Posted by Admin on May 7, 2009, 5:17 pm
86.154.243.157

Official notification from the Point-to-Point Authority: Please be advised that the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray at Parham, which was due to stage it’s meeting on Saturday, 16th May has abandoned its fixture due to hard ground that can not be put right in time for the fixture. At this stage there is no news as to whether they might look for another date, however it is thought to be unlikely.

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Posted by C.S on May 7, 2009, 6:19 pm, in reply to "PARHAM ABANDONED"
87.242.133.161

Have to say how disappointed I am by the above news. Last year myself and a couple of others had volunteered to take over the running of this years point to point but were told that we were not required! Having spoken to alot of local people at that time to help with the ground preparation this outcome is particularly annoying as our help was surely needed. This is the 2nd time in the last 3 years that the Chid and Lec have cancelled the meeting and i'm left wondering why they find it so hard to realise that their current way of doing things is so wrong. Surely it would have made sense to have started work on the course after the Crawley and Horsham meeting than to wait for the last minute to realise that there's too many divots in the ground to fill in!!

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Posted by David Peile on May 7, 2009, 6:53 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
80.4.202.135

This is very sad news but possibly the kick up the bum our great game needs. This must not be allowed to happen again especially when there is water available, and willing workers.

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Posted by Nick Pearce on May 7, 2009, 8:31 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
85.189.46.232

You can not of been at the last meeting then as the ground was quick, We would of done well to make a mess. Such a shame as I'm sure Jamie and his team would of done there best to provide safe ground

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Posted by C.S on May 7, 2009, 10:02 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
87.242.133.161

Heard they'd cancelled it this afternoon before it was made public and that's what the organisers have been telling people within the hunt. What I don't understand is how it can be abandoned so early when there's rain forecast tomorrow and next week.

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Posted by Frank Mummery on May 8, 2009, 11:17 am, in reply to "PARHAM ABANDONED"
81.111.8.126

In short,nothing short of a disgrace,no wonder some of the old faces (punters) have decided to travel to some of the other points outside our area,this situation has been on the cards for the last couple of weeks with rumours flying around that the meeting could be in doubt,I hope they enjoy the insurance money and spent it wisely. It must surely be time to start the season in the S.E. much earlier (december)this will attract plenty of runners from out of the area as well as supporters,just think a meeting on either boxing day or new years day would certainly bring the crowds flocking,in any case the committee MUST bring the season forward otherwise this situation we are experiencing year after year will only drive away the dwindling army of supporters that are still attending through thick and thin. All that typing and it will probably fall on deaf ears and we will be in the same boat come next April,such is life arrrrrrrrrrrrrrh.

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Posted by SD on May 8, 2009, 12:54 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
195.93.21.70

Can't see how the course can be in such a poor state after one meeting on good/firm ground. I too am aware that others had volunteered to take over the running of this meeting and it was turned down - I knew then that was a mistake!! What I find even more frustrating, especially at this time of year with meetings reduced is that the decision to call the meeting off has been left til this week. We, like many others I have spoken to, have not entered anywhere this week because of the talk of watering at Parham. Entries have now closed and we are left with fit horses which could have run this weekend - allbeit we would have had to travel. Very very disappointing...........

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Posted by jamie Hawksfield on May 8, 2009, 2:12 pm, in reply to "PARHAM ABANDONED"
89.248.128.246

I first heard of this outrageous decision when Lucy Tucker rang me from the BHA yesterday afternoon. Not only had I spent a great deal of time and effort making sure the necessary machinery would be in place to prepare the ground I had also spent time finding out how other courses dealt with turning rock hard ground into raceable ground. The course inspector concerned in this case has never been involved with preparing a point to point course. He told me that no amount of water would make the course raceable in 9 days time! tell that to Andrew Coveney and his team at Penshurst! I gave a commitment to the Area to prepare raceable ground for this meeting. I was never consulted and found out third hand about the abandonment here at Badminton where I am working for the week. This is an unacceptable situation and I am assured by Colin Squance the area chairman that he is instigating a full inquiry. Watch this space.

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Posted by warren on May 8, 2009, 4:56 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
86.144.193.230

I do not want to comment on the cancellation other than to say it is most regretable. I simply do not know enough of the facts. I think I am probably correct in saying they will not be able to claim insurance money, cancelling so early. There is a very simple formula to organizing dates for both hunting and point to pointing. You use your wettest land when it is driest and and your driest land when it is wettest. It has ever been thus and ignore it at your peril as the area has found out to its cost in this instance. Hunts must realize that if pointing is to continue in the S.E. the fixture list must be arranged with pointing in mind and not the individual hunts. However this would probably involve a review of the way the support fund is run, which I am sure could be done. I will take this opportunity to say to those who have criticised the going at some recent meetings that, despite having the most sophisticated watering system, Cheltenham could only provide good to firm on Wednesday evening. The equivalent of 3 inches had been put on the New Course prior to the evening, far far beyond the capabilities of the average point to point. The Old Course, which was not used, was much like the M4,very hard, but then my car prefers that sort of ground. To those concerned, a big shake up before next season please.

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Posted by anom on May 8, 2009, 6:56 pm, in reply to "PARHAM ABANDONED"
81.153.48.235

I think it is a very brave but right decision. To put it into prespective a race course recentlt watered for a week before their metting and applied 500,000 gallons of water just to make the groud safe to race. We must remember the area has been faced with extreme weather conditions, with no significant rainfull since march. I refer to the comments from warren that the most affluent jump track in U.K still have ground like the M4. I feel great sympathy for the C.L and C commitee as they have lost 4 p to p in the last 6 years yet they have perservered in order to run when the majority of us would have given up and gone to the pub!!!! This an amatuer sport of which money is not readly avaiable and most p to p have to operate on a shoe string. Those of you who wish to run on perfect, watered manicured tracks should apply to the jockey club for your permit and run your horses under rules or do as I have and give your horse a pat, turn him out in the field and tell him there is always next year? Remember we do this for fun.

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Posted by Frank Mummery on May 8, 2009, 9:00 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
81.111.8.126

The problems due to insufficient rainfall are not new ,this has been an ongoing scenario for the last 4/5 seasons to my knowledge,whether or not the C.L @C hunt have done the right thing by calling the meeting off so early is immaterial,this date should NOT have been applied for other reasons apart from the ground,with most of the area horses likely to enter for folkestone it was pure stupidity,where did they expect to get the entries from ?

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Posted by jamie Hawksfield on May 10, 2009, 12:02 pm, in reply to "Re: PARHAM ABANDONED"
89.248.128.246

Your comment touches the very heart of the problem. Clearly what you are saying is that no amount of watering etc is going to persuade you to run your horse at this time of the year. So tell me how you are going to make point to pointing profitable in the South East in Jan and Feb when two men and a dog come along???No amount of marketing and promotion is going to get families to come and support on a freezing cold day in this part of the world. This sport has got to realise quickly that people are not going to go to all the trouble to run point to points knowing they will lose money. Either someone is going to have to persuade the BHA to subsidise winter point to point racing for the sake of a few point to point owners and a handful of diehards or we do what Richard Parker did at Peper Harow and prepare very raceable ground on a nice sunny day when there is every prospect of getting a decent crowd. Then we need to persuade you lot to support such meetings and not prejudge what conditions will be like. I would humbly suggest owners need to think about buying sound horses that go on fast ground,like the Turners do, if this sport is to have any future! Thank God for their wonderful support.

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