Pony races inspire next generation

The pony racing bug has finally caught on in the North and many point-to-point committees, once sceptical of holding them, are now only too keen to welcome such a crowd pleaser.

A large percentage of the Yorkshire points have included them in their schedule this season to the delight of children desperate to have a go on ponies of all shapes, sizes and abilities.

A local girl desperate to have a go, nattered her mum to ring me and ask if I could help. She is coming for a week's work experience during the summer holidays and will bring her pony along so I can teach her in the afternoons.

The family are not horsey folk and know nothing about racing other than dad likes the odd flutter. "We don't have much money but lass is right keen, she's drivin' us mad," he told me.

Their daughter is 13 years old and I will enjoy helping her. It is an opportunity I would've been thrilled to encounter at that age. I am sure there are many more in her situation who do not know how to get started or who to ask. Her pony is a 13.2hh Arab cross, it could be quite speedy but looks like it enjoys its grass, so is carrying a tonne of overweight at the moment.

I plan to organise a Junior Jockey clinic at the yard this summer. If it is popular I will travel to other areas so children are given a chance to learn how to train their ponies, feeding, fitness, race tactics and safety.

Pony racing began in Ireland decades ago. Many of today's top jockeys began their education "flapping", a version of amateur racing not run under official rules, usually on the beach.

Famous ex-pony racers include Norman Williamson and Nina Carberry.

More recently Gemma Tutty, 17, from Osmotherly, who graduated from the pony ranks rode her first point-to-point winner at Easingwold aboard Astral Prince. Her mount has won on the track five times, not only for Gemma but also when ridden by sister Pip,19 and father Nigel, who retired in 2008 with 170 winners under his belt and so many falls he cannot remember how old he is. Gemma is hoping to follow up her initial success in the Novice riders race aboard the same horse today at the Bilsdale.

The Bloodstock sales are almost upon us and I will need to organise selling this season's pointers next month. Every year we buy a few to race then sell on. Some are for syndicates who just want a fun horse for the season, others are youngsters I buy, break in and train on.

Most will stay pointing, others not suited to racing head for re-schooling before being sold.

The horses I own are all for sale. I have sold two this month before even writing out an advert, so things are going well. One is heading south to a regular client who has bought her last two pointers off me, both have won, so she is a satisfied customer.

Honesty and respect are so important in the horse industry, they take years to establish but can be lost instantly with one wrong judgment. The horse world is such a tight-knit community.

I will restock throughout the summer months and then get them broken in before autumn nights start to draw in. I am hoping this year there won't be any crazy buckaroos or quirky shoulder droppers to give me a sore backside every day. I don't bounce as well as I used to.

CW 8/5/10