The AGA series may be finished but AGA Pointing are still going strong

Surenaga bounces back to form at Chaddesley Corbett under a superb ride from Jane Williams

The girls are in top form as there are also wins for Ally Stirling and Chloe Boxall in the Worcestershire sunshine, with Sammy Drake and Emma Todd booting home winners up in Yorkshire.

Beautiful sunshine and blue sky - let's go pointing! Our last visit to Chaddesley Corbett back in April - one of our favourite courses - had seen us dash for the car mid-afternoon to grab our brollies, but we didn't need them today. The racegoers were out in force when we arrived around an hour before racing and the lorry parked was also filling up nicely, a good sign! 

A beaming Ally Stirling heads for the winners enclosure after her victory on Quatuor Collonges in the Restricted race

Claire "Minnie" Hart turns on her new AGA Total Control cooker at Cheltenham using the new AGA phone app

What do you do when you've just won a brand new AGA Total Control cooker?

I would imagine that the answer to that question is to cook something delicious on it, but first you need to turn it on! However, what happens if the cooker is 100 miles away? No problem, not if you have a smart phone complete with the new app which allows you to control your cooker from anywhere in the world!

Our new AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Champion Claire Hart was first in the queue to try out this amazing new app at Cheltenham on Wednesday 2nd May, following the AGA Ladies Open Point-to-Point Championship final ... we think she liked it!

AGA entertains in the rain at Mollington

Prime spot for AGA at local track as the van is roughed off for the season and the new gazebo has its first run

Family and friends are entertained in the rain as Mrs S excels herself in her own version of the Great British Bake-off!

We knew that typical English Bank Holiday weather was on the menu, however, that did not deter us and we arrived in good spirits with the cars chock-a-block full of goodies, including some rather lovely home made sloe gin ... but more of that later.

Our spread - part 1

Mrs S had spent most of Sunday baking and was rather looking forward to showing off the results of this marathon session, although she declined to leave the car until the gazebo was up! We had a good turn-out from our local village, Cubbington, including a number of family members who were making their pointing debut ... would they like it?

L-R Bob Hope, Alison Dare, Wayne Perkins, Alex Hope, Harry Easterlow, Carol Hope, Cindy Simpson, Claire Hart and Helen Hart

We were joined by some special guests, our new AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Champion - Claire Hart, her mum Helen, along with Bob and Carol Hope, Alex "foxy" Hope and Alison Dare (yes, that Alison Dare - 287 winners!). Great fun and great company, and as they pulled into the sponsors car park one of the officials shouted "oh, it's the AGA winner" - you're famous Harty!

Part 2 of the AGA title goes to Yorkshire and the AGA cooker goes to the South Midlands

AGA Championship final exceeds all expectations with a thrilling finish as the lady riders take centre stage at the home of jump racing!

Words by yours truly, with the mood of the evening captured via a series of marvellous photographs taken by our very own John "Beazo" Beasley, and Jackie Oliver - with a few from me thrown in for good measure! 
**tip - click on an image to enlarge it

The culmination of five months of hard work - the big race

The moment we had all been waiting for had arrived, nine top quality horses, piloted by nine top lady riders were lined up to face the tapes at the home of jump racing - it doesn't get any better than this! 


Not only was there a prize fund of £7,500 at stake, but we had a "race within a race" to decide who would be the inaugural winner of the AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Championship. The winner of the championship was set to be the proud owner of a brand new AGA Total Control cooker worth more than £10,000 - what a prize! 


As the tapes went up there were still 5 possible winners of this amazing prize - Claire, Jane, Hannah, Jacqueline and Sam!

Pondering the challenge ahead - AGA girls Hannah Lewis (Rathcor), Charly Prichard (Prince Massini) and Sam Drake (Unowatimeen)

My pre-race tip was Upton Springs, although in truth I felt it was too close to call and the one certainty was that we would get a thriller! The following images by John and Jackie are fabulous and tell the story of the race better than any words I could use - I hope you like them.

A great shot of the whole field, L-R, Rathcor, Metal Detector, Prince Myfanwy (outside), Billyvoddan (stars on sleeves), Unowatimeen (striped cap), Prince Massini (rail), Amicelli (outside), Upton Springs (pale blue) and Impact Zone (green)

Part 1 of the AGA title goes to Yorkshire and the AGA cooker goes to the South Midland

AGA final exceeds all expectations with a thrilling finish as the lady riders take centre stage at the home of jump racing!

Words by yours truly, with the mood of the evening captured via a series of marvellous photographs taken by our very own John "Beazo" Beasley, and Jackie Oliver - with a few from me thrown in for good measure! **tip - click on an image to enlarge it

AGA Pointing arrive early for the big day
Was I looking forward to this evening? The answer to that question is a resounding yes! After five months of hard graft the big day had arrived and I had three things on my wish list:


1 - All of our guests would have a night to remember
2 - The lady riders would savour every moment
3 - Our series would end on a high  

Arriving early was always going to be the plan so myself and Mrs S met up with Derek just after 1.30 with the car and van packed full of goodies for the AGA room. Driving straight in through the gates we parked up by the grandstand and took everything up to National Hunt Room 1 (our home for the evening). Well, that's what should have happened but we locked the vehicles and headed straight for the parade ring!

