New Forest Boxing Day Point-to-Point 2022
SUNNY Boxing Day skies drew hundreds of spectators to Fritham to watch riders thunder home in the annual New Forest point-to-point races.
A highlight of the commoning calendar, the event drew 71 riders to line up in a series of contests for pure breed and part-breed New Forest Ponies over one-and-a-half and three-mile distances.
The event is regarded as a hugely important part of the New Forest’s heritage, requiring riders to navigate an unknown course through the open Forest.
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Organised by the New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society, the point-to-point finished at Fritham Plain.
The two race starting-points, near Janesmoor Pond and close to the Walter Tyrrell pub, were only revealed as the event began.
James Young, chair of the organising committee, said: “We believe it is the only authentic point-to-point in the country.
"There are other point-to-point races but these are on race tracks so they are very different.
“The event is also a show piece for the New Forest Pony breed – races are limited to 100% New Forest breed ponies and part-breed New Forest Ponies only.
"It is the ponies not the riders who must meet the entry criteria – however, there are a lot of commoners and local people who take part.”
This year there were 10 races across seven categories, including veterans’ and children’s contests.
The winners:
- Veterans (1.5-mile course), part-bred: Anita Smith on Shatterford Thriller
- Veterans (1.5-mile), pure-bred: Katie Macey on Staghill Polar Flight
- Children aged 10-13 (1.5-mile), pure-bred: Amy Good on Shatterford Golden Lad
- Children aged 14-16: First race won by Sonny Lovell on Rowdown Emeli; second race won by Taggie Wagstaff on Buttslawn Beaufort
- Open (3-mile), pure-bred: Isaac Lovell on Ipers Bridge Eclipse
- Young commoner, pure-bred: Amy Howells on Janesmoor Jasper Conran
- Ladies, part-bred (3-mile): Erika Dovey on Nutschullyng Bewitched.
- Men's, part-bred (3-mile): Nathan Coutts on Rookshill Theo
- Novice, pure-bred: First race won by Becky Dunn on Sandhole Brandy Snap; second race won by Chloe Hughes on Lovelyhill Gentle Touch
