Advice on Point to Point Restrictions  -  Covid-19

It is vital you do not attend a Point to Point fixture if you feel unwell or have any symptoms associated with Covid-19.

Point to Point Hunt Committees

• Access to the field must be strictly enforced - no children, no owners, no public.
• Absolutely no catering of any description or provision of teas/coffees to any attendees or Officials is permitted. Persons attending or working at the Point to Point should be instructed to bring their own refreshments and consume them in their cars.
• Admission should only be granted to one groom per horse plus the Handler, necessary Hunt Officials and Fence Marshals required to run the Point to Point, IHRB Officials, Medical Staff, Veterinarians, Point to Point Photographers, Commentator and Camera-operators.
• There should only be facilities for a declaration Official and a Clerk of the Scales set up in the weigh tent, maximising the distance between them.  Handlers will only be allowed access to the tent to declare their horses and no more than two Handlers will be permitted in the tent at any time.  Riders will get changed in their cars and only gain access to the tent to weigh out and in.
• The Clerk of the Scales should only take declarations for Qualified Riders holding an Irish Permit.
• The Commentator/PA should be instructed to announce messages on adhering to HSE and Government Guidelines on social distancing. 
• Hand sanitizers should be provided.
• Fence Marshals should sit in separate cars between races and should not congregate in the field.
• Provision should be made for riders to park as close to the weigh tent as possible.
• A Judge’s trailer big enough for three people to allow for the social distancing guidelines to be adhered to must be provided - the three people on the trailer should be the Camera Operator, the Judge and an IHRB Official. All Hunt Officials and Acting Stewards should watch the races from other vantage points on their own.
• No streaming of any Point to Point fixture is permitted.

Point to Point Handlers

• Consideration should be given to reducing the numbers of people travelling to Point to Points together.  If a handler has multiple runners, no more than two people should travel in the one vehicle.
• Access to the weigh tent for Handlers will only be permitted to declare their horses, after which they must vacate the tent.  Only two Handlers at a time will be permitted access to make declarations.
• Handlers should contact their rider by phone on arrival and arrange to drop the colours to the rider’s car and adhere to social distancing at all times when interacting with the rider.  The Handler should give the colour bag and pad to the rider in advance of the meeting where possible.
• Handlers must limit their time at the races and leave as soon as possible after their final runner.

Qualified Riders

• Only Qualified Riders that hold an Irish Permit are permitted to ride until further notice.
• Riders are advised that car-pooling should not take place.
• There will be no changing facilities in use - riders should get changed in their cars, which should be parked close to the weigh tent for convenience.
• Riders will get changed in their cars and only gain access to the tent to check their weight and to weigh out and in.

Paul Murtagh, Registrar of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee (INHSC) stated:-

“Following the announcement by Horse Racing Ireland that racing could continue this week, the INHSC consulted with all Point to Point Hunt Committees with fixtures scheduled to take place this weekend, their Doctors and Ambulance providers, and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) staff and following a full assessment, the INHSC are satisfied that these fixtures can proceed as planned.  Since this is a fast-developing situation, the Stewards of the INHSC agreed to a full review of this weekend’s four fixtures and will further consult with HRI, the Hunt Committees, Doctors, Ambulance providers, Handlers, Qualified Riders and IHRB staff.

"The Hunts, Handlers, Qualified Riders and IHRB Officials are ambassadors of our sport and we envisage that everyone will pull together to allow the Point to Points to take place under the restrictions set down by the Government.  We trust that we can showcase what is good about the sport and the tremendous Point to Point community spirit by successfully running the fixtures under such strict criteria.”