Point-to-point stars celebrated at awards
Stars of the 2013-14 point-to-point season were celebrated at Cheltenham racecourse on Saturday (15 November) at the annual awards dinner.
Recently retired trainer Richard Barber was honoured for “outstanding service to point-to-pointing” by the Point-to-Point Authority (PPA).
Somerset-based rider Will Biddick was crowned men’s champion for the third year running, racking up 36 wins, while Bridget Andrews was champion lady rider with 26 wins.
Sam Waley-Cohen was named champion hunter chase rider (six wins) and Henry Daly took the trainer’s equivalent (five wins).
Tempelpirate, trained by Tim Underwood, took champion pointer for the most wins in a season, and the maiden mare champion title went to Splendid Blue, owned and trained by Jo Boswell.
Alan Hill took leading trainer with more than eight horses (27 winners) while Rose Loxton, who helped Megan Nicholls to the novice women riders’ title (17 wins in her first season), took the trainer with less than eight horses titles (also 17 wins).
Sean Bowen — who is now a conditional jockey —was leading novice rider with 10 wins. David Brace picked up the leading owner award (18 wins).
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Steven Astaire was awarded the Cynthia Higgon point-to-point secretaries association award — given for outstanding service to point-to-point administration.
The Sir Michael Connell award — presented in recognition of an individual who has contributed to the sport in a regulatory capacity of as a race-day official — went to Richard Russell.
“There is so much enthusiasm and goodwill surrounding pointing as we countdown to the new season,” said the PPA’s Clare Hazell.
“Saturday’s fantastic awards dinner has set things up nicely and soon all the talking will give way to some real competitive action.
“Out congratulations go to the worthy winners and those that ran them close last season, and special thanks are due to the evening’s sponsors: Connolly’s Red Mills, Fullers Brewery, AGA, The Jockey Club and The Point-to-Point Racing Company.”
For more on pointing, and an exclusive interview with trainer Jack Barber, don’t miss the H&H point-to-point special, out Thursday 27 November 2014.
View more pictures from the awards:
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.