THE South Wales point-to-point season gets under way with the Curre & Llangibby fixture at Howick, near Chepstow, on February 24.

Owners and riders will have plenty to aim for this season for as well as the various national awards that are up for grabs there are the numerous area awards that will be contested over the coming months.

In the South Wales area, these include the George L Williams Memorial Trophy which is presented to the owner of the horse who, at the start of the season is a maiden, and who gains most points from and including its first win.

George, who trained at Magor for many, many years, was quite a colourful character and he now represented by his son Alan.

The Peter Curry Memorial Trophy goes to the horse which wins the most open, mixed open and hunter chase races while the Bill Jones Memorial Trophy is awarded to the rider who records the most wins in the area.

Bill Jones, who farmed at Castleton, died in 1981 after being involved in a motoring accident.

He had ridden his first winner in 1949 and his last in 1973.

He rode more than 100 winners between-the-flags and a further 27 under rules.

In his career, he had many falls.

However, it was a fall from a barn that he was repairing which put paid to his race-riding career.

The target for novice riders resident in South Wales is the Pleasureprint Novice Rider Perpetual Trophy which is run on a points basis.

The Lord Charles Trophy, sponsored by Roger and June Lewis of Llanmartin, is presented to the owner of the horse which is aged 12 years or over gaining most points at meetings held in South and West Wales.