The History of the Clifton on Teme Point-to-Point
The Clifton-on-Teme Hunt was established in 1920, and it held its inaugural Point-to-Point event at Woodmanton on 25th March 1922. After one year, the event relocated to Netherwood, near Bromyard, where it remained until 1939. World War II caused the fixture to be suspended, but it was revived on 2nd May 1946 at Hill Farm, Lulsley, which is located less than a mile from this year’s venue.
In 1951, the event moved to Horsham but was forced to leave that location after the 1981 season. During the interim, Chaddesley Corbett hosted two meetings while a new course was developed at Upper Sapey.
Opened in 1984, the Upper Sapey course faced challenges, especially during dry conditions, leading to the abandonment of the 2017 meeting due to hard ground—marking the end of Upper Sapey as a venue.
One notable historical moment for the Clifton-on-Teme Point-to-Point occurred in 1987, when it took nine days to complete the meeting. After starting on Saturday, 4th April, relentless rain halted the event after just one race, with the remaining races rescheduled for Monday, 13th April.
The history of the Clifton-on-Teme is deeply rooted in the Knightwick area. The new course was established thanks to the generosity of John and Sue Walker, who continue their family’s legacy with the event, as their late uncle David owned the previous course at Horsham.
The new venue is situated in the meadows adjacent to the River Teme and features a left-handed, oval shape. Each circuit measures approximately 1 mile and half a furlong, meaning a three-mile race will consist of nearly three laps around the course. There are four fences in the back straight and two in the home straight, totaling six fences per circuit and 18 fences overall.
The meeting has a rich history at Netherwood, Knightwick, and Upper Sapey, and we hope this new course will continue that tradition.
Course History
- 1922: Woodmanton, near Clifton-on-Teme
- 1922 - 1939: Netherwood, near Bromyard
- 1940 - 1945: No meetings due to World War II
- 1946 - 1950: Lulsley, near Knightwick
- 1951 - 1981: Horsham, near Knightwick
- 1982 - 1983: Chaddesley Corbett
- 1984 - 2017: Upper Sapey, near Bromyard
- 2018 - Present: The Rock, Knightwick