News RSS Feed


Race crowds brave the weather

7:59pm Monday 24th March 2008

comment Comments (5)   Have your say »


Easter Monday's bad weather meant crowds at the Old Berkshire Hunt's Point-to-Point were down by about a third on last year.

It is estimated that about 10,000 people - including Laura Hunter, pictured with John Randall and Jake and Holly Randall, above - attended the prestigious race at Lockinge, near Wantage, yesterday - about 5,000 fewer than in April 2007.

Spells of snow and hail meant organisers cancelled the meeting's traditional picnic.

Sarah Bull, from nearby East Challow, said: "I am glad I braved the elements to come along.

"The snow seems to have deterred a few people from coming, but the standard of racing - and the fact I had winning bets on two of the races - made it well worthwhile!"

Print article » Email to a friend »

Your Say YourOxford

M Stoneman, Suffolk says...
8:13am Tue 25 Mar 08

The ' athletes 'had no choice about whether they attended,and hopefully none were killed ...as were 166 other horses on British tracks in the last year, or the paper would have printed the fact...wouldn't they?

Report this post »

Sylvia Cox, says...
1:31pm Tue 25 Mar 08

In general race-horses are pretty tough and a few snow showers certainly wouldn't put them off. These horses thoroughly enjoy their job, which is often proven by the odd loose one which will continue along with the others for the rest of the race.

Why should the paper feel obliged to report on any equine deaths at Lockinge or elsewhere? The one death at Lockinge yesterday was not caused by a fall and was, I believe, the first for many years.

Point-to-Point racing is a healthy, outdoor pursuit attended by country-loving people who all have the same thing in common - the belief that the traditions of the countryside should be left well alone by ignorant townies.

Report this post »

Trudy Baker, Middlesbrough says...
7:36pm Tue 25 Mar 08

Men cling passionately to old traditions and display intense reluctance to modify customary modes of behavior, as innovators at all times have found to their cost. The dead-weight of conservatism, largely a lazy and cowardly distaste for the strenuous and painful activity of real thinking, has undoubtedly retarded human progress...

Report this post »

Sue Baumgardt, Hove, Sussex says...
8:37pm Tue 25 Mar 08

Sylvia Cox should get her facts straight. Racehorses are not tough - they are being bred to be lighter and thus faster and this is one of the things that leads to deaths on the track. Add to this the other injuries caused by racing and the numbers bred that never make the track as they're not up it it and those whose racing days are over, many ending their glory days in an abattoir and I think that these facts alone take the glitter off "a good day's racing". Of course the horses race on when they lose their mount - it's natural behaviour for them to run in herds. I thoroughly enjoy my time out in the countryside without resorting to so called "country pursuits", as do all my countryside dwelling friends.

Report this post »

Emma, Oxon says...
10:57am Thu 27 Mar 08

Sylvia Cox Wrote: 'Point-to-Point racing is a healthy, outdoor pursuit attended by country-loving people who all have the same thing in common - the belief that the traditions of the countryside should be left well alone by ignorant townies'

Very Well said.

Report this post »

Your sayYourOxford

comment Add your comment

Register for a FREE Oxford Mail account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.

Please register now or sign in below to continue.




Forgotten your password?
Laura Hunter with John Randall and Jake and Holly Randall Laura Hunter with John Randall and Jake and Holly Randall

In this section

Essential Links

Sponsored Links



UK Debt Help and Advice | IVA help and advice | The truth about IVAs |

Local Advertisers


Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »