When it comes to drive and energy the team behind a new point-to-point in Scotland have enough to power the Glasgow Tower.
The Leuchars meeting at Pusk in Fife – on the east coast and close by the world famous St Andrews golf course – is set to launch on Saturday, April 26, complementing the formation of a new pack of hounds. The Fife Bloodhounds was founded in May 2023 by veterinarian Louisa Cheape on whose family land the point-to-point will be held. The pack hunts human runners across country formerly hunted by the disbanded Fife Foxhounds.
The Cheapes have form when it comes to taking on challenges, for earlier this year Louisa’s husband, Henry, rowed the Atlantic in a solo endeavour that took a few hours under 50 days. He gave himself just one year to prepare for the task.
Of the point-to-point Louisa says: “We know we are a long way north, but we want to create a day and a point-to-point course that leaves people saying ‘We’ve got to run’. Matt Taylor, who is clerk of the course at Perth and Kelso, is acting as our clerk, and Chris Dennis, who is the BHA’s course inspector, has given us a thumbs up.
“His advice to us was, ‘You have to get the course bang on in the first year’ and that is our target. We will be able to water if necessary.”
The Leuchars meeting will take place not far from the defunct Balcormo Mains course which hosted the Fife Foxhounds’ meeting for more than 100 years. When it closed that hunt briefly moved to Overton, but the formation of a bloodhound pack has led to a point-to-point back in the county of Fife.
Eugenia Turcan, who is making her debut as a meeting secretary, says: “We had the option to race at Pusk last year, but decided it was just too soon. Instead we held a scurry [informal race over cross-country fences] and received very good feedback. It was a good test and everyone loved it.
A hunt scurry was the first test of the scenic course at Pusk
“The Fife Bloodhounds is backing the meeting, but we decided to call it the Leuchars fixture out of respect for the location and the local town. Local people wanted a point-to-point back in Fife and said that if we ever put one on they would support it.
“Peter Burgon [Northern Area press officer] has advised on the make-up of the races and while we have a lot of hard work ahead we are confident it will be a success.”
With a farm shop and butchery on site the organisers will be handling the catering, a bar and other refreshments.
Cheape says: “Pusk is a left-handed course over a circuit of 1.4 miles. We will be staging seven races involving three over two and a half miles – which will include a mixed open race worth £1,200 – and three over three miles. We are also running a two-mile bumper believing some people will decide to put a young horse or two on the lorry.”
Pusk may be north of Edinburgh, but Leuchars train station is just one mile away, while the first point-to-point will take place 24 hours after the three-day Perth Festival, a highlight of the Scottish racing calendar. Staying over for an additional day at the point-to-point – which is an hour’s drive away – could prove popular with racegoers.
Another view of Pusk on the day the course was tested with a hunt scurry