Beazo, Derek and Mrs S stride across the hallowed turf - 
before changing into their race day outfits

This was too good an opportunity to miss and having spotted the flowing locks of Beazo in the distance we hailed him and he joined us to take in the atmosphere. This was a day off for Derek and for the first time this season he did not have to erect the AGA branding, however, he was still casting a critical eye over the efforts of the RTA team! As we strode around the parade ring Derek was convinced that he had found the exact spot where Big Bucks had walked and he also reeled off the names of some of the greats who had graced this hallowed turf.

Looking good - the winners podium with lots of strategically placed AGA banners!

Mrs Kemp wins the last one before the AGA final and boy was it cold!

Wins for Heather Kemp and Emily MacMahon at Whitfield ensure our season ends on a high ... Cheltenham here we come!

Our 50th meeting of the season was something of a home game for us as we had the luxury of setting off after midday! The weather was rubbish and we ensured that the car was parked facing downhill as on our last visit to Whitfield we had needed the services of a local tractor driver and our tow rope made its seasonal debut!


This popular venue is one of my personal favourites and it was a pleasure to meet so many familiar faces who were genuinely delighted to see us. One such familiar face was a lady I have worked closely with since August of last year, Heather Kemp, and her ride in the ladies open - Gidam Gidam, was quietly fancied by one or two shrewd judges.  

A very happy Emily MacMahon and that fella from AGA

Twelve lady riders who have helped to make this first ever AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Championship so successful

As part of the build-up to our final we take a more in depth look at the title contenders and some of the ladies who are just off the pace

**tip - click on any image to enlarge it

During the past five months I have been fortunate enough to really get to know our top lady riders. That's great for me, but I wanted to put together a light-hearted feature that would give everyone else an insight into their lives. This includes what they enjoy doing outside of racing - which invariably involves a party or two (when there is time of course), and what they do for a day job - which invariably involves horses! The thing they all have in common is that they are dedicated to the "job" and are passionate about it, they are also incredibly brave and funny. 


Twelve of the lady riders are featured below, including all seven who were featured in our Racing Post Weekender advertorial piece on the "title contenders", which is in this weeks paper - and can also be viewed on this blog. It was certainly fun putting this together and I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the ladies who gave up their time to help me it, I hope the end result meets with your approval!

The build up to the AGA Ladies Open Point-to-Point Championship has well and truly begun

Racing Post Weekender full page feature sets the pulse racing and brightens up this gloomy, wet Wednesday

If you pick up a copy of today's Racing Post Weekender you will find a fantastic piece of advertorial on page 35 where we have taken a look at the seven lady riders who are still in contention to win the fabulous AGA Total Control Cooker next Wednesday at Cheltenham. You also need to check out Carl Evan's Pointing Diary on page 40 as he has also written a piece which sets the scene nicely for our final.

Of course, I think everyone should drop what they are doing and rush out to buy a copy of the Weekender immediately ... now! It's a great piece, and really illustrates the excitement that is building ahead of our final. It's a great shame that we could not feature all of the wonderful lady riders who have competed in our races this season, however, our heartfelt thanks goes out to each and every one of them for their support. That also includes all owners, trainers, course officials and supporters, plus the bookies and the punters, who have helped to make our series such a success!

If you fancy a flutter on the outcome then Mark Hill bets as above, please feel free to give him a call on 07831 293363 to discuss your requirements!

What a finish to our season as a carefully planned AGA plot is pulled off in fine style!

Another weekend, another county and another win for Team Hart (and another interview for Claire), sets us up for a thrilling final at Cheltenham
A plot that was hatched a few weeks ago was pulled off in tremendous style on the last day of our season, leaving Claire Hart 4 points clear of Jane Williams as we head for our final at Cheltenham on May 2nd. We arrived at the course in good spirits after our 3 hour journey, during which it had suddenly dawned that middle-age was upon me - why you ask, because I spotted some old fashioned car sweets on a "buy one get one free" offer and steamed in to buy some!

Emily and Alskamatic (with ears pricked) lead the field on the 2nd circuit of the Open Maiden race

The main event for us is the AGA Ladies Open, however, we were particularly interested in the 3rd race - the Open Maiden, as our good friend Emily MacMahon was in the plate for a spin on Alskamatic. Emily hasn't picked up many rides in our series, which is a real shame, but it was good to see her in action here, and the look on her face as she returned to the paddock told it's own story - see pic below.

A delighted Emily MacMahon returns to the paddock following her ride in the Maiden on Alskamatic

Debrief from the owners

Claire Hart and Lady Myfanwy romp to an AGA win for the second Saturday running

Chaddesley steps up to the mark once again and Claire Hart gives another interview!
Claire Hart joined Jane Williams once again at the top of the AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Championship table, and on the Saturday of the final weekend of Cheltenham qualifiers they were locked together on 46 points.

William gives the girls (Alex and Jacqueline) a pep talk 

That's not the end of the story as there are at least seven top lady riders within striking distance, and all have a tremendous chance of winning the brand new AGA Total Control cooker. Add to the equation the fact that 130+ horses have qualified for our final at Cheltenham and we really are in for a cracking evening on May 2nd as our series reaches a crescendo!

Our defending champ

Here come the girls

Beazo is like the pied piper