The Synderborough Farm Rising Stars points championship is changing this season. Riders will submit their best eight results of the season for the championship. In the event of a tie, the rider with the most wins will take the prize.

The changes have been made because the season has now extended to 12 meetings and, towards the end of the season races come thick and fast. Now there are more ponies and riders taking part it is inevitable that balloting will take place as the season goes on, and, while it may be expected that a top performer may find themselves balloted out to allow a newcomer to compete, it would be unfair for someone to lose the championship after a good season, just because they had been balloted.

This way it still ensures that the top ponies will qualify for the finals at Umberleigh.

Also some of the races are full distance and, on tough courses, it is not necessarily right to expect ponies to run at every meeting. The overall points winner will win the Synderborough Farm Trophy, with the winner of the opposite category taking the Allerton Organics trophy.

There are no changes to the way the Alan Walter Horse Transport Trophy is decided - that is monitored throughout the season with only the impartial judge knowing the result until it is announced at Umberleigh.