This season's date is Monday 28th May 2007 at Chaddesley Racecourse First Race 2pm

New Ladies Open Race for the Wild Page Challenge Bowl. Trade Stands, Children's Play Area, Parade of The AWH Foxhounds, Licensed Bar and Pony Racing. A fun day out for all the family!

Come and join us for a day at the races!

Sponsorship Opportunities

The Point to Point attracts over 5000 people from across Worcestershire and the surrounding counties. What better way to promote your business than with a day at the races? Please contact the joint secretaries to discuss the bespoke packages available.

Information for owners

Receiver of entries: Weatherbys Chase by telephone to 01933 394849 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday). With credit/debit card payment or by post to David Ingle, Weatherby's Chase, Weatherbys, Sanders Road, Wellingborough, Northants, NN8 4BX enclosing payment. (Cheques made payable to Weatherby's Chase including an S.A.E for passes and entries list.)

Entries close Monday 21st May 2007.

If you require more information or if you are available to help before or on the day, please contact the joint secretaries Karly Farmer or Rebekka Fiorani
on 07956 809502. or by email at pointtopoint@albrightonwoodlandhunt.co.uk

Point to Point

The General History

The sport of steeplechasing was originated by hunting men who raced their hunters over natural country from "point to point" or from one steeple to the next. During the 19th century, steeplechasing became more sophisticated with enclosed courses and professionally trained horses, many of which were thoroughbreds, and the traditional sporting amateur was not able to compete at this level. Therefore attempts were made to stage races for proper hunters, from which racehorses and professional jockeys were excluded.

Ridden by Jane Williams

Local Hunts also undertook to organise amateur races with slightly more success. The Worcestershire Hunt have records of sporadic Hunt meetings from 1836, and the Atherstone claimed to be the first Hunt to stage an annual Hunt point-to-point meeting dating from the 1870s.

These and other meetings were run under their own rules, and it was not until 1913 that the Master of Hounds Point-to-Point Association established a set of rules. These rules did not preclude lady riders who were regular competitors, often riding sidesaddle, although from 1929 to 1967, they were only permitted to ride in races confined to lady riders.

The 1930's saw the formation of a Joint Advisory Committee comprising three Members of the National Hunt Committee and three representatives of the Master of Foxhounds' Association. From the 1935 season, point to pointing came directly under the jurisdiction of the NH Committee and a number of changes were introduced.

No horse was eligible that had, since January 1st of the year in question, been in a licensed trainer's yard.

Professional riders were banned. This included Hunt Servants, grooms, apprentices, stable lads or anyone who had "ridden for hire" in any capacity.

Ridden by Helen Needham

Courses had to be approved by an official Inspector of Courses. By and large, these rules still hold good today. Hunt staff and stable lads are now allowed to ride in Point to Points, although professional riders and anyone who has been paid to ride in a race are still banned.

There was no Point to Point racing during the Second World War, and only 91 meetings were held in 1946 although this number soon picked up in the ensuing years. By 1949, the bona-fide hunt meetings had completely disappeared from the scene. The year was also notable as the first Labour government proposed a bill to ban hunting. This was defeated.

Point to Pointing has often led the way for National Hunt racing to follow. Two innovations occurred on the point-to-point field in 1990, which were later followed by racing under rules. The first was the dolling off of fences. Previously, if a fence had been obstructed due to a fallen horse or jockey, the entire race would have been abandoned, but a new rule allowed fences to be "dolled off" and for the field to go around the fence, thus allowing them to continue and complete the race. This rule proved successful in Point to Point racing as it reduced the number of races that had to be abandoned, and was then successfully transferred to National Hunt racing. The second innovation was Sunday racing with betting. Although not popular with bookmakers, there is no doubt that Sunday racing attracts a large attendance, although it is predominantly a family one with less emphasis on betting and more on a family day out. Sunday racing has now become an accepted part of Point to Point racing and racing under rules.

