THE hunter certificate system in Britain underwent a significant overhaul during the summer, a result of which could see a significant new opportunity for Irish owners and handlers.

Previously, the rules regarding British hunter certificate eligibility stated that a horse must have hunted at least four times a season before they would be given a hunter cert to run in point-to-points or hunter chases. That however was not always the case in practice, with the director of the Master of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) Tim Easby stating, following the announcement of the new hunter cert guidelines, that approximately 50% of horses were doing so before obtaining their hunter cert. The current regulations have removed this condition from the guidelines.