All for a good cause

Parham near Storrington West Sussex is a popular course in the South East and has been operating since 1955 being well-supported by participants, both local and further afield.

In late March this year, at it’s first fixture of the season hosted by The Crawley and Horsham draghounds, an outstanding £25,000 was raised for two farming charities. Jamie Hawksfield, a long-standing point-to-point enthusiast, ex jockey and now Chairman of the point-to-point said: “I believe this is the most money ever raised by a point-to-point for charity. We are delighted.”

The two charities, Jamie’s farm and Farming Community Network are most deserving of the £12,500 donated to each.

Let us rewind, The Crawley and Horsham Hunt took the decision two seasons ago to rebrand themselves as a draghound pack and an innovative, forward thinking Hawksfield was the driving force to run the meeting this season for charity. He told me: “The Hunt Chairman approached me to run the point to point, having retired as Chairman several years ago, and I agreed to get back in the chair on the understanding that net profits went to charity. I felt that if we ran the fixture in aid of two farming charities it could only be positive, for not only the point-to-point, but also the community and most importantly farming, the bedrock of all hunting activity. I wanted to support two charities at the opposite ends of the spectrum namely Jamie’s Farm which hosts farm-based residential and day visits for young people, and in essence is a product available to the ‘urban man’ encouraging youth into the countryside, and Farming Community Network which supports farmers and their families within the community when they need it.” He adds: “I suggested to the committee I could guarantee £3000 to the hunt and a further 20% of profits. We took £38,000 on the gate, in pre-ticket sales and racecards so it was a great success.”

Fixtures are hugely reliant on a vast amount of volunteer help and because Parham also facilitates The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt’s fixture in April a deal was struck between organisers. Hawksfield explains: “Having now become a drag pack there was no doubt we were potentially going to lack the ‘set up and on the day’ help we had historically, but, we came to a deal with the other fixture and enlisted their helpers in return for their more lucrative date in April.

Parham is unique in that we have five different landowners, the course running through an aerodrome which is an active gliding club, and a rugby club! Keeping them all happy is a task in itself but the engagement from them all is now excellent.”

There is a dedicated team running race-days and the pre-race day course prep is mainly overseen by Hawksfield, Ian Cobb and Marcus Terry. “Marcus lives next to the course, he is an agricultural and golf course contractor and he is fantastic. He has all the kit, all the machinery required to set up the course and he did it all this year for two cases of fizz! Graham Payne comes and dresses the fences and they are all portable living in a barn inside the course which really is a bonus.”

We should all be proud and champion the efforts and foresight of a small committee in a corner of the country steeped in point-to-point history, whilst pointing sits in an era of change, the proof here is that it is possible to successfully run a fixture with a little ‘out of the box thinking.’ Hawksfield proudly tells me: “The support was overwhelming, I was humbled by people’s generosity. The course neighbours a golf-course and I went there explaining that £60 would buy you access for two people and the car on the hill. The hill is the premier place to view the action, and I was thrilled when two gentlemen came and offered £1000 each to the charities- this proves the appeal of charitable giving.”

“We will be supporting the same two charities this coming season, I think they were overwhelmed by the money raised for them and if we can continue to get the message out there, in time, I really think the support will grow, especially if we can engage with more owners and trainers to support farming communities and run their horses at the meeting it can only be a good thing. Pointing needs them. Likewise, if the charities can engage with us, it spreads the word about the sport to more people.”

Hawksfield concludes: “As soon as it was announced the net profit was going to charity, the increase in local support was palpable.”

Parham hosts two fixtures next season.

Crawley and Horsham Draghounds Saturday 20th March

The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt Saturday 24th April

Author: Claire Hart