A POPULAR point-to-point meeting which stalled after losing its course has now got off to a racing start with the announcement that it has a new venue.

For the last 13 months the West of Yore Hunt has been without a base for its annual point to point after the land it has used for many years was earmarked for housing – but now it will move to Askham Bryan College, near York.

Committee chairman Richard Wells said: “The West of Yore operates north and west of Ripon and the loss of our site there meant we weren't able to hold the point-to-point this year.

“We knew the Badsworth and Bramham Moor had moved their Point to Point to Askham Bryan so I came along to that in March and was impressed, both with the course and with the college who had put it together so quickly.

“We decided that we wanted to come here, we met with the college team and have fixed a date of February 28 for the event. We're now working with the college team on the preparations and I know there will be a good day's racing.”

Each circuit is approximately a mile long with seven fences and each race will consist of three circuits of the course. There will be races for novice horses, novice riders and a “mixed open” for the best Yorkshire point-to-pointers. Prize money of £450 is on offer.

The college’s executive principal Liz Philip, said: “I'm thrilled that we are able to support the West of Yore in bringing their point-to-point back on to the calendar.”