THE funding boost was necessitated by falling participation rates and, encouragingly, there are signs of that freefall bottoming out this season.

For the first time in the last decade, the number of entries has not fallen year-on-year. The total of 9,816 entries for this season, may only be a marginal increase of 16 on the previous season, but it is an increase nonetheless, and more importantly it does offer hope that the decline has come to an end.

With a further three fixtures taking place this season, the average entry, which had remained constant at 100 for the past two seasons, fell slightly to 97.

The four-year-old division, one which has been dominated by Wexford handlers this term, continues to be the flag-bearer for the sport at present, boasting record sale prices and encouraging hunter cert numbers.

Those hunter certificate numbers within four-year-olds boast a fourth successive year in a row to return an increase, with the season-ending figure of 659, up 10% on last year, and a massive 47% higher on the 2014 figure.

The sales ring returns which the producers of young horses through the point-to-point fields have received have undoubtedly had a significant impact in growing those hunter certificate numbers, with countless records being broken.

Most staggeringly, for the first time the total generated by Irish point-to-point horses at public auctions broke the €20 million mark for a single season.

Fireworks in the sales rings produced a number of record breakers, including Colin McKeever’s Flemenshill who set an all-time record when being knocked down for £480,000 at Cheltenham in February. A month later, the Cheltenham Festival Sale played host to a new all-time high price for a point-to-point mare at public auction when Richard Black’s Lingstown winner Maire Banrigh was bought for £320,000.

Outside of the headline record breakers, it has been an incredible season in the sales ring for the producers of young horses with Irish point-to-point form.

No fewer than 132 horses have sold for at least £50,000, up 69% on last year, and it is within that grouping that the sensational prices have been achieved.

A total of 58 Irish point-to-pointers broke six-figures, including no fewer than 19 horses achieving a price of at least £200,000.

When it is remembered that these only include sales at public auctions and that there have been countless high-quality horses selling for six-figure sums privately, it has been a bumper reward for those owners and trainers who have bravely invested large sums at the store sales in recent years, continually improving the quality of youngsters being bought to initially go point-to-pointing.

With record returns to invest at the upcoming Land Rover and Derby Sales, the quality is surely set to rise even further.

THE arrival of a number of former high-class track performers in the open lightweight division during the autumn campaign certainly ruffled many feathers.

Horses of the calibre of Roi Du Mee, On His Own, Foxrock, - all proven at graded level on the track - were rocking up in opens across the country at Maralin, Borris House and Tinahely, which, unsurprisingly, proved a focal point for debate. It even resulted in a small number of hunts taking the decision to restrict their opens to horses who had not won a Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3 contest on the track.

However, as is so often the case with these once top track horses, they rarely have a lasting impact in the open division between the flags, either moving straight into hunter chases, as was the case with Foxrock, being retired, or failing to reach a mark anywhere close to that achieved in their prime.

Grade 1 Punchestown winner Sir Des Champs, fell into the latter category, was unable to get his head in front from five outings, but provided plenty of sport for his novice rider.

Despite the threat of these high-class former track horses, the current season has also acted as a reminder of the almost lost phenomenon of horses working their way up through the ranks - from maiden success to winners’ company and then on to opens. As The Crow Flies, Holycross Lito and the sadly ill-fated Sprintingforgold all achieved this feat.

This is a rapid rise through the ranks which was so frequently witnessed up to the not too distant past. However, with horses of all ages now being so commonly sold on to run on the track or in British points, it is a rarer accomplishment, but one that, hopefully, on this evidence, is returing

AWARD WINNERS

The Irish Field Leading Rider: Barry O’Neill

HRI Northern Region:

Noel McParlan

HRI Eastern Region:

Barry O’Neill

HRI Southern Region:

Rob James & Jamie Codd

HRI Western Region:

Derek O’Connor

Racing Post Novice:

Shane Fitzgerald

P2P.ie Lady Rider: Liz Lalor

Racing Post Senior rider: Jamie Codd

EasyFix Handler: Colin Bowe

Connolly Red Mills Champion Point-to-Pointer:

Ourmanmassini

Tattersalls Hunter Chaser: Foxrock

ITBA Champion Mare:

Maple Mons

Goffs Leading Sire: Beneficial

Weatherbys Leading Breeder: Cathal Ennis