0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's something wonderful about a horse,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06I just can't explain it to you.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11The makings of a good racehorse combines courage,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14a bit of stamina and speed.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Well, there must be something very special,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20because there's nearly 7,000 point-to-point horses in Ireland.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23It's a family thing, from everybody right down.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27And once it's in your blood, it never goes out of it.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It's an amazing partnership when it all comes together.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33You have the equine end of it and the human end of it,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36and it's amazing the way the pair of them seem to combine.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Five winners at the last Cheltenham meeting came from the point-to-point circuit.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45The danger end of it, you never think of it.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47I've broken my ribs, wrist, fibula, tibia...
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Sure, you bounce back, it's a love of the sport,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54and the love of going fast will get you back in the saddle as soon as you can.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56The dream of winning and the dream of breeding a winner,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58that keeps everybody in the business.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23My father took me to my first point to point,
0:01:23 > 0:01:28it was 1948 I think, and I was hooked from then on.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31We hadn't any horses except the working horses,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33I was a farmer's daughter,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37and this spectacle of horses racing was absolutely amazing.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Point to pointing really was the hunting people having a day's fun.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51How they started was,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54two chaps used to... One said to the other,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58"My horse is faster than yours," and then it was put to the test.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06People just got on their hunters and hunted them round and raced them,
0:02:06 > 0:02:11and then gradually, people got better horses and faster horses.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17In those days, they jumped mostly over natural fences,
0:02:17 > 0:02:18it was a cross country.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21They would have trimmed or helped them a bit.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24There was a lot of gorse and everything else, or firs,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and they would have jumped over open ditches, or sheughs.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It was like a big fair, a big race meeting.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37It was EVERYBODY who went to a point to point.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43All of Donegal, bits of Monaghan, Cavan, all those people all came up,
0:02:43 > 0:02:48that was like their Grand National, their Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56The large tent was always put up for the farmers to have tea,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00they were entertained, that was one way of entertaining the farmers and their wives,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02thanking them for going over the land.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11It takes an amount of volunteers to run a point to point,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13especially ON the race day.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Hello, good to see you. Good to see you. Oh, my.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Can you bring a tractor for the ice-cream man? He's stuck.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45'There's a clerk of scales, there's weigh-ins,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47'there's fence judges.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Don't run in to the middle of a situation.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54If there's a faller or a rider badly injured, let everything by first, don't run to the middle.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00If we're closing off, put the disc in the fence facing the horses.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02You have your bars,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05where I have a port on a cold day.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06Two hot port.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15'You have to have your ambulances, doctors, vets and fence stewards,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17'everybody in place.'
0:04:17 > 0:04:19She comes through on the radio
0:04:19 > 0:04:22to say a doctor's needed immediately.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25'They're all there free, gratis, and they're great.'
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I'm covering doctor at the meeting today.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Every point-to-point meeting has to have two doctors
0:04:31 > 0:04:33as well as a paramedic for safety purposes.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36You're basically there to check riders after they have a fall
0:04:36 > 0:04:38to make sure they're safe.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Because in most cases, guys get up and walk away
0:04:40 > 0:04:44because they don't want to miss races, they're made of iron.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47In most cases, they're easy to treat now.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50I'm also riding in the ladies' race, so...it'll be busy!
0:04:52 > 0:04:56We get local farmers, local shopkeepers, they look forward to the day.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00The only thing, we've an autumn season now as well as a spring season,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03so they have TWO days out now in the year instead of just the one.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08But the local people in the local area do come to the point to point.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13From Ballymena, to Banbridge, to Newry, to wherever they are,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15to Downpatrick...
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The fact that we go to different parts of the country every weekend
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and we have a new audience every weekend,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24it keeps it alive and it keeps it good.
0:05:27 > 0:05:35You bring your box, a little bit of drink, sandwiches, champagne, caviar, salmon.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's for everyone, townie and country.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41People that wouldn't have even seen a horse in the stable,
0:05:41 > 0:05:46but once they see it once, they want to come back.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48I think it's in your blood.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Both my grandparents rode and my grandfather point to pointed.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Point to point is the springboard for racing.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00They go from point to points, they go into the novice,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04there's maiden races, then they go into open races,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06which qualifies them to go to hunt chases
0:06:06 > 0:06:07which are held on the racecourse.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11From hunt chases, they can go to steeplechases.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14They can be running here today and six months to a year,
0:06:14 > 0:06:1618 months down the line,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19they can run in the English or Irish Grand National.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24On the point to point course here behind me a few years ago
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Bindaree won his maiden and went on to Liverpool to win a Grand National.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34It's nice to see a horse, a nice young horse come out
0:06:34 > 0:06:39that you've trained and he jumps well, and he wins well.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It means you've done your job.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45People will say, it's only a rich man's sport.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49There's men with one horse that get the same enjoyment as if you have five in the stable.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53But a lot, a lot of people love to train their own, exercise it,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57rear it, ride it, and win on it if they can.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03There's not too many people now riding point to points just for the fun of it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Whereas, years ago, they might have had a horse
0:07:06 > 0:07:09that they could have had a wee spin round on and enjoyed themselves.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13But there's not as many people doing that now, you know?
0:07:13 > 0:07:16It's all sort of serious.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Money doesn't buy you a racehorse.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24There's been many a one paid a load of money and they're no good.
