THE annual Point-to-Point Awards received a refresh this year. Gain Equine Nutrition stepped in as title sponsor and there was a new organising committee of David Boland, Aine O’Connor and Susie Doyle. Ger Hannon took on the MC duties for the first time.

Apart from that it was business as usual. We were back in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny for the second year in a row and, for the ninth time in a row, Barry O’Neill was crowned The Irish Field Champion Rider.

Barry shared the title with Rob James last year but, with 56 winners this season, he finished 15 clear of the field. Also champion in the northern region and joint-champion in the south, the Wexford man accepted the cup to the sounds of Simply The Best while we watched cute videos of his three proud sons congratulating Daddy on his success.

Colin Bowe supplied plenty of those winners and he is your champion handler for the 10th year in a row. The category was only created 18 years ago and this is Colin’s 13th time to win it. He had 42 winners this season.

Northern winners

While there is no denying that Wexford is the centre of the point-to-point universe these days, it was good to see a couple of northern-based award winners. Toni Quail may be based in Tipperary, but the leading lady rider is from Downpatrick and her cup was decorated with black and red ribbons.

Toni had nine winners from just 29 rides, all of them supplied by Sam Curling.

Sam was a very good second in the handlers’ division and he also trained Cheltenham winner Wonderwall, the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Horse of the season. Picking up that award was John O’Leary who also had La Feline with Sam a few years ago.

Perhaps the story of the season was Winged Leader, whose 11 victories took him alongside the all-time record of 33 open wins. His Enniskillen trainer David Christie is nothing short of a wizard when it comes to keeping horses sound, as Winged Leader is the sixth horse he has trained to win 15 or more opens. This beats P.P. Hogan’s record.

If we’re talking about records, we need to talk about Derek O’Connor. With over 1,370 winners to his name (think about that), he is the all-time record holder and still riding as well as ever at 42 years of age. This season, Derek won the western and senior titles, and we have to mention his six winners at Quakerstown on Easter Sunday, three of which he trained.

Up against the likes of Barry and Derek, you have to give full credit to Jamie Scallan who tied with Barry for the southern title. His first such award, Jamie finished third in the overall table with 35 winners, many of them trained by Sean Doyle. He is from Tomhaggard, the village which also produced Tiernan Power Roche and Jack Hendrick.

Rob James and Barry Stone shared the Eastern title with 21 winners each. It was a breakout season for Barry, who was well-supported by Jonathan Fogarty and, of course, Barry also had a Cheltenham winner on Daily Present.

The Award Winners

The Irish Field Champion Rider: BARRY O’NEILL

p2p.ie Champion Lady Rider: TONI QUAIL

TRI Equestrian Champion Under-21 Rider: DAVID DOYLE

Newpark Hotel Champion Senior Rider: DEREK O’CONNOR

HRI Northern Champion: BARRY O’NEILL

HRI Eastern Champion: BARRY STONE & ROB JAMES

HRI Western Champion: DEREK O’CONNOR

HRI Southern Champion: JAMIE SCALLAN & BARRY O’NEILL

Gain Equine Nutrition Leading Handler: COLIN BOWE

Tattersalls Ireland Horse of the Year: WONDERWALL

ITBA Champion Mare: MY BEST VALENTINE

Race Displays Champion Pointer: WINGED LEADER

Goffs Leading Sire: WALK IN THE PARK

Weatherbys Leading Breeder Award: PAT FENNESSY

Healys Personality of the Year: DR JOHN DOWNEY

Equuip Person behind the Moment: PAT NOLAN

INHSC Novice Riders Series Leading Rider: EOIN STAPLES

INHSC Novice Riders Series Leading Lady Rider: PANDORA BRISELDEN

RACHAEL Blackmore, Patrick Mullins, Derek O’Connor, Barry Geraghty and Dr Jennifer Pugh were among those to salute Dr John Downey, recipient of the Healy Racing Personality of the Year Award.

