Village ready for a day at races

One young man is looking forward to going racing tomorrow, but with almost as much trepidation as excitement.

William Kitchman is a stable lad with Michael Easterby and he will be making his debut as a jockey in the last race of seven at Sheriff Hutton in North Yorkshire.

“I’m petrified,” says William. “I’m riding Sporting Music, a four-year-old maiden, and to be honest I’ll just be happy to get around the course and get the horse back safely.”

The Victorians began steeple-chasing here but it all came to an end in the 1920s. The village’s connection with the sport lived on through being home to one of the county’s most famous racehorse trainers, farmer and landowner Michael Easterby.

Four years ago, point to point racing returned to Sheriff Hutton under its original 19th century title and it has proved to be the second biggest visitor draw for the village behind the castle, built in the 14th century.

Tomorrow’s third race meeting on Michael Easterby’s land to the north of the village should attract another attendance of about 2,000 if the weather is kind.

Douglas Wooles, chairman of the parish council, says, “It certainly adds a great attraction during the winter. The car parking is very well organised too and doesn’t cause a problem at all.”

Christine Drury lives in the hamlet of High Stittenham, east of Sheriff Hutton, from where she can see the course in the distance. She has her own hunter, Triton, which will run in other races later in the season but isn’t quite ready for tomorrow.

Christine is an official of the Yorkshire Area Point to Point Club which brought about the return of racing to the village following the loss of Wetherby Racecourse as a venue due to changes at the A1 junction.

“We have helped create another great day out for the family and the meeting brings a lot of people into the village,” she says. “It’s a typical farmers and country families’ event with lots of wellies, warm clothes and hip flasks. It’s all about having fun and is a great amateur sport.

“We also raise funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance from the gate receipts and we have raised around £6,000 each year. There’s plenty of opportunity to make sure of a profitable day out too, with around 20 bookmakers around the course which features seven wide brush fences and an energy-sapping uphill straight.

“It has really grown since its comeback. We’ve been a bit unlucky with the weather and had to cancel one meeting because of snow, but everything looks good at the moment.

“We get some good horses, some that will go on to do well in National Hunt and some that are maybe past their peak but can still do well here.

“We had one horse called Always Right that went on to finish fourth in the Scottish Grand National.”

William Kitchman grew up in Flaxton before moving around various racing stables and attending racing school in Newmarket. He’s now 20 years old and is looking to pursue a career as a National Hunt jockey. Point to Point meetings are the precursor to the professional game, but even though they are for amateur riders he’s under no illusion.

“Years ago it may have been thought of as a gathering for local farmers to race their horses around a field.

“It’s different now. I came here last year and saw a lot of the top stables were involved.

“There are a lot of people who still bring just their one horse as well, but this is where you find out the ones that are going to go on to become professional full-time jockeys, and I hope it will be my first step along the way. There are a lot of good lads and lasses out there who have not been given the right horses yet to increase their own profile.”

Sheriff Hutton Steeplechases meeting starts at mid-day tomorrow.

Story of a racing past

The Sheriff Hutton Steeplechases began in 1863 and were run until 1870.

There were three annual races including the Prince of Wales stakes, with a winner’s purse of £20.

It was won three times in succession by Maid in the Morning owned by a local farmer called Richard Backhouse.

The racing concluded here in 1921 when the Middleton Hunt held their point to point meeting at Cape Farm owned by the Ridsdale family.