The last month has been incredibly exciting for point to pointing since the weather has warmed up and the snow has all gone. The meetings have all become more local to the Midlands Area, so it is also much closer to home and therefore a much better social occasion!
The first meeting was the Pytchley Hunt at Guilsborough in Northamptonshire on 7th April, which is our local and only about 5 miles from home. It was a busy day with my mum’s horse, Killard Point (green and gold colours), running into 4th in the second race, then a fast and furious ride in the Ladies race on a horse called Ungaro for Heather Kemp – a horse I’d never ridden before – to come 3rd (yellow colours). It was high quality racing and I was delighted to be in one piece as Ungaro tried desperately to un-ship me at the last fence! Below are some photos of the action – some are near misses and others looking a bit more stylish!
Ungaro
Ungaro breaking a fence!
Killard Point
The following weekend was a busy one for pointing- on the Saturday I made the trip to the Heythrop Hunt point to point at Mollington in Warwickshire. This was for a ride for Lady Connell, who kindly has let me ride her horse, Noble Crusader, this season as they hoped he might like a girl riding him better! Unfortunately he does not love racing, and although I had a nice ride and he jumped well I pulled him up a few fences from home. I think he will now retire and find another job he likes better.
Noble Crusader
Good shot of the logo!
Sunday was a much better day – particularly as the sun was out at the Atherstone Hunt meeting at Clifton-Upon-Dunsmore, again in Warwickshire. I had two rides, the first of which was a winner!!! My second ever winner trained by my mum was Killard Point, he ran brilliantly and jumped very well and won by around 9 lengths. That was my second winner out of around 45 rides. What made it even better was that my good friend Camilla also had her second winner which was trained by her mum too – both our mums now think they are Venetia Williams! The after party was great fun with lots of friends celebrating with the bottles of champagne we won. I had a second ride for my mum on a horse called The Laodicean, but for some unknown reason he did not quite perform, but he is fine and happy this week so we hope for a better run next weekend.
This weekend was less busy but still brilliant. I rode at the Quorn Hunt point to point at Garthorpe near Melton Mowbray. This ride was for Heather Kemp again on Ungaro. We lead most of the way and were beaten a few lengths into second by what is probably the best ladies point to pointer in the country at the moment, which is not a bad feat.
There are lots more local meetings coming up with one in Suffolk and Leicestershire next weekend – so hopefully more success to come!
Lucy Saunders
Killard Point
Ungaro
Celebrations after the Atherstone!
Photos courtesy of www.graftonwood.co.uk and www.esphotography.co.uk