THE biggest event on the Island’s equestrian calendar — the Isle of Wight Grand National and Ashey Scurry — returns with its new and seemingly more popular autumn slot on Sunday.
With a forecast of good weather for it expected, the historic event will again be staged at West Ashey Farm.
The traditional series of races, involving competitors from across the Island and mainland, is expected to draw a decent crowd.
The first race is at 11.45am, the Isle of Wight Shetland Champion Hurdle, with the day concluding with the big race of the day, the Isle of Wight Grand National.
This year’s event has attracted a celebrity from the world of horse racing — Charlie Fenwick, who was the jockey who won the 1980 Grand National at Aintree, riding Ben Nevis.
Charlie will be flying over from the United States, especially to watch his granddaughter compete in the Elite Spas Puffing Billy Stakes for children on small ponies, which will get underway at 12.15pm.
The Isle of Wight Shetland Grand National will follow at 12.45pm, then the IW Shetland Gold Cup (1.15pm), the Puffed Out Billy (1.45pm), the much-anticipated Ashey Scurry (2.20pm), the Junior Scurry (2.55pm) and the Isle of Wight Grand National (3.30pm).
The scurry and national fences are a mixture of hurdles, hedges and open ditches.
Organisers report good entries for all the races, with a mixture of local and mainland riders together for the majority of events.
One of the event’s organisers, Karen Begley, a past Isle of Wight Grand National winner, will not be competing this year following the death of her beloved horse, Ted, last winter — but aims to be back in the saddle for next year’s event.
Karen was one of the decision makers, who backed moving the Isle of Wight Grand National and Ashey Scurry from its traditional March date to its new autumnal slot.
“It was decided to switch the event to October, as the weather has appeared to be wetter in March in recent years,” she explained.
“This has meant there have been a couple of years where we couldn’t get on the field to build the course, due to the ground becoming waterlogged quickly.”
The change in date has see the event grow, with Shetland pony racing becoming an increasingly popular and more established part of the whole event.
“We are fortunate to have the racing Shetlands back. There will be three races this year, with 26 Shetlands coming over from the mainland to compete. They had such a great weekend last year,” Karen said.
“It will be a high-speed blur of colour, as the Shetland ponies and their young jockeys fly around the course.”
Their young jockeys will all be aged eight to 13 years and must be no taller than 5ft, with all ponies registered to be no taller than 42 inches.
The ponies, brought across The Solent by JPL Racing and Events, have taken part in some of the country’s most prestigious equestrian events and have produced jockeys who have gone on to forge professional riding careers.
Gates open at 10.30am.
There will be ample parking, hot and cold food, a bar, ice creams and a sweepstake for each race for those who fancy a flutter.
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