Gloucestershire is a county where horse sports dominate. Whether it’s top flight steeplechasing at Cheltenham, polo at Cirencester or equestrianism at Badminton, the county excels above all others in matters equine.
Andoversford Races sits at the heart of that sporting excellence in a venue where our feature race – The Robert Hitchins Andoversford Grand Annual Chase, was first run on the same site back in 1834, 65 years before Cheltenham Racecourse was even a figment of Lord Ellenborough’s imagination. And since the course was resuscitated some 70 years ago, we’ve been running the annual Andoversford Races , aka the Cotswold Point-to-Point ever since.
Recently, under new management, the fixture has grown to become the most valuable racing programme in the UK Spring Point-to-Point calendar, supporting a broader schedule of rural activities and entertainments that have as much in common with a country fair as a race fixture. Strong support for this all day event has come from local businesses eager to demonstrate their credentials to a largely affluent demographic of land, home and property owners, rural professionals and their families who all share a love of country pursuits and a country lifestyle.
A growing hospitality and sponsorship market, combined with contemporary marketing communications, have allowed the event to flourish and become a leader of its genre, demonstrating the merits of young horses and riders who use the event as a springboard to graduate to the professional ranks.
But this is no poor man’s Cheltenham. The event has a style and identity all of its own, with broad appeal to business and individuals alike. If you enjoy a great day out, then Andoversford Races each April is no better place.
