Letter from Richard Fuller, chairman, PPORA

The Season Ahead...

By Richard Fuller

As I begin my first year as Chairman of the PPORA I am really looking forward to the exciting season ahead, even though the start has been somewhat disrupted by the bad weather.

I would like to thank my predecessor, Simon Claisse for the fantastic job he has done in steering our organisation through such changing times and helping ensure that the PPORA plays a full role in the new Point to Point Authority. I am delighted that at the last committee meeting he was elected as Vice President and I am sure we will all benefit from his wisdom and advice for many years to come.

We are now entering a new era for Point to Pointing. Richard Russell produced his excellent report on the future of the sport and implementation is now nearly complete. Through the PPA we have control of our sport and Weatherbys Chase should give us a useful future income stream. We now need to move on and focus on promoting ourselves to a wider audience but without losing the amateur ethos that is so important.

This year we have 213 meetings scheduled between December and June and it is extremely encouraging to see so many hunter certificates lodged at this early stage of the season. With regulation changes encouraging more four-year-olds to participate, I hope there will be no shortage of runners and that we will see some exciting new talent emerge.

The PPORA is here to represent all owners and riders, but in addition it is open to everyone who is keen on Point to Pointing to join. It is independent and with its seat on the PPA Board, is very influential in the way our sport is run. I would ask everyone to encourage as many of their friends to join and take advantage of the many benefits available to members. If anyone has any queries or views on Point to Point topics, please feel free to talk with either myself, Jeanette Dawson, or any of our hard working committee members. We are all here to support you and listen to your views.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible around the country during the year and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all an exciting, enjoyable and safe season.

Richard Fuller

Chairman

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