off en route as part of his 60:60 Challenge to visit 60 racecourses in 60 consecutive days.

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