News | 5 December 2024
2024 Pony Club Pony Racing Season Concludes with Successful RaceTech Points Series
The 2024 Pony Club Pony Racing season has now concluded after an exciting and competitive year. Across 10 race days from Kelso to Milborne St Andrew, over 350 combinations from 130 different Branches and Centres participated in the series, showcasing the depth of talent and enthusiasm within the sport. The RaceTech Points Series has seen thrilling performances and new champions emerge across the 128cm, 138cm, and 148cm categories.
The 128cm Points League
Winner: India Rigg & Crofthill Montague (Heythrop) – 88 points
India Rigg has had an outstanding season, finishing on top of the 128cm Points League with a total of 88 points. India secured five wins at Haydock Park, Nottingham, Bangor-On-Dee, Warwick, and Lingfield, as well as two second-place finishes at Ascot and Cheltenham and a third place at Wincanton. Reflecting on the season, India shared: “The 2024 season started with a Point-to-Point at Ampton in March, marking my final year with Monty, as he turned 20. The victory at Lingfield was emotional, knowing it was our last race together, but Monty gave his all, as always.”
Second: Nell Greatrex & Longthwaite Waterlily (Old Berkshire) – 54 points
Nell Greatrex had another strong season, with two wins at Ascot and Cheltenham, alongside three second-place finishes at Wincanton, Nottingham, and Warwick. Her consistency secured her second place in the series with 54 points.
Third: Bo Broomfield & Ryehall on Broadway (Blackmore and Sparkford Vale) – 52 points
Bo Broomfield also enjoyed a successful season with two wins at Milborne St Andrew and Wincanton, along with three fourth-place finishes. Reflecting on the year, Bo said: “This has been my best season yet; we’ve travelled far and had lots of fun. My biggest achievement was winning at Milborne St Andrew, which felt great after last year’s mistake!”
Fourth: Harrison Salkeld & Hopevale Florian (North Herefordshire) – 51 points
Harrison had a standout first season in pony racing, with three wins at Ascot, Haydock Park, and Cheltenham. He made his debut with an emotional victory at Ascot, stating: “This season has been incredible – my first in pony racing! On April 4th, I made my racecourse debut at Ascot… Three wins in a row in my first season – on a pony who had never raced before – was amazing!”
Fifth: Grace Patel & Brideswood Ruby Slippers (Grafton) – 42 points
Grace Patel secured a solid fifth place with a win at Wincanton, second at Haydock, third at Cheltenham, and fourths at Ascot and Nottingham. Grace added: “I’ve had an amazing season with Ruby, placing in the winner’s enclosure at every race, with highlights including 1st at Wincanton and 2nd at Haydock.”
Image: Nell and Longthwaite Waterlily on their way to win at Cheltenham
The 138cm Points League
Winner: Percy Johnson & Dough Boy (Radnor & West Hereford) – 80 points
Percy Johnson claimed victory in the 138cm Points League with three wins at Wincanton, Haydock Park, and Bangor-On-Dee, along with four second-place finishes. Percy’s dominant season reflected his strong performance across the series.
Second: Neive O’Sullivan & Chaceside Catwalk (Haydock Park) – 72 points
Neive O’Sullivan finished second after winning at Ascot and Kelso, alongside multiple other top finishes, including second places at Haydock Park, Nottingham, and Lingfield. Neive reflected: “2024 was my first year of pony racing when I turned 9… My favourite moment was winning at Ascot on Chaceside Catwalk, especially as it was the same place where my grandad attended his last race.”
Third: Macy Stokes & Telynau Colliseum (Albrighton) – 62 points
Macy Stokes had an exceptional season with four wins at Haydock Park, Cheltenham, Bangor, and Wincanton. Her strong performances across multiple events earned her third place in the series. Macy said: “2024 was my first season racing with Nero, a young pony new to racing. I’ve always wanted to race since starting Pony Club, and although we’re not from a racing family, I just love speed!”
Fourth: Henry Graham & Laybalands Captain Scarlet (Radnor & West Hereford) – 60 points
Henry Graham proved unbeatable with five wins across the season, including at Cheltenham, Kelso, and Warwick.
Fifth: Chloe Morse & Llanwarne Artist (North Herefordshire) – 58 points
Chloe Morse earned strong results with two wins at Cheltenham and Nottingham, demonstrating her consistency across the series. Chloe shared: “In 2024, I started the season with Llanwarne Artist by finishing 2nd in a novice race at Ascot and then winning at Cheltenham… My favourite moment was winning at Nottingham.”
