There are a number of ways that you can get involved with Point-to-Pointing as an Owner – either as a Sole Owner (where you own the horse yourself) or as part of a Syndicate. Below are some frequently asked questions.
Can anyone own a Point-to-Pointer?
The simple answer is yes, as long as you are 16 or older and are a Master, Member, Subscriber or Farmer of the Hunt that issued the Hunter Certificate for your horse. There is no formal registration for Owners of Point-to-Pointers.
What about Syndicates?
Horses can be owned by groups of people, although there are certain restrictions on what this group can be called; the group title must end in one of the following: Family / Friends / Partners / Partnership / Group / Club, and one person must be nominated as the lead Owner.
Syndicate names will appear in the racecard in the following style: "The Point-to-Point Partnership (Mr J. Smith)"
How do I register my racing colours?
There is no requirement to have your colours registered, or for them to meet the regulations for racing under Rules - this is only required if your horse is going to run in a Hunter Chase. You can have any colours, combinations of colours and designs that you like.
So how do the colours appear in the Racecard?
This information comes from official Entry Forms, or from the Hunter Certificate, upon which the Owner notes the colours to be used in the Racecard. When completing an Entry Form / Hunter Certificate, it is best to stick to a simple description of your racing colours (e.g. "Red and blue quartered body, striped sleeves, checked cap"), but if you need any advice please get in touch.
Do I need to have a Trainer for my horse?
Officially, there is no such thing as a Point-to-Point Trainer, although many people do prepare horses for Point-to-Points on behalf of the Owner(s). These stables are livery yards but the people responsible for the horses are usually referred to as Keepers, with their name also appearing in the racecard.
Many Owners do prepare their horses themselves, in which case no Keeper's name will appear in the racecard unless the horse is owned by more than one person.
Licensed trainers (those that train horses under Rules) are only permitted to train Pointers if they are owned by themselves or family members.