There are company crises and post office scandals, which in comparison make Peter Wright’s tenure as chief executive of the Point-to-Point Authority seem smooth.
A version of this article first appeared in the Racing Post on Friday 24th May
Not that it has merely been a cruise around the countryside – after six years in the role he steps down at the end of next week having steered the sport through equine flu, covid lockdowns, a fall in registered horses and the wettest winter and spring, resulting in a record number of postponed/abandoned meetings this season.
After that lot, it will be a doddle to engage in home renovations which have been on hold since 2018. He says: “I had a flood from a pipe, and people who come to my house look up at the kitchen ceiling and say ‘Oh, you’ve still done nothing about that then’.”
That is hardly surprising given Wright’s year-round, Monday-to-Friday schedule and attendance at race meetings most Saturdays and Sundays from November to June. He has been lauded and applauded for his energy, and primarily for keeping the sport going behind closed doors during lockdowns, but as he said when announcing his ‘retirement’, you cannot please all the people all the time, and he has had criticism too. Reducing fixtures to reflect the horse population, and creating races with conditions aimed at widening the number of horses who can win, have not been without debate. Yet many improvements have been achieved without ceremony.
Raised voices were heard in Devon and Cornwall once the PPA board on which he serves voted to end the season on Bank Holiday Monday. That leaves three West Country meetings to be staged after the season’s end, angering organisers who fear their fixtures will suffer.
However, Wright says: “One of the wonderful things about point-to-point people is that, even when they are really cross and really willing to go for you, they don’t want you to take it personally. I spent two weekends visiting Devon and Cornwall recently and had great chats with people, some still fighting their corner, but being very civil and engaging allowing for proper discussion, and that’s great.”
Wright presents a trophy to Mr and Mrs John Dorse after Walkin Out's victory for Leslie Jefford's yard at Stafford Cross in Devon (Tim Holt)
He has visited all but one of Britain’s current 79 courses – plus a number which have become defunct – although he says: “I don't enjoy driving, but in the early days it enabled me to take a lot of phone calls while going up and down motorways. I’ve been to some wonderful courses, and while it’s invidious to pick any out, Alnwick [in Northumberland] went straight into my top five. It’s a real test of a horse and jockey. I’ve discovered places of interest on my journeys. If nothing else, in terms of getting to know Britain, this has been a fantastic job.
Alnwick: which Wright describes as one of his top five courses (Grace Beresford)
“The people in each region are very different, but all moving on the same lines at different times. In countryside terms, East Anglia leads the way in which the farming and rural population has evolved. With fewer hands to help on farms, the younger generation has turned away from horses and got into shooting, and that is slowly happening in the West Country. Ironically, crowds at race meetings are getting younger.”
In an era when levelling up has been a government strategy of limited success, Wright’s version has been challenged too. He says: “I firmly believe everyone should have a chance in life, and that applies to point-to-pointing. I know there are disagreements about conditions races, but you no longer see processions in races or horses racing two fences behind the leaders. That is partly because enthusiasts don’t want an uncompetitive horse, and equally because people are better at placing horses and we have given them more opportunities. Race conditions are more nuanced, and we have had a horse rated 57 win a conditions race this season, but there is a group of horses of that standard who probably need races for their class. We have Level 1 to 3 conditions races, and we might need a Level 4.
“We could do more, and there are always going to be situations where fixtures create races to suit them rather than the competitors, but racing under rules has the same problem.”
Using statistics and data to reveal facts that some find unpalatable, Wright has answered those who have questioned board decisions. Returning to opportunities for all, he says: “Having fewer fixtures and spreading them out has worked, but it does mean the top riders are getting more rides. Because many have longevity, how do others get the chance to come through? At the moment about 60 per cent of fixtures have races for riders who are novice [five or fewer winners at season’s start] or grass roots [fewer than 20 winners or no Cat A or B licence]. I would like to see every card have one of those.”
Of future plans he says: “I’ve tried retirement before and became thoroughly bored, then this job came up at just the right time,” so while some European and African travel is planned, he could yet be back. Maybe not in point-to-pointing on a national basis, but if racing under rules does not offer him a role of some description it will be missing a trick.