‘Doc’ has given 40 years’ service to racing as a medical officer and he was increasingly involved in point-to-points for the latter part of his career. MC Ger Hannon noted that John also played hurling for Limerick and perhaps they could have done with him last weekend.

You can’t keep Wexford men off the stage for long at these awards and one of the most popular winners on the night was Pat Nolan. A key figure in Colin Bowe’s operation, Pat received the ‘Person behind the Moment’ Award, sponsored by Equuip.

Like Dr John Downey, Pat has a proud GAA background and we were also told he is handy on a bicycle.

Young talent

This awards night is also great for spotting up-and-coming talent, and three names to note on the track are David Doyle, Eoin Staples and Pandora Briselden.

Son of trainer Tim Doyle, David has already ridden plenty of track winners, but he really proved his mettle on the point-to-point circuit this season. His 14 winners earned him the Under 21 Award, a title previously won by the likes of Derek O’Connor, Adrian Maguire and Timmy Murphy.

The INHSC Novice Riders’ Series is a relatively new concept. Restricted to riders who have not ridden more than 15 winners, the series produced two good winners in Eoin and Pandora.

From Duncormick in Co Wexford, Eoin rides for Colin Bowe and Rob James, though it was Edward O’Grady’s Priory Park who helped him to this title. Eoin said earlier in the season he planned to turn conditional.

Moved to Ireland

Pandora moved to Ireland from Britain a few years ago and has been riding a lot for Pat Doyle this season. Four-time winner I Masked Du Potier was a star for both trainer and rider.

Tetratema Cup winner My Best Valentine was a deserving winner of the Champion Mare Award. Owned and trained by Dan O’Brien in Tallow, she goes well for regular rider Stefan Tobin.

Pat Fennessy of Ballinaroone Stud in Ballyduff Upper, Co Waterford, won the Weatherbys Champion Breeder Award. Pat has 40 National Hunt mares and bred six individual winners last season between the flags.

Walk In The Park walked away with the Goffs Champion Sire Award. The Grange Park stallion had an incredible 49 winners, the biggest total in this division since 1989.

Winner of The Irish Field PTP Riders Championship for the ninth time, Barry O'Neill accepts the cup and €1,500 from Anne Marie Duff of The Irish Field \ Healy Racing

Toni Quail is the p2p.ie Champion Lady Rider \ Healy Racing

David Doyle with his TRI Equestrian Champion Under 21 Rider Award \ Healy Racing

Mark Flynn of the Newpark Hotel presents the Champion Senior Rider trophy to Derek O'Connor \ Healy Racing

Barry Stone and Rob James shared the HRI Eastern Riders title \ Healy Racing

Derek O'Connor accepts the Western Champion Rider Award from Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland \ Healy Racing

Jamie Scallan shared the Southern Champion Rider Award with Barry O'Neill \ Healy Racing

Colin Bowe won the Gain Equine Nutrition Leading Handler Award for the 13th time. He is pictured here with daughter Katie, son Bobby and wife Fiona \ Healy Racing

Liam Kelly accepts the Tattersalls Ireland Horse of the Year Award on behalf of Wonderwall from Mary Lanigan, marketing manager for the sponsor

Danielle Deveney of the ITBA presents the ITBA Champion Mare Award to Daniel O'Brien on behalf of My Best Valentine \ Healy Racing

Heather Heffernan of Race Displays presents the Champion Pointer Award to David Christie, trainer of Winged Leader \ Healy Racing

Albert Sherwood of Grange Stud accepts the Goffs Leading Sire Award, on behalf of Walk In The Park, from Sophie Webber of Goffs \ Healy Racing

Pat Fennessy accepts the Weatherbys Leading Breeder Award from Susie Doyle \ Healy Racing

Jane Hurley of Healy Racing presents the Personality Award to Dr John Downey / Healy Racing

Pat Nolan from Colin Bowe's yard won the 'Person behind the Moment' Award, sponsored by Equuip \ Healy Racing

Winners of the INHSC Novice Riders Series are Pandora Briselden and Eoin Staples \ Healy Racing