Heather leads by example as top lady rider

It was also her first year as one of three independent members of the Point-to-Point Board of the Horse Regulatory Authority.

With an aim of taking the sport into the future, she has initiated a scheme that allows horses to be sponsored for the first time in this amateur sport. Owners can receive 450 per horse in exchange for a sponsoring company's name appearing in the racecard and with its logo displayed on the horse's paddock sheet.

The scheme has been introduced this season to help owners offset their training and running costs, and a registration levy is being used to underwrite a national marketing initiative for the sport.

"Gatleys feed merchants at Storrington have sponsored two of my own horses and so far 200 point-to-pointers around the country have benefited from the initiative. I hope it will grow further," she said.

"Costs have been soaring and many owners have been hard-pressed to keep going. This new scheme puts money right into the grass roots where it is most needed.

For full feature see Sussex Horse World, West Sussex Gazette February 25