Hello again,
Former denizens of the Pointing Forum will remember that one of the longest lasted continuously updated threads there was Commentators - who are good?, originally set up circa 2009 by Tony Walton (Big Boris) as an outlet to discuss the great and not so great performances behind the mic between the flags.
In addition to meeting that original aim, over time the thread became the place to record confirmations of commentator bookings for specific meetings, whensoever that information was sought.
Ten months in to the lifetime of this forum, there has been no attempt that I can see to have set up a similar thread. Inevitably, as one of that previous thread's heaviest contributors, I feel personally responsible for that oversight!
So... please feel free to place your commentary observations and opinions here. Should it interest, or help, commentary stints for the season up until the end of January are as per the clickable jpeg below.
Cheers!
gc
Steve Payne did Fakenham on 23/03/2025. He also did Higham on Good Friday 18/04/2025.
Hope Martin Harris will be calling them at Cheltenham this week.
My apologies - you are long owed an update on this. All bookings for this season up to data apart from Fakenham, the Woodland Pytchley and the Chiddingfold. First sightings of the season for quite a few familiar names since the last update, and in the case of Neville Ender a first since 2022-23.
Hope all of interest!
gc
James Crispe did the High Easter Club meeting at High Easter.
Felix Wheeler back at an eventfull Larkhill Yesterday
Robbie Scott did the Suffolk meeting at Ampton on Sunday.
February's engagements confirmed as below. First sighting of the season for both Joe Gibson and Darren Owen.
The video Darran has shared on T*****r from Didmarton suggests Darren Owen is on duty there as well today, a return to this regular booking of his following Sam Jukes's engagement at the rescheduled fixture in 2024.
Judged on last year, I'm presuming there might be the first outing in 2024-25 for James Reynolds this weekend, but let's see whether that comes to pass.
The Suffolk at Ampton is interesting; last year this saw Matt Coleman's first engagement since April 2021 (none subsequently), but I notice that Iain hasn't had a go yet this season (might he have been booked for the ultimately abandoned Dunston Harriers fixture)?
With Derek Thompson finally bowing out this coming Xmas, Iain would truly be the last active link to racecourse commentary's first couple of decades if still going into 2026 and beyond, Derek having called on his first point-to-point in 1965 and Iain having commentated between the flags since 1969, if not earlier.
I'd certainly prefer Iain - even now, empirically the better commentator of the two by as wide a margin as I can quantify with arms stretched out - to hold a record for longevity rather than Tommo.
gc
Steve Payne did the Puckeridge and Essex meeting at Horseheath yesterday.
Steve Payne was the man on the microphone at Higham on Sunday 09.02.2025..
Loved David Fitzgerald's "We close our eyes" as Go West came over the last in an unassailable lead at Taunton yesterday.
Thought Joe Gibson did a really good job a t Askham Bryan at the weekend.
Felix Wheeler return at the South Dorset
Simple, Martin Harris is the best!
Well observed gc. The original thread certainly threw up some interesting opinions. Was it one the things, from j4f, that was included in their archive?