0:07:24 > 0:07:30The wee man down the road could have spent a few hundred and beat everybody.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35You don't know, nobody knows.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Yes, you like confirmation on how they go well,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and, yeah, that looks good.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43But nobody knows where the engine is.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I think it's a disease with the bookies, too.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57A lot of them are, like us all, getting on past their sell by date,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59but they still come in the freezing cold.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02They're absolute gentlemen, they're absolute gentlemen,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06and they've tried in every way to support the point to points.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11They give us so much for a pitch and they pay their way in.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16They love the sport and the craic.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20I'm sure they love the money as well!
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Cold today, isn't it?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26It's not good for this job, really, is it?
0:08:26 > 0:08:28'I love the weigh room, there's nothing like it.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32'You get in and it's an escape from the outside.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33'And if you're having a bad day,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36'the rest of the lads let you know about it.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38'There's no quarter given.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40'In the racing world,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43'the different sets of colours will be an owner's identity.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47'Frequent race goers then would know that such and such colours
0:08:47 > 0:08:50'would maybe belong to that prominent owner,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53'because every horse I ride usually has a different owner.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54'But things can get a bit hectic,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57'you have to keep looking at your race card.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58'It wouldn't be the first time
0:08:58 > 0:09:02'I maybe walked out with the wrong set on me!'
0:09:05 > 0:09:08The young fellas are the ones you have to try and school.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14They're like joyriders, you have to control them a wee bit now and again.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Once they get a knock or two and they're lying at the back of a fence
0:09:18 > 0:09:19with their heels up,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23they'll certainly listen then to what you've told them.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25I suppose whenever you're used to it,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28we've been going racing since we were children,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30and you see people falling and getting up again.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37I've had a few falls but, thankfully, touch wood, no injuries.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39- I've broken my collarbone. - Three times.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Three times, but that's minor compared to it.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50God, I've broken numerous types of bones, you know.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54I've broken my ribs, my wrist...
0:09:54 > 0:09:56my fibula, tibia,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59my shin bone. I was going to say my cannon bone there,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01but that's a part of a horse, isn't it?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03But, yeah, my shin bone, actually.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I've torn quite a few ligaments and muscles.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12You watch footballers and they can't wait to hit the ground.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Our guys, once they hit the ground, they're up. They run away
0:10:15 > 0:10:18from the ambulance in case they get stood down for the next race.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Catch him! Catch him!
0:10:21 > 0:10:25I think footballers should take a leaf out of their book.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Sure, you bounce back, you know.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35It's a love of the sport and going fast that gets you back in the saddle as soon as you can, you know?
0:10:35 > 0:10:37- TERENCE:- Just walk in....
0:10:37 > 0:10:39'People don't believe you're nervous.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41'Yes, I'm nervous.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'I have been known to maybe say an odd word,'
0:10:43 > 0:10:45maybe a wee bleep is required.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Asked you what the hell you're doing.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50"It's today we're starting, not tomorrow."
0:10:50 > 0:10:52But I don't really mean it that way.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54'People think I'm a wee bit crabbit.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57'In fact they think I'm thran too, but that's another story.'
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Hold on! You're not going anywhere! Stay there.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Hey!
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Plenty of time, come on.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08'Once the race goes, you don't get a time even to go to the wee house,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10'there's just no time for anything.'
0:11:10 > 0:11:12They're not hanging about.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18When you go down to the start you think, "Why am I doing this?"
0:11:18 > 0:11:21You head into the first fence and you get over it.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22Something else takes over
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and it's the most amazing feeling in the world.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32You wouldn't believe the pressure your heart and lungs come under,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35albeit the horse is doing the work for you.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38But you have to keep the whole thing motivated
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and just keep it in a forward motion.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49To ride a good horse for anybody is to sit in a good car,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53as soon as you get on it, you can see a nice dashboard, you've plenty of room around you,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56you put the foot down and you've got a little bit left,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59you can keep asking a fast car and it'll keep performing
0:11:59 > 0:12:01that's the same as a good racehorse.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06There's no such thing as a fast race when you're on a good racehorse,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08everything's in slow motion.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The buzz comes from the survival aspect of it.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18You've jumped 15 fences,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22you're on a green horse, he doesn't know a whole lot
0:12:22 > 0:12:26and you have to get from A to B in the fastest possible time,
0:12:26 > 0:12:27and that to me is just a real kick,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30especially whenever it all works out.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35There's no feeling like it. I think the adrenaline, or whatever,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38it's just an amazing thrill, and when you win, it's just...
0:12:38 > 0:12:41I've not had a greater feeling, it's just amazing,
0:12:41 > 0:12:42it's like a complete high.
0:13:09 > 0:13:1124 now, so I am.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12As long as I stay fit and healthy,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and hopefully keep in one piece,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17God, yeah, I would love to keep riding winners
0:13:17 > 0:13:19as often and as many as I possibly could.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- TERENCE:- There was a rich man in the past.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28He said, there's only two kinds of people keep horses -
0:13:28 > 0:13:31millionaires and fools.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34And I can assure you, there's very few millionaires.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39We might be fools, but we love what we're doing.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I think the point to point will always continue
0:13:44 > 0:13:48because the people that are following it won't let them go away.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50They'll always want to have,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53or they'll try and run, point to points.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:13:56 > 0:13:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk