Meet the winning point-to-point rider and former Dan Skelton team member overseeing a revolution in how the sport is promoted

What do you do when you are handed a sport more than 200 years old and tasked with getting it in front of a new and wider audience while still retaining your existing one?

That was the challenge the Point-to-Point Authority, the governing body of British pointing, set its new digital and content marketing manager Tiggy Vale-Titterton when she started in the role five months ago.

As Vale-Titterton explains: “The heritage of point-to-pointing is a fundamental part of the sport, but it’s also something which can be slightly intimidating to newcomers, feeling like a bit of a closed shop to outsiders. That had to change.”

It is a challenge Vale-Titterton has grasped with both hands and is thriving on. She has been around horses all her life, working for a number of licensed trainers including Dan Skelton, where she spent three years as head of communications. She has a degree in international horseracing business from Hartpury University and six years of marketing experience, while she has also ridden in point-to-points, securing her first win in 2022. 

Vale-Titterton says: “I couldn’t write a more exciting and interesting job description; it’s a dream role. It’s also a massive one with a huge amount of responsibility and challenges to overcome. I spent the first couple of months looking at what was in place, where we wanted to go and how we were going to get there and by mid-March we were ready to go with our new marketing strategy.” 

A bold rebrand was the first step, introducing the name and logo GB Pointing and reinforcing the sport’s identity as the grassroots of British jump racing. Alongside a new website, the team then began producing new and engaging video content that reflects the sport’s vibrancy. 

“The fresh approach centres on dynamic storytelling, behind-the-scenes access and a strong focus on reaching younger and more diverse audiences through platforms like TikTok and Instagram,” says Vale-Titterton. 

At the heart of the new campaign is ‘The Blue Mic’, a clever, relaxed interview format that lifts the lid on life in the pointing world. From jockey banter in the weighing room to candid conversations with owners, volunteers and trainers, it brings warmth and personality to a sport that has traditionally been under the radar for mainstream fans. 

“Point-to-pointing has such rich characters, amazing stories and incredible energy, but people won’t discover that unless we actively put it in front of them and in formats they engage with. The Blue Mic allows us to do exactly that. It’s raw, it’s fun, it’s real and that resonates.”

It certainly does, as views, engagement and user figures across web and social media platforms since March are already double those of the whole of 2024.

The latest addition to the content stable is ‘Isuzu Driving With’, a brand-new YouTube series launched on Wednesday. The series takes viewers on the road, almost literally, with candid, ride-along interviews featuring the people who make British point-to-pointing so special. From trainers to volunteers, riders to stalwarts, each episode is filmed from behind the wheel of an Isuzu, offering an intimate and authentic look at life within the sport.

“This is about meeting the personalities behind pointing while getting a glimpse into their world,” says Vale-Titterton. “Isuzu Driving With gives a brilliant mix of insight and relatability, all with the backing of a brilliant new partner in Isuzu. It’s another way of opening the door to our sport.”

One of the key focuses has been drawing in new and lapsed fans, those with a passing interest in horses and countryside days out, or even just curious scrollers on social media. Once hooked with a bold headline or eyecatching reel, they are fed a stream of high-quality content that builds connection and ultimately drives raceday footfall, participation and ownership.

“It’s not just about views,” explains Vale-Titterton. “We want people to feel something when they see our content; to laugh, to be intrigued, to be inspired and then to act, whether that’s coming to a point-to-point fixture, telling a friend, sponsoring a race, even thinking about riding, training or owning a horse.”

This digital surge has not only elevated GB Pointing’s visibility but is also setting a template for how other grassroots sports could revitalise their engagement models.

“We’ve barely scratched the surface,” Vale-Titterton adds. “We’re only ten weeks in, so this really is just the beginning. We’re building a movement that reconnects people to the joy, grit and beauty of British pointing, one scroll, one story and one race at a time.”

For a sport so deeply rooted in tradition, GB Pointing’s modern pivot is both bold and essential. And if the early results are any indication, it’s one that could secure and grow point-to-pointing for the next generation.

Weekend fixtures

Saturday
Hexham, Northumberland. First race 2pm, 7 races.
Peper Harow, Surrey. First race 2pm, 6 races.

Sunday
Bratton Down, Devon. First race 2pm, 6 races.
Edgcote, Banbury. First race 2pm, 6 races.
Tabley, Cheshire. First race 2pm, 6 races.

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