Colin Bowe's huge financial contribution to hunts illustrates the value of the pointing sector

Easter has tended to be the central point of the season for many years now. From last Wednesday’s Inch fixture at Ballyknock, to the Easter Monday meeting in Loughanmore, the six Easter fixtures have attracted a staggering 912 entries.

Prior to Ballyknock on Wednesday, 70 fixtures had been staged this season attracting 7,425 entries at an average of 106 per meeting. The recent arrival of rain after a prolonged dry spell has certainly been welcomed by handlers who are keen to get their horses out with the Easter entries alone equating to 12 per cent of the entries that have been made up to this point. 

This is all very encouraging for the hunt committees who rely so heavily on entry money. However, a deeper look into those entries shows that those who are commercially focused on point-to-points make a considerable contribution to each hunt.