Dowth to host point-to-point and country fair
Current Champion Lady Point-to-Point Rider Aileen O’Sullivan from Walterstown, was in Dowth with racehorse, Lady of Brega, to officially launch the 2016 Point-to-Point and Country Fair which will take place there on Sunday 30th October.
Building on the success of last year’s event which drew crowds of over 3,000, this year will see a larger Boyne Valley Artisan Food Fair which will feature Michelin star chef, Richard Corrigan giving cookery demonstrations using locally sourced produce. The event will also see a shopping village with Irish country lifestyle brands as well as a range of activities within a kid’s zone to keep children entertained.
Hosted at the ‘Old Racecourse’ at Dowth, where races were originally held in the 1700s, the first of sixraces will begin at 12.30pm. The Meath and Tara Point-to-Point Committees are expecting the calibre of horses racing will again be high – last year’s winner Tomngerry was sold at the prestigious Tattersalls November Cheltenham Sale and went on to win his next four starts on the track. These will be followed by Pony Club children’s races, which are guaranteed to be full of fast paced action.
Owen Brennan, executive chairman of the Devenish Group, which is hosting the event said: “We are looking forward to celebrating what promises to be a great day of racing, food and fun for all the family. We were delighted to resurrect racing on the Old Racecourse and open up Dowth for the local and wider community to enjoy, and hope to build on the success of last year’s event.”
Simon Walford, Clerk of the Course for Meath and Tara Point-to-Point Committee said: 'Plans are well underway for October and in actual fact, have been, since very shortly after last year’s point-to-point. We are particularly pleased that our first point-to-point here in 2015 produced so many winners and long may it last. The start and finish has been altered slightly from last year”.
Olivia Duff of the Boyne Valley Food Series commented: “Last year’s Boyne Valley Food Series event at the Point-to Point was a great success for our artisan producers with many selling out. We hope that the larger 2016 event offers another opportunity to showcase the range of wonderful produce on offer. “
On the eve of the races, Saturday 29th October, the Devenish Charity Ball in aid of their partner charity ‘Farm Africa’ will take place for the first time for 250 guests. A marquee will lit up in the middle of the racecourse. The glamorous guests of the ball will enjoy a feast designed by Richard Corrigan while raising funds for their agricultural development work in Eastern Africa helping famers to grow more, sell more and sell for more.
Guests from the racing and food world joined Owen Brennan including Alex and Carina Mount Charles from nearby Slane Castle, Edward and Alex Galvin from Ardmulchan Castle, Nikki Flanagan of McDowells Jewellers and her newborn son Ivor and husband Mick, Penelope Lindsay-Fynn, Harry Fowler of Rahinston, trainer Pat Downey and his wife Karen, Harry Kellet and Claire Ludlow. Devenish’s CEO Richard Kennedy and colleagues Geoff Frawley and Simon Caughey were there along with the Boyne Valley Food Series Rosita Moyles, Bernie Burke, Joe Finnegan, Jack Rogers, Mark Jenkinson and Michael Finnegan.