Albrighton Woodland Hunt Point-to-Point at Chaddesley Corbett

The Jockey Club (www.thejockeyclub.co.uk), who control Point-to-Pointing, would not recognise the Albrighton Woodland Hunt as a separate pack and so a joint Point-to-Point Meeting was held with the Albrighton Hunt at Wilbrighton. It was not until 1956 that both Hunts were allowed individual Point-to-Points.

The Albrighton Woodland Hunt Point-to-Point is traditionally held on Spring Bank Holiday Monday at the Chaddesley Corbett racecourse.

Albrighton Woodland Hunt Point to Point Prize Winners 2006

Race Name	Position	Horse Name	Owner
Members Race	First	Sapega	Mrs D Williams
Members Race	Second	Primative Son	Miss W Bayliss & Mrs S Jordan
Members Race	Third	Philtre	Mr J D Callow
Confined Race	First	Rathcoole Dancer	Mr A G Brown
Confined Race	Second	Daisy Fay	Mr P McCanlis and Mr P Ansdell
Confined Race	Third	Earl of Buckingham	Mr C Booth
Mixed Open Race	First	Home by Midnight	Mrs L Redman
Mixed Open Race	Second	Lough Ennel	Mr Rae Jones
Mixed Open Race	Third	Jemaro	Mr J Beasley and Mr R Mapp
Intermediate Race	First	Euryalus	Mr David M Richards
Intermediate Race	Second	Four Opinions	Mrs C Scott
Intermediate Race	Third	Jumbul Sale	Mr Charles Dixey
Restricted Race	First	Dick's Dream	Mr Gary Salter
Restricted Race	Second	Buckingham Bill	Mr C Booth
Restricted Race	Third	Scarlet Gunner	Mrs D Stubbs
Maiden Race Div I	First	Milanista	Mr D Doddy
Maiden Race Div I	Second	Little Girl	Mr E Turner
Maiden Race Div I	Third	Gunsmoke	Mr D H Godfrey
Maiden Race Div II	First	Give Me Strength	Miss J Oakey
Maiden Race Div II	Second	Hot Chocolat	Mr D Pugh
Maiden Race Div II	Third	Iron Man Dan	Mr J D Callow

