Flagg Races As you know Flagg Races Management Committee has strived to create a profitable and successful Point to Point Meeting over many decades and it is after much discussion, soul searching and consideration that I must advise that we are suspending the event for 2014. The principle drivers behind the decision fall in to 3 categories: · Frailty in both committee and non-committee volunteers · Financial exposure to Flagg Races and the High Peak Hunt · Likelihood of attracting low numbers of runners and therefore providing poor sport for our spectators and supporters. The Committee is not at full strength and new fresh blood to take on important roles is not available. The critical elements needed to stage such an event are in jeopardy without a fully committed team. Similarly the huge amount of volunteer support for setting up and managing the event during the day are also diminishing and again this is, potentially, seriously detrimental to the success of the meeting. The cost of staging Flagg Races is high. Cancellations cost dearly with over £15k being lost in the last 2 years due to weather related cancellations. Whilst the Point to Point Authority has been helpful, the existing funds are insufficient to cover the cost in the event of a last minute abandonment. This in turn threatens the High Peak Hunt’s already stretched financial situation. Despite investigations to improve / alter the course and holding the event on a different date to attract more runners, the consensus is that the UK Point to Point runners are in national decline and the prospect of poor entries, and consequently poor racing is still high. Poor racing coupled with the challenging economic climate has already proved that it is difficult to attract the much needed sponsorship. Although you may consider that some or all these obstacles should be able to be overcome, if you put them all together the challenge and the risk involved in staging the meeting in 2014 are just too great. I hope you will appreciate the points made and also understand that the decision has not been taken lightly. I can assure you that we have not given up altogether. Our aim now is to attract a full complement for the Committee with a view to resurrecting the event for 2015. We would be very pleased to hear from anyone who could help us in some way towards running the meeting in 2015. Nigel Clayton Chairman Flagg Races Management Committee
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 12:58:53 +0000
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