Historic horseracing event '˜coming home'

After an absence of 40 years, a historic horseracing event is '˜coming home' to a country park between Boston and Skegness.
Work taking place at Revesby Estate in preparation for the return of point-to-point racing.Work taking place at Revesby Estate in preparation for the return of point-to-point racing.
Work taking place at Revesby Estate in preparation for the return of point-to-point racing.

The last time the South Wold Hunt Point-to-Point was held at Revesby Estate it was 1977, the same year as the release of the original Star Wars, Saturday Night Fever, and The Clash’s self-titled debut album.

Work is currently underway to prepare the site for the event’s return on Saturday, March 11.

“It’s becoming real,” said secretary of the South Wold Hunt Sally Spink, now that fencing and railing is arriving on the site.

Much work has already taken place at the site, including levelling and re-seeding.

“It’s coming on really nicely,” said Mrs Spink of the project. “The going is really good.”

The event’s connection with the Revesby Estate dates back to at least the 1940s, possibly the 1930s, says Gavin Wiggins-Davies, the senior member of the family that owns Revesby Estate.

He said his family were ‘delighted’ to welcome the event back, saying: “The point-to-point races were strongly supported by my grandmother Lady Beryl Groves and by my mother Ann Lee, but in 1977 the committee of the day decided to move to Market Rasen racecourse due to the heavy cost of maintaining the permanent jumps.

“I remember meeting members of the committee with my mother in the park to try to persuade them to stay but they would not change their decision, so the last meeting was held in 1977.

“In 2016 we entered into discussion with the current point-to-point races committee and to my delight the result was that the point-to-point, The Revesby Races, will be coming home in 2017.”

Mrs Spink thanked the family for the opportunity to return to the site, what she described as a ‘fabulous venue’.

The Revesby Races, as the event is known, is expected to include six races. Horses and riders will make three laps of the course, covering a distance of about three miles, taking on 18 jumps.

The first race will be at noon.

The event usually attracts about 120 entries from across the UK.

About 70 volunteers will be helping on the day and Mrs Spink thanked those who have pledged their support to the event.

Businesses have also being coming forward, with a number sponsoring fences.

Visitors can also expect bookmakers, food and drink, and stands. Entry will be priced at £10, but free to under 16s with group discounts available.

For more, search for Revesby Races on Facebook.

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