PPORA Members Letter Subjects for Review

Point-to-Point Review - 2006

The following subjects have been identified for consideration:

•  Regulation, Governance and Administration - Do various bodies best serve sport? Are they representative? P2P Dept? - HRA or own office? - London or outside? Not all work is strictly regulatory.

•  Financing - Present method of central funding? Levy Board Grant? Alternative methods? Self-funding? How to aid less profitable fixtures?

•  Links with Hunting - Qualification requirements outmoded or abused? Should existing links be retained or amended? Group ownership dealt with? Hunt subscriptions?

•  Commercial Bodies - several service sport, biggest Weatherbys. Are we well served, do we ask for what we really require, & do we get it at a fair price?

•  Promotion - new to remit of PTPB (not PPLC). Press coverage nationally and locally through PROs. P2P functions e.g. Dinner, lunch, sponsorship mtg., area dinners? P2P Festival? TV coverage? Advertising fixtures and charges? Web sites? In general, do we best promote the sport with each just mentioned?

•  The Season - Start time? End time? Optimum number of fixtures? (thinking of the horse population) Balanced programme? Liaison between areas? Arrangement of dates? Rearranged Fixtures?

•  The Race Programme - Best use of more variable permitted mix of races? More centralised system of race planning either nationally or by area? Must remember sport varies across country. Looking into regular poor meetings or races (consistent low numbers)? Right types of races? Learn from Ireland?

•  Officials, helpers on the day, and Medical and Veterinary Support - Register of types of helpers to aid fixture secs. Other moves to reduce these problems for fixture organisers? Reduce red tape without lowering standards? Keep costs under control? Sharing of equipment?

•  Sponsorship - better ways of funding Sponsorship Committee? What do we want from them? What series and how many? Who should they be answerable to? Other things to sponsor?

•  Pony Racing (Not in review) - should be supported & aids gates. Future expectations of PRA from P2P? Must not impinge on core P2P race programme. Must be safe (not run under P2P Regs)

•  The PPORA and PPSA - Do no end of good for sport. Anything need doing to make many tasks easier?

•  Owners, Riders and Livery Yards - Must maintain support for sport to survive. Need to increase numbers, in particular riders (40% of 1986 fig.) First timer applicants steady at 20%. Look at prize money (recently raised) and fees. Thorny problem of riders receiving payment? Growing livery power - look into more accountability and registration thus return some onus from owner

•  Course Preparation - has improved, more consistent but expectations risen. Many but not all courses water well or use aggravating machines. Improve this? Courses unable - move dates? Course inspection process?

•  Charges (including admission, race cards and entry fees) - Risen 3 to 4 times. PPSA guidance and local parameters. Does this work? Risk of pricing ourselves out of existence against other leisure activities?

•  Hunters' Chases - Races down from 140 to 115. Matter for concern? Likely further decline? What do owners want? Better race planning?

•  Links with NH racing - What glean from NH Racing? Horses transfer both ways. Riders become jockeys. Moves to benefit both codes?