JOSH MADE HIS POINT!

Mike Drowne finds top pointer Josh Newman battling for more success

- Mike Drowne

Josh Newman has been in command of the Point-to-Point division over the past few seasons, especially in the Devon and Cornwall area.

With the 33-year-old combining riding with training to great effect, he is now busy readying his troops to send them into battle for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

I caught up with Josh to reflect on his rapid progression in the training sphere; as well as looking ahead.

Josh began training four years ago, taking over from now wife Kayley, who herself trains a string of a dozen horses to run under rules.

It didn’t take long for Josh to gain success, landing the honors of leading trainer with 6-14 horses in his first proper season. He then became national champion trainer the following year.

Despite being crowned champion, there was the lingering issue that he won the title by some default. Tom Ellis had joined the professional ranks, part way through the Point-to-Point season. Thus handing over the license to his wife, Gina. Tom and Gina’s combined winners were more than Josh’s, meaning had Tom carried on, he would have taken the title.

However there was no doubting who the champion was last season - Josh and his team won the title outright, becoming the leading national trainer for the second time.

Josh said; “It felt brilliant two seasons ago, but there was always people saying ‘well if they hadn’t gone under rules then technically they had a couple more winners’. But that’s the way it was and not our fault.

“But no one could say anything last year.”

Josh put his marker down early last year, he landed a treble at Dunsmore on the opening weekend of the season, with a strike rate of three wins from four runners and from then he kept the winners coming.