Image: Henry and dad, Steve, in the parade ring at Nottingham racecourse
The 148cm Points League
Winner: Alexis Rahman & Notimeforbullies (Berkeley South) – 82 points
Alexis Rahman emerged as the 148cm Points League champion with two wins at Milborne St Andrew and Lingfield, as well as two second-place finishes at Kelso and Bangor. Alexis commented: “My most memorable day of the 2024 season was winning the final race at Lingfield, just before my 14th birthday, with my family there to support me.”
Second: Charlie Nunn & Bubblesdevere (Warwickshire) – 48 points
Charlie Nunn claimed second place with solid finishes throughout the season, including second place finishes at Haydock Park and Nottingham, and many other consistent placings at major racecourses. Charlie said: “This year has been amazing for Bubbles and me! We’ve travelled to some of the best racecourses and made fantastic friends along the way.”
Third: Lexi Corbridge & Moscombe Shall We Dance (Tedworth) – 44 points
Lexi Corbridge rounded off the season in third place, having secured victories at Milborne, Ascot, and Cheltenham, as well as a third at Warwick. She expressed: “This was my first season with Moscombe Shall We Dance, and it’s been an amazing experience! We had some brilliant runs and had so much fun together.”
Joint Fourth: Lila Westbrook & Shorties Story (Albrighton), Alice Leadbetter & Fairy (Cattistock), Eliza McPherson & Madam Mimi (Heythrop) – 38 points
These three riders rounded off the season in joint fourth, each showing competitive results at various race days across the series.
Image: Alexis and Notimeforbullies after placing 3rd at Nottingham
Highest Placed Branches & Centres
The top three Branches in the RaceTech Points Series are:
Heythrop Branch – 198 points
North Herefordshire Branch – 166 points
Haydock Park Branch – 150 points
Heythrop was crowned the overall winner, with members including India Rigg and Eliza McPherson contributing to their victory.
The highest placed Centre was Almond Equestrian Centre, with 80 points, showcasing the strong performances from their riders.
A Huge Thank You
The Pony Club would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the Racing Foundation for their generous support of these events, as well as the Pony Racing Authority (PRA) for their continued partnership in running Taster Sessions and Training Days throughout the year. A huge thank you also goes to RaceTech, our Points Series sponsor, for providing incredible prizes, and to Ascot for hosting the winners and their families at the December event.
We would like to offer our deepest gratitude to the PRA and Racing to School coaches, whose dedication and expertise have been invaluable to our Members. Most of all, we thank the tireless volunteers across the country who have helped to organise and run these race days, ensuring the success of the season and the continued growth of Pony Racing within The Pony Club.
Interested and want to have a go in 2025?
Pony Club members who are aged between 9 and 17 can take part in Pony Club Pony Racing at any of our race day venues. We highly recommend that you and the pony you want to race on qualify at a PRA/PC Training Day as this is one of the best ways to learn about the tack you need and what to expect at a Race Day. These days are held through the autumn, winter and early spring, and a list of training day venues can be found here: Click here to view PRA/PC Training Days
Alternatively, you can qualify by doing a minimum of two rallies at your Branch (or Centre if you are a Centre Plus member). These rallies must be ridden group rallies of over one hour in duration and in a wide open space. Your DC/CP must be able to confirm that you and your pony are confident and safe to take part in a Pony Club race day. You and your pony must be comfortable and confident in fast paced environments with other ponies.
The third way to qualify is by completing (and passing) a British Racing School or National
Racing College or Scottish Racing Academy Level 3 training day. More can be found about these training days on their websites.
For the complete and current Pony Racing rules, please refer to the Pony Racing Rulebook.
Don’t have your own pony? You can take part too! Each year, the PRA is able to offer limited spaces for Centre Members to join the PRA Pony Racing Academy courses. The course consists of 12 sessions that take place over a time range of 3 months to 12 months. The mounted and unmounted coaching sessions, pony hire and costs of the race day are fully funded. There are specific requirements that must be met – find out more by clicking here: PRA Pony Racing Academies
There really are opportunities for everyone…
Not ready to race yet? Pop along to ANY Pony Club Race Days to join a PRA Taster Day. These are completely unmounted, and you will learn about the tack you need, the training you should do and you will also get to go on a tour of the racecourse. These sessions are completely FREE, but spaces are limited so booking is essential. Find a Taster Day near you by clicking here
Are you an older member interested in a career in the racing industry? Careers in Racing are able to help you every step of the way. Visit their website here.
Racing to School also run FREE Racecourse Days during half term and school holidays – these days are perfect for learning about the huge range of roles that exist within the racing industry. View upcoming dates here.