News

New course to open in Somerset

  • Posted: Monday, 13th July 2020

A new point-to-point course near Dulverton in Somerset will join the fixture list for the 2020/21 season.

South Hill will become the venue for the Devon & Somerset Staghounds’ (DSSH) meeting on the first Sunday in May after the hunt opted to leave its former racing venue at Holnicote (pictured above) near Minehead. That course will continue to stage racing with a meeting run by the West Somerset & Minehead Harriers.

Linda Pugsley, who has been secretary of the DSSH point-to-point for five years, said: “It’s sad to be leaving Holnicote, but it’s time to move on and we have identified a wonderful new venue at South Hill, some two miles from Dulverton, in the heart of our hunting country on land owned by our hunt chairman, Guy Thomas-Everard. It’s a right-handed galloping venue on permanent pasture.

“Guy is very enthusiastic about our plans and the course should be well received. Spectator viewing will be good from the top of a hill looking down on the course, and across Exmoor.

“We are intending to stage an open day when horses will be working on the course to give people an idea of how it will ride.

“We are all excited and daunted by the opening of a new course, but we hope it will help us to attract more entries and runners.”