PPORA 2024-25 Awards Night

Tom Hutsby and father Fred (Carl Evans)

The PPORA again recognised five winners for the 2025/2026 point-to-point season at the

National Point-to-Point Awards, which took place at the Panoramic Restaurant at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday 5th July. The PPORA Awards are designed to celebrate achievement at all levels of the sport, from jockeys who have not ridden a winner before the start of the season, to success in the PPORA-supported races, to lifetime achievement. A full list of winners, along with a brief biography, is below.

CHAMPION PPORA RIDER AWARD (MOST POINTS WON IN PPORA RACES)

TOM HUTSBY

17-year-old Tom Hutsby enjoyed a successful second season – having ridden five winners in

his first – with 11 victories, finishing third in the national mens novice title. But for a heavy fall

in March, he may have finished closer to champion Rian Corcoran. The son of former point-

to-point rider, now trainer, Fred – best known for his association with Mighty Moss – Tom

won two PPORA races this season, at Paxford in April and Higham in February, and was

placed in seven more, including the PPORA Novice Riders Final at Edgcote. A former

leading pony race rider, show jumper and keen hunter, Tom is taking an Agricultural Diploma

at Moreton Morrell College. He hopes to turn professional at some stage, although

recognises that his height may be an issue and will be remaining amateur next season, his

first out of novice status. Mostly riding for his father, Tom is extending his contacts in the

wider racing world and had a mount for David Bridgwater at the Cheltenham Festival.

CHAMPION PPORA OWNER AWARD (MOST POINTS WON IN PPORA RACES)

THE WHISKEY & WATER PARTNERSHIP

The Whiskey & Water Partnership – a group of friends based in the East Anglia and

Midlands point-to-point areas – have struck lucky in their three seasons of ownership. Their

first horse was Ragnar Lodbrok, who has won twelve races for them, and this season they

bought Aramax, formerly owned and trained by J P McManus and Ben Haslam. Both horses

are trained by Jenny Owen at Newmarket and Aramax won six out of his eight starts,

commencing with a hat-trick in PPORA Novice Riders races at Horseheath under the

promising Cian Murphy, before graduating to Opens with Alex Chadwick. Members of the

Whiskey & Water partnership include such luminaries as point-to-point legend and PPA

Chair Caroline Bailey, her husband, former trainer Gerald, East Anglian Area Secretary Mel

Sharp and her husband John, who has worked tirelessly for the PPORA for many years.

WILKINSON SWORD TROPHY (MALE NOVICE RIDER WITHOUT WINNERS PRIOR TO 2024-25 SEASON) HARVEY BARFOOT-SAUNT

Harvey Barfoot-Saunt, 19, rode three winners in his second season to take the Wilkinson

Sword Trophy on countback from Sean Cameron. His maiden success came on

Chilinlikeavillian at Cocklebarrow in January, and he followed that up with wins on For One

Night Only at Bitterley and Walk In The Wild at Woodford, the latter in a match against his

father, veteran rider Geoff – the pair have ridden against each other on several occasions

with the advantage definitely with Harvey! Originally from Wotton-under-Edge in

Gloucestershire, Harvey is now based in Pembrokeshire, where he works for Peter and

Mickey Bowen, who train his first winner. Another former successful pony racer with designs

on turning conditional in the future, Harvey has many strings to his bow, also being an

accomplished shooter and former Junior Masterchef (South West) finalist.

PRINCESS ROYAL TROPHY (FEMALE NOVICE RIDER WITHOUT WINNERS PRIOR TO 2024-25 SEASON) MARINA BEALBY

Unlike many of the sport’s leading protagonists, Marina was a late starter in the saddle – not

having her first ride between the flags, Due Reward at Higham in March 2024, until the age

of 26. However, her career really took off this season, with five victories on Precious Bounty

– who had also proved an able schoolmaster for previous rider Ellie Callwood – and two on

Due Reward. Indeed, she was only pipped by Clara Brewitt to the national female novice title

on countback, a championship she would have won had Precious Bounty converted either of

his seconds into victories on the final weekend of the season. Marina’s achievement is even

more notable as she is a true amateur – she works in London during the week as an

executive assistant for a private equity company and all her rides to date have been on

horses owned and trained by her parents Ashley and Annabel, stalwarts of the Midlands

pointing scene. Marina’s partner is Group One-winning flat jockey Rob Hornby, who can

often be seen at a point-to-point leading up one of her mounts and cheering her home.

JIM MAHON AWARD FOR SERVICES TO POINT TO POINTING

JOHN SHARP

John Sharp has been closely involved with point-to-pointing since having his first rides as a

teenager in the late 1960s. In total, he rode 198 winners, of which 42 came on the prolific

Stanwick Lad and 32 on Watersport, who John rates as the best horse he rode. He was also

second on Kelly’s Honor in the 1989 Cheltenham Foxhunters. After retiring, he became one

of the leading exponents of the move towards a complete all-in-one feed for racehorses and

runs a successful business – Sharp Nutrition, based in Dullingham – with his wife Mel. As far

as point-to-pointing is concerned, John’s roles have been numerous. He has completed two

stints as PPORA Chair, is Vice President of the East Anglia Area, and acts as Clerk of the

Course at Horseheath and Chair of the Thurlow Hunt. His contribution to the sport was

previously recognised with the prestigious Sir Michael Connell Award in 2022.