Point to Point, Horsham, 1972.

Photograph (Many thanks to Major [Retd] Janet Brodie-Murphy) of a Point-to-Point Steeplechace card at Horsham in 1972. I used to love going to these when I was a young boy, I could always find dad in one of the beer tents, or standing betting with the tote or the bookies who frequented these events, then I could get a soft drink and packet of crisps. The best time for me was the day after, I would pop up and wander around finding lots of coins and some times ten shilling or pound notes if I was really lucky.

The History of the Clifton on Teme Point to Point


The Clifton-on-Teme Hunt was formed in 1920 but it was 2 years before they held their first Point-to-Point at Woodmanton on 25th March 1922. After 12 months, the meeting moved to Netherwood near Bromyard, its base until 1939. The fixture went into abeyance due to World War II but was resurrected on 2nd May 1946 at Hill Farm Lulsley, which is less than a mile away from this year's venue.
In 1951 it moved to Horsham but had to vacate that venue after the 1981 season, and Chaddesley Corbett provided a temporary home for two meetings while a new course was developed at Upper Sapey.
This course opened in 1984 but had to overcome problems if conditions were dry and this resulted in 2017 meeting being abandoned due to hard ground - that proved Upper Sapey's swansong.
The Clifton-on-Teme Point-to-Point went into the history books in 1987 after it took 9 days to complete the meeting. Having started on Saturday 4th April incessant rain caused proceedings to be halted after one race. The remaining races were held on Monday 13th April.
A glance at the courses used by the Clifton-on-Teme shows the Knightwick area has a long association with this Point-to-Point. This new course has come into existence due to the generosity of John and Sue Walker, continuing this families association with the fixture as the old course at Horsham was owned by their late uncle David.
The new venue has been set out on the meadows adjacent to the River Teme and is left handed and oval in shape. Each circuit measures approximately 1 mile and half a furlong, so a three mile race will comprise nearly three circuits of the course. Four fences will be situated in the back straight and another two in the home straight, making a total of six fences per circuit and 18 in total.
The meeting has enjoyed long tenures at Netherwood, Knightwick and Upper Sapey and it is hoped this new course will follow that trend.
COURSE LIST
1922 - Woodmanton, near Clifton-on-Teme
1922 - 1939 - Netherwood, near Bromyard
1940 - 1945 - No meetings due to World War II
1946 - 1950 - Lulsley, near Knightwick
1951 - 1981 - Horsham, near Knightwick
1982 - 1983 - Chaddesley Corbett
1984 - 2017 - Upper Sapey, near Bromyard
2018 - 2019 - The Rock, Knightwick

 

 

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