Britain's champions gathered at Cheltenham racecourse yesterday evening for the Tattersalls National Awards ceremony.
Record-breaking Gina Andrews, the most successful woman amateur in National Hunt racing, received the Skinner's championship for the eighth time, matching the national totals set by David Turner (between 1970 and 1984) and Polly Gundry (2000 to 2010), while James King collected the men's championship for the first time.
Eight-time ladies champion Gina Andrews with Charlie Poste
Charlie Poste and Sam Davies-Thomas hosted the ceremony, and when asked about ambitions within the sport Andrews said Gundry's women's record score of 303 point-to-point winners was in her sights – she needs five to draw level – "and to ride a winner of the Foxhunters', either one will do". King, who rides and also trains a small string at stables in Warwickshire, played a straight bat when asked if he might have enough horsepower to win the Foran Equine title for yards with seven or fewer horses, and he gave fulsome thanks to Gloucestershire-based owner/trainer Jason Warner, who supplied him with 11 winners last season.
Men's champion James King (left) with PPSA President Simon Marriage
That was echoed by Luke Price, who trains for Warner and who received the aforementioned Foran Equine title, and while Warner was unable to attend to collect the Tattersalls' Leading Owner award, his daughter, Marita, stepped up and gave a rousing thumbs up to the sport her father loves (pictured main photo above on right with sister Rhonnda and, in centre, Shirley Anderson-Jolag of sponsors Tattersalls).
Luke Price (right) receives the Foran Equine 'trainer with 7 or fewer' award from John Mathias of Connolly's RED MILLS
Tom Ellis, who won the Foran Equine title for yards with eight or more horses, outlined a plan for his star performer, Latenightpass, who was fourth in the Cheltenham Festival Hunters' Chase and then second at Aintree. "I doubt we'll come back here to the Cheltenham Festival, we'll skip that and go to Aintree," said Ellis.
Foran Equine Trainers Champion Tom Ellis (right) with John Mathias from Connolly's RED MILLS
A vociferous Welsh contingent lent voices to applause when their countryman Bradley Gibbs joined Zac Baker and Andrews in receiving mementoes for landing the Point-to-Point Racing Company's leading hunters' chase riders' award – absent Dale Peters was another recipient – although Ben Sutton's table matched the decibel level when their champ stepped up to receive the Highflyer Bloodstock Champion Novice Men's award.
Novice champion Ben Sutton (left) with Anthony Bromley from Highflyer Bloodstock
Sutton thanked his father, Nick, who owns the pointers Sir Mangan, Diplomate Sivola and Chameron, and paid tribute to trainer Alan Hill for his help in securing the title. Reflecting on the season's final day, Ben said: "I went there thinking I might win on Sir Mangan and share the title with Conor [Houlihan], but to ride a treble was unreal." Nick Sutton had earlier collected the Connolly's RED MILLS Leading Horse award for Sir Mangan, who won five races last season, and said: "He's 13, but he thinks he's five." He revealed that his horse's stable name is "Roy, after Roy Mangan [former Jump jockey]."
Nick Sutton (right), owner of Connolly's RED MILLS Champion Horse Sir Mangan, receives his prize from John Mathias
Natalya Irvine received the Highflyer Bloodstock Novice Ladies' Championship, and there were mementoes for Izzie Marshall and Jack Andrews, who were runners-up to Andrews and King in the senior riders' title races.
Anthony Bromley with novice ladies champion Natalya Irvine
The Jockey Club Champion Mare Award went to Rose Iland, owned by Jim Collett and trained by Jake Slatter in Gloucestershire. Collett collected a cheque for £500 from the sponsors, who were represented by PPA Chief Executive Peter Wright.
Trainer of Rose Iland Jake Slatter (left) with owner Jim Collett (middle) and Peter Wright
Another point-to-pointer recognised on the evening was Famous Clermont, who took the first ever Restricted Championship, sponsored by Print Concern. The six-year-old's trainer Chris Barber was present on the night with members of the owning syndicate, who collected their award from PPA Board Member Fiona Needham.
Ben Rousell (left) and Dan Biddiscombe (right) from the syndicate who own Famous Clermont receive their award from Fiona Needham
Charlie Davies, an assistant to trainer Paul Nicholls, collected the Point-to-Point Racing Company's Leading Hunters' Chase Trainer award, while Christopher Marriott's many years of support for point-to-pointing in the South Midlands – as a rider, owner and breeder and in various administrative roles – saw him receive the Cynthia Higgon Award.
The Sir Michael Connell Award went to the BHA's Dr Jerry Hill, whose liaison with government and subsequent advice to officials played a vital part in enabling racing and point-to-pointing to resume following lockdowns resulting from the Covid pandemic.