Officials
Below you will find everything you need as an official.
For any further enquiries email info@p2pa.co.uk
New for 2024/2025 season:
- First season Rider Qualification Certificates cost £95, as subsidised by the PPA and PPROA.
- Please be aware of new helmet and body protector requirements, click here for information.
- All Owners, Keepers and Officials please be aware of changes for the new season. See BHA Regulations and Instructions 2024/2025 tab below for 'Amendments' documents.
- FREE digital planner with every registered Hunter Certificate.
The Clerks of the Course (CoC) do slightly different jobs around the country, often depending on whether they deal with a multiple fixtures at the same course, or just an individual fixture. The information below has been divided accordingly, although it would be sensible for CoCs to check all the available documentation to check whether it applies to you.
Key Documents
Course Preparation
Fence Attendants
On the Day
One of the key issues on the day is to agree with the Chief Steward who is responsible for ensuring that the correct assets are in place for racing. Normally, it will be the Senior Steward who confirms that racing may commence, but the Clerk of Course who confirms that every individual responsible is in place for each race.
The Chief Steward is ultimately responsible for the decision that racing can go ahead on the day, considering both that the course is safe and that all the necessary people are in place to allow racing to be carried out safely and with integrity. They are supported by a Team of Stewards who need to be deployed before, during and after each race to cover any issues where disputes and problems may arise.
Key Documents
The Starter requires an Assistant and a recall person. At a point-to-point, they also double up as the team checking girths etc at the start. The document below provides the specific Instruction for the Starter’s role.
The Judge requires an Assistant and a timekeeper. They will be provided with an iPad by their Area, which must be used in a close finish, as it may be required to be used in evidence to confirm the result of a race. The documents below provide instructions on the role and the set-up that should be in place, as well as recommended procedures and a presentation on how to carry out the role.
Declarations
The Declarations team is busy and should be a minimum of three people unless very small numbers of runners/riders are expected. They are responsible for accepting declarations for horses to run in specific races and collecting/checking Rider Qualification Certificates and Medical Record Books against the Medical Red List (which is provided by the Fixture Secretary).
Clerk of the Scales
The Clerk of the Scales is a key role and requires an Assistant, so that careful checks can be made to ensure that the correct weights and equipment are carried. The Clerk of the Scales is also responsible for keeping the Judge informed about runners and changes of colours, as well as ensuring that the Announcer informs the public correctly about all official information, including the results.
Point-to-points have considerable medical facilities available, based on each course’s requirements. The list of qualified and registered doctors is held by the BHA Medical Team, which also forwards necessary paperwork to the Senior Medical Officer at each fixture. However, the following documents provide an explanation of what is needed on the day.
One of point-to-pointing’s top priorities is horse welfare. Three (S)PVSs should be in attendance at all meetings unless there is a reasonable expectation of less than 30 runners, in which case, with the agreement of the SPVS, two (S)PVSs may be used. Whilst it is sensible for the third (S)PVS to be fully trauma-trained, this is not mandatory unless required at a specific course in the opinion of the SPVS. The SPVS and at least one other must hold current BHA accreditation, i.e. have attended CMS within 5 years. In addition, those who have applied to be RVS or PVS since 2020 must have completed the mentoring scheme. The Senior Vet must have completed SRVS or SPVS training.
Please find below full booklets for BHA Regulations and BHA Instructions for Point to Point 2024/2025, plus the relevant amendments for this season.