The Point-to-Point Authority is the body responsible for the administration, promotion and development (governance and strategy) of point-to-point racing. It is comprised of seven directors - one each from The Jockey Club, the Point-to-Point Owners & Riders Association (PPORA), the Point-to-Point Secretaries Association (PPSA), the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) and three independent members.
Functioning under delegated authority from the BHA, the PPA evolved from the Point-to-Point Board in order to ensure the sport's destiny was in the hands of its constituents with the resources to run its own affairs in an open and transparent way. Working closely with the member organisations plus the BHA and HBLB, the PPA ensures its funding streams are fair and proportionate and that its services are provided in the most cost effective way.
The PPA is run from offices near Swindon, providing a range of administrative services to jockeys, owners and point-to-point fixture secretaries.
THE PPA
Paul Miller (Chief Executive)
Paul joined the PPA as Chief Executive in June 2024. Born and brought up in Ayrshire, near Glasgow - one of his earliest memories was standing by a fence at Ayr Racecourse where his grandfather was a bookmaker - he spent 20 years working in London before moving to the North Cotswolds. His career has seen him specialise in recruitment, resource management and consultancy though his own business, working with companies from board-level down, to look at every aspect of the organisation and the issues and challenges they face, then designing and delivering the best solutions, ensuring the business goals can be achieved and every part is pulling in the same direction.
He has been involved in pointing since 2016, initially as a racegoer before becoming an owner via syndicates, racing clubs and partnerships - he currently has interests in a number of pointers and rules horses. He also has experience in the business side of point-to-point and pre-training yards, so understands the commercial side of the sport. His wide range of skills and experience will be fully utilised in the role of Chief Executive.
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POINT-TO-POINT AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS
Caroline Bailey (Chair)
Caroline has become Chair of the organisation as of 1st January, replacing Andrew Merriam, who has completed a six-year term. She is a well-known face to many in the point-to-point community, having been involved in the sport all her life. Famously, her father – Dick Saunders – became the oldest winner of the Grand National when riding Grittar to victory aged 48. Caroline herself was no mean horsewoman, having ridden over 50 winners between the flags and under rules – she was the first female jockey to ride a winner at Cheltenham. She took over the training of her father's pointers full-time when she retired from the saddle in 1987 and won all the ‘big three’ Hunter Chases – the Cheltenham Foxhunters and Horse & Hound Cup with Castle Mane and at Aintree with Gunner Welburn. In 2006, Caroline took out a licence to train under rules, and her best horse was probably Crosspark. Training of her pointers passed to husband Gerald, although she remained closely involved with the point-to-point community and could be seen on the track most weekends. Since retiring from training in 2022, Caroline has taken up stewarding at point-to-points and has sat on the BHA Judicial Panel Appointments Committee.
Philip Hall (The Jockey Club)
Philip was elected to The Jockey Club in 2015 and became their representative on the PPA Board in September 2017. He is a Lloyds Underwriter specialising in entertainment and sporting insurance. He is also a non-executive director at Sandown Park and has been involved in the sport as a point-to-point and amateur Jockey, retiring on a winner in February 2017.
He rode his first winner on Glenavey at Heathfield in 1995, and if he has any regret it was that he never had the chance to ride at the Cheltenham Festival, although he has ridden in the major races at Aintree and Stratford, as well as at Prestbury Park's Hunter Chase evening. If asked to choose, he would certainly opt for point-to-pointing ahead of racing under Rules, citing the fun and camaraderie to be had in the amateur sport.
Alan Hill (MFHA)
Alan has ridden all his life, both hunting and racing. He was a MFH for 20 seasons, hunting hounds for 15 of those, he has now given up Mastership but continues to hunt. Alan rode as an amateur for 23 years, riding 98 Point-to-Point and 49 Hunter Chase winners. These winners included three Foxhunter winners; two at Aintree and one at Cheltenham. He now trains point-to-pointers and was champion trainer for the 2013/14 season and champion Hunters' Chase trainer in 2016/17. His wife, Lawney is a licenced trainer and together they have two children.
All the family hunt and have been or are race riders, his son Joe was champion novice in 2012. Alan farms 1000 acres in Oxfordshire, mainly arable, but also grass paddocks and gallops and is also involved in helping run and prepare Kingston Blount point to point course.
Charlie Poste (PPORA)
Charlie has become chair of the organisation as of 1st January, succeeding Mark Buchan. Best known for the point-to-point yard he runs alongside his wife Francesca in Warwickshire, the couple have established a successful business breaking and producing young horses, while remaining passionate about helping owner/riders achieve their own point-to point ambitions. Charlie is well-connected in the world of horseracing, having been a successful professional jockey, which will serve him well in supporting the development of British pointing. As a BHA-qualified jockey coach, he is a huge supporter of owner/trainer/riders seeking to enter the sport at grassroots level.
Ilona Barnett (PPSA)
As chair of the Point-to-Point Secretaries Association (PPSA), Ilona currently sits on the PPA Board as the PPSA representative. Ilona is also the South Midlands area secretary and fixture secretary for the Barbury International fixture. Her husband Andrew's family roots are firmly set in farming, hunting and pointing in Warwickshire. They have bred, owned, ridden and trained all their own horses for a number of years.
Ilona is also a highly successful General Manager of busy Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse and a regular Steward at numerous meetings from Cottenham to Andoversford.
Darren Edwards
Darren is currently fourth on the list of active riders, with 312 career victories in points alongside 29 under rules, of which the highest profile was Maximize in the 2004 Kim Muir Chase. He is also one of few leading riders who is not involved with horses full-time – his day job is Head of Green Energy & Sustainability for chartered surveyors Fisher German. Darren joined the PPA Board as an independent in January 2022 and is the only jockey, and at 38 the youngest member, to sit on the board.
Fiona Needham
Fiona joined as an independent in January 2020, and brings huge practical experience to the PPA Board. Quite apart from great success as a rider in the past, she is currently PPSA area chairman in Yorkshire, as well as a very successful joint owner-trainer with her father. Fiona is a lifelong enthusiast and participant, and point to pointing is very much her passion.
Fiona is also Clerk of the Course at Catterick, providing a wider viewpoint of racing under Rules.