Who to watch at final Wessex Area point-to-point of the season this week
The final meeting of the Wessex Area Point-to-Point season will take place at Cothelstone this week.
The event will be held on Wednesday, May 14, when the Weston & Banwell with West Somerset Vale will host their traditional evening meeting.
There will be 89 entries, and the first race is set to begin at 4.30pm.
Tickets for the event can be purchased for £15 at pointingwessex.co.uk, with under 16s admitted for free.
The two pony races, sponsored by The Lydeard Farm Bush Camp and the House family, will precede the evening races and are scheduled to start at 3.15pm.
The Alec Jarrett Ltd-sponsored Conditions race will feature prominent contenders, including the top-rated On Springs, a three-time winner this season.
However, the horse will be carrying a penalty in this race.
Other notable entrