Pony racing the perfect grounding for future champions

Occasionally an emerging rider on the point-to-point circuit produces a performance which generates a sense of something special.

I still picture Polly Curling riding a lap of Badbury Rings without stirrups after one leather broke, win the race and make it look like a common occurrence. Within a few years she was Richard Barber's number one rider and became a triple British champion (1993-95).

At the pony racing finals held at Newbury in autumn 2014 I met some teenagers who had just taken their last ride at that level and hoped to try pointing or racing under rules. One youngster looked forlorn after his pony suffered a very rare fatal injury, but he was polite enough to grant me an interview. Harry Cobden became national novice point-to-point champion in 2014-15 and needs little introduction now.