Alarming collapse in number of qualified riders needs to change

A minute’s silence was held at last Saturday’s point-to-point at Kirkistown for the late Alex Murdoch who, with his late wife Dorothy, hosted the North Down fixture at Comber for many years.

An enthusiastic amateur, he rode in point-to-points for a long time. Memorably, in 1994 when riding Ballyalla at Craigantlet, he finished second to his daughter Julia on Hillmount, who attended last Saturday.

This epitomised the core of the sport and is something which the success of Harry Swan at Turtulla on Sunday might suggest is alive and well. Sadly, however, the numbers don’t support this.