English: Atlas of Hillforts 3580 Point to point course, Badbury Rings Point to point racing dates way back to the 1800s.

Hunting men used to race each other across the countryside, from steeple to steeple as they passed different villages. These steeples would be called points and hence the derivation of the name point to point. The Point-to-Point season starts in January and runs until June. All of the horses that race in a point-to-point have to be qualified out hunting and all of the jockeys have to be a member or subscriber of a hunt. Every course must have a minimum number of 18 fences and at least 2 fences must have ditches. This however can be reduced if certain fences are unfit or unsafe to be jumped (eg due to ground conditions or a fallen horse being in the way). The fences are made of birch and are approx 4 foot 6 inches high. The fences would not normally have the white barriers across them, but this is to stop riders using the fences on non racing days - they are normally used for the wings of the fence.

Point to Point steeplechase horse racing is an attractive sport to so many people because it combines a family day out in our beautiful countryside on land that is often private and closed to the public with the thrills and spills of steeplechasing over 18 fences and 3 miles.