THE first of this season’s 13 point-to-point meetings in the South East will take place at Charing on Sunday, February 25 at Charing.

In a major change to the schedule the West Street Tickham have moved their second meeting in May from Aldington to Detling, so Detling will now hold two meetings.

The East Kent club will continue to hold their popular Easter Monday meeting at Aldington.

With racing already underway elsewhere in the country several of the leading stables in the South East have already saddled their first winners.

The Tindall yard’s Fiery Ring was ridden by his trainer Jenny Gordon to victory at Twesledown, and the stable star Sheriffs Friends won a very hot Ladies race at Barbury Castle.

The yard has one new recruit for this season, Deefour, a winner of an Irish Maiden in 2006 who should progress well. While Jenny Gordon is enjoying success, husband Chris, the seven times area champion, has been sidelined due to a recurrent shoulder injury requiring further surgery.

His place in the team will be taken by Harry Fowler who has ridden numerous winners both here and in Ireland.

The Pete Bull-ridden Honourable Spider, owned by Matthew Roberts and trained by Suzy Bull, was at his best when winning the Men’s Open at Barbury Castle, galloping his seven rivals into the ground. He could now be entered for a few Hunter Chases before hopefully lining up for the Cheltenham Foxhunters.

Full schedule: Sunday, February 24 South East Hunts Club, Charing; Sunday, March 4 Southdown & Eridge, Goodstone; Sunday, March 11 West Street Tickham, Detling; Saturday, March 17 Crawley & Horsham, Parham; Sunday, March 25, Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent, Penshurst; Sunday, April 1, Southdown & Eridge, Godstone; Saturday, April 7, Ashford Valley, Charing; Monday, April 9, East Kent, Aldington; Sunday, April 15, East Sussex & Romney Marsh, Bexhill/Catsfield; Saturday, April 21, Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent, Penshurst; Saturday, April 28, Chiddingfold, Leconfeld & Cowdray, Parham; Monday, May 7, West Street, Tickham, Detling; Saturday, May 12, Surrey Union, Peper Harow.