07 October 2011 West Midlands Area Dinner
by Peter Mansell
Owners, trainers and riders who are normally seen braving the elements on wet winter afternoons will be dressed in more formal attire as they congregate to celebrate the Area's achievements in this demanding sport.
After last years success the West Midland Area Dinner and Awards Evening returns to the Worcester Warriors Sixways Stadium on Saturday 22nd October. Guests are requested to arrive by 7.30pm with proceedings expected to get under way 30 minutes later.
Tickets can be obtained from Tracey Barfoot-Saunt, Cosy Farm, Huntingford, Nr Charfield,
Wotton-under-Edge, Glos GL12 8EY. Tel: 07976 360 626 Email: tracyatcosy@live.co.uk.
Flying Gnu, owned by Wyre Forest-based Kevin and Andrea Malpass, has claimed the bulk of the owner's prizes with their progressive five-year-old taking the award for the Leading Horse, Leading Novice Horse and Leading Mare.
Flying Gnu is actually trained in Gloucestershire by Mark Wall who got the better of a closely fought contest to beat Dave Mansell to land the Leading Male Rider Award for the second season in succession.
The Ladies equivalent went to Enville based-Jane Williams who overtook another Worcestershire-based rider Alex Dunn at the last qualifying meeting to take the Title for the first time.
Not content with landing her first title, a few weeks later Jane and her friend Lorna Brooke cycled from John O'Groats to Lands End in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund and other good causes.
Having won the Trainer's Title for the last four seasons, Fergal O'Brien has now embarked on a new career under National Hunt Rules. It is understood his wife Jelly will now have the Point-to-Pointers under her care so it will be interesting to see if other trainers can break their monopoly of this Award.
