Now Salisbury Plain can be pretty inhospitable in February and it’s certainly not for the faint hearted to idly stand around, but last weekend was no ordinary Feb day as we were all blessed with a hint of Spring! So what better than to join the horsey-set and enjoy the delights of Point-to-Point along with a several hundred strong crowd adorned in the seemingly obligatory uniform huntin’-fishin’-shootin’ jackets and hunter wellies (just so yesterday!). But even for the uninitiated, it turned out to be a fabulous day at the races at which Team Ethos brought in five of the sponsors for the races of the day.
This was the day for the UK Armed forces Point-to-Point event with several races on the day’s card and at the course that is celebrating its 70th year of racing. Tucked away behind the barracks, Larkhill race course with its long 2+ mile circuit of fences and ditches certainly proved to be a testing ride for the most seasoned jockeys and their mounts and is considered to be one of the best such courses in the country.
Many of the Team Army/ Team Ethos sponsors and supporters enjoyed the hospitality, shoe-horned into the Queen’s Building with its commanding balcony overlooking the course. With many guests from all three Services it proved to be a great social event with so many amateur entries meaning there was no real ‘form book’ to go on even if you did know your horses and so it tended to be a lottery on the betting that added a bit of extra spice to the proceedings!
Fujitsu, Boeing ,Mercedes-Benz, CAE and even Team Ethos were individual race sponsors on the day and joined many others to witness the excitement and drama as the horses struggled for victory over the fences and of course with the inevitable tumbles.
So well done for the sponsor support; a memorable day was had by all.
ps. Not to feel out of place, your ‘roaming reporter’ was seduced into buying a huntin’-fishin’-shootin’ jacket from one of the many stalls!
Main image courtesy of Jeff Welch Photography via Peter Wright