Farmer, owner, ‘estate manager’ (a title he is keen to play down), Stan Rawlins has worked on the course at Larkhill for 40 years. Known to many on the pointing scene as Mr Larkhill although, as Stan himself puts it, “I’m more of a Larkhill hanger-on-er!” his colours have seen plenty of success over the years at his local course – the joint-longest in the country and the one that holds the most meetings, seven. With a busy week ahead, with two meetings due to take place on consecutive Saturdays, Jake Exelby found time in Stan’s schedule to chat about his life in the sport.
Where are you from and where do you farm?
I’m a third-generation farmer at Ablington Farm, about a mile and a half east of the course – you can see it from the Queen’s Building. I farm it with my brother Henry and it’s arable and beef – we have nearly 1,000 head of cattle and over 1,000 acres of rough grazing. He’s interested in shooting but not horses, and I’m the other way round, so it works well!
Talk me through your career in racing, how you got into point-to-pointing in the first place and how you became involved with Larkhill?
My parents were big supporters of pointing and dragged me to Larkhill from an early age. One of my earliest memories is going to Pitt Manor near Winchester. It had a big, steep hill – well, it seemed to be because I was tiny.
I got involved when I was looking for someone to ride my first horse, Whatyoulike, in the Royal Artillery Hunt Race. Major Charlie Moore, who went on to run courses under rules, said, ‘He’ll do it’, pointing at Jon Trice-Rolph. He then said, ‘You could come and help. You can do this, do that…’ and it went from there.
What do you do to prepare the course for racing?
I do all the topping, roll the course between meetings and agrivate it at the end of the season. We’re lucky. We’ve got good kit and it’s more like a racecourse than a point-to-point track. And I book in gallops with the army.
I do anything to do with the track, nothing else. Roly Rickcord is the Clerk of the Course. I help put the jumps out and take them in but have nothing to do with the fence building itself. John Hoare does that and does a marvellous job.
(At this point, I hear Stan’s wife Sally telling me, ‘If I don’t know where he is, he’s on the course’).
What challenges do you face with Larkhill racing so frequently – seven times a season and, with postponements, sometimes in consecutive weekends?
Between the meetings, John cleans the fences and puts in new birch if necessary. We often move them, which involves taking the wings and posts down, and takes more than a day – we haven’t done so yet this season, though we may do before the meeting on 18th January, and it depends on how the ground goes back, which it’s been doing well this year.
Larkhill is on chalk land – my friends call it ‘boys ground’ – so it’s easy to get on the course and put it back and we can race from week to week. It’s easy to do the treading and rolling in – only moving the fences would be a struggle in a week. It was easier in the old days, when the army recruits would help.
Last year, the course received some negative feedback after the second February meeting
Personally, I don’t think there was an issue. I know the course well, having been working on it for a long time and wouldn’t have had a problem running one of my horses on it. Everyone had the choice whether to run. We received more praise than criticism and one leading jockey said, ‘What’s supposed be wrong with it?’
What motivates you to put in so much work on a voluntary basis?
It’s a simple question. I love pointing. Every course needs someone (like Stan) – I want to go to other places, and I want people to come here.
What have been the highlights of your time in the sport?
My first win with Whatyoulike, at Badbury Rings with Rose Vickery on board. He only won once but was second 12 times!
Then our first winner trained by Sally, Boxcar Bill at Clyst St Mary. Rose’s husband Len was standing beside us and said, ‘That bloody horse looks like a fat Hereford bull.’ He won at 20/1… ridden by Len and Rose’s daughter Shirley!
And finally, Shrill Whistle winning the Royal Artillery Members. Seamus Mullins had retired about a year before, but I persuaded (insisted, according to Mackenzie & Selby!) him to ride it, even though his yard had runners in the race.
Tell me about some of your other favourite horses
I consider myself one of the luckiest owners around. Flora Macdonald was the most consistent. She was the dam of Sidbury Hill, who won twice under rules. Righteous Glory was the friendliest. He’d come and put his head on your shoulder, and it was like he was sitting there talking to you.
And which pointers have you most enjoyed watching over the years?
We’ve had some classy ones come to Larkhill. The likes of (Gold Cup winner) See More Business, (dual Foxhunters winner) Fantus and, in recent seasons, Grace A Vous Enki.
Which jockeys have you most admired?
Sally and I have been lucky to have some of the best jockeys over the years, from Rose and Shirley Vickery to Polly Gundry, Nick Pearce and Sam Davies-Thomas and – now – Josh Newman. I wake up to a picture of Sam every morning.
Tell me about your trainers
First was Linda Syckelmoore. She’s a brilliant horse person, and still a good friend. Then it was Sally – I’ve no idea how she puts up with me. I’ve never ridden a horse and never wanted to. I love them as long as I’m on the ground.
Harriet Waight’s taken over now. I’ve known her since she was 11 days old, introduced her to her husband and gave her away at her wedding. She’s unique in the way she does things. One morning her horses could go out in the morning – in the dark – then the next day in the evening… in the dark. She trains on thousands of acres of MoD land, so doesn’t need to go to the same place twice.
Other than Larkhill, which are your favourite courses (current and closed)?
I like to go to what I call ‘proper’ point-to-point courses, ones that only have one meeting. Nedge was my favourite, without a doubt. I had my first runner, Whatyoulike, there. Rupert Nuttall rode him, they didn’t get round, and I think he came back minus three front teeth!
And I always used to say it would be nice to spend the day at Llanfrynach even without the horses – it was such a beautiful place.
Of current courses, I like Chipley Park. It’s different, but I can’t explain why.
What do you enjoy most about pointing?
I’ve had a lot of luck – I’ve bought cheap horses, had so much fun and made so many friends. The likes of Brian and Brenda Heath, who I go racing with, Richard Hall – we go back years – and Brian and Anne Watts, who I first met when they came to Larkhill to gallop a horse.
I go from Charing in the East to Great Trethew in the West, and up to Bredwardine on the Welsh border. People think I’m mad.
What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
I wouldn’t be any good at it – I’m not knowledgeable enough (I beg to disagree). It worries me that pointing’s going to become grade three racing with professionalism, but we can’t turn the clock back.
What do you think will happen to pointing after a hunting ban?
It’ll struggle, because the volunteers won’t come forward. We’re lucky because Larkhill employs people, but part-time courses will suffer. I can’t see why people would volunteer without hunting – the link is crucial.
What are your non-horsey hobbies?
I’ve always been into classic and vintage tractors – big and small, as I collect models. That’s sad for a farmer!
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