ALBRIGHTON WOODLAND CHADDESLEY CORBETT MONDAY 29 MAY 2006		REVIEW BY PETER MANSELL
CLAIRE ALLEN WINNING RUNS CONTINUES BUT IS TIME RUNNING OUT? PLUS A DOUBLE FOR ANDY HOBBS AS WEST MIDLAND SEASON ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE AT CHADDESLEY CORBETT Having R T Baimbridge as your mentor does have its benefits but it can also lead to a certain amount of confusion and Julie Houldey has lost count of the number of times she has had to correct the misconception that Dicks Dream is part of the Berkeley trainers winning stable. It is a simple mistake to make (as I found out) earlier in the season, but with the support of owner Gary Salter and the exploits of The Wee Bishop and Dicks Dream in 2006 this young trainer is proving that she can compete on equal terms with more experienced colleagues. Dicks Dream has run consistently since the start of the season. This meant that he started an odds on favourite for the Restricted and his supporters never had any cause for concern after the 7-year-old took the lead at the 11th. He maintained a 3-length advantage down the back straight and started to assert his superiority as they raced up the hill for the final time. Claire Allen's mount got close to a couple of the fences in the home straight, but it hardly altered the favourites stride pattern and they were 30-lengths clear as they passed the judge. Dick Dreams win meant that he had established an unbeatable lead in the Areas Novice Horse Award, which will be presented at the Area Awards Dinner at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday 22nd September. Ridden by Martin Darby Trainer Andy Hobbs, owner Adrian Brown and his son Adam will also be heading for this black tie event after Rathcoole Dancers win in the Confined. This provided the first leg of a double for Hobbs, who sent out Euryalus to win the Intermediate later in the afternoon. Rathcoole Dancers success meant that Hobbs will pick up the trainers prize, Brown senior will be handed the mares award, while his 19-year-old son Adam picks up the Leading Novice Riders Trophy. The lead changed hands on numerous occasions until Greensleeves hit the front at the 15th, although Rathcoole Dancer never let the leader get too far in front and was always in a challenging position. The favourite began to throw out distress signals between the final two fences but the winner had to pull out all the stops to hold Daisy Fays persistence challenge all the way up the run in. David Richards's colours made a welcome return to the winners enclosure after Euryalus win in the Intermediate. Older readers will remember Richards enjoying great success with a horse called Dempsey back in the early 1980's. That horse was a prolific winner between the flags when ridden by his son Mark, but Richards took a sabbatical from the sport when his son died on Military Exercises in South America. Owned by Sue Jordan (AWH Hon. Secretary) and Wendy Bayliss Photographs supplied by Ashleigh Robbins		Ridden by Jane Williams Connections lost a promising mare called Aunty Pam at Siddington earlier in the season, but appear to have unearthed a gem in Euryalus, who was purchased privately after winning his previous race at Bredwardine. The 8-year-old lost his pitch down the back straight but Richard Burton was merely bidding his time although they were still 5-lnegths behind the leader at the 16th. The Champion elect produced his mount with a perfectly timed run to mow down his challengers as Euryalus quickened under pressure on the flat. Sapega and Jane Williams returned to a warm welcome after their win in the Members. The 12-year-old has been slightly disappointing this year, but that can be put down to the rub of the green, and he was never in danger of defeat after taking the lead at the 11th. Primitive Son and Philtre fought it out for the minor placings but they were able to mount an effective challenge in the home straight. Thirteen runners faced the starter for the Mixed Open and while not wishing to detract in any way from the winning performance of Home by Midnight, a number of horses including Be My Dream, Persian Hero and Premium First looked to be suffering the effects of a long hard season. Jemaro got a flyer at the start and was 6-lengths clear as they jumped the fourth and he maintained that lead until the opposition moved into contention at halfway. Richard Burtons mount was back in the lead at the 15th and with Premium First weakening Home By Midnight moved into up to challenge as they turned for home. The mare struck the front between the final two fences although Lough Ennel looked dangerous as he started to eat into the leaders advantage at the second from home. A good jump at the last secured the prize for the winner who is a credit to trainer Lynne Redmond and jockey Tom Ellis with Lough Ennel claiming second place by a short head from Jemaro. Ridden by Sophie Talbot. As expected the Maiden had to be split on the day, but both halves of this race went to horses originally purchased by Martin Oliver Milanista had run out at the fourth at Kingston Blount on Sunday, so as the mares Cobham based trainer/rider Phillip York explained afterwards he kept her boxed in today to avoid the same fate. The runners were already separated by 20-lengths as the field approached the first fence as Gunsmoke lead his rivals a merry dance and at one point you started to wonder whether the opposition had given him too much rope. That question was answered as they raced towards the third from home where the winner loomed large in Gunsmoke's mirrors and the race was over in a matter of strides when York's mount hit the front. Give Me Strength had run well at Upper Sapey recently and went one better on this occasion by claiming Division II of the Maiden. Hot Chocolat and Give Me Strength had the race to themselves from the 14th with the latter asserting between the final two fences. A slow jump at the last appeared to hand Hot Chocolat a life line but Give Me Strength rallied under a strong drive by Adrian Wintle to land the spoils for local owner Julia Oakey. Julian Pritchard and Adrian Wintle have been looked in battle for the Riders Championship all season. This victory sealed the win in the Cheltenham Jockeys favour and crowned a fine afternoon for Wintle who due to the generosity of local owners, celebrated his forthcoming marriage to fellow jockey Hannah Lewis in the Sponsors Tent at the end of the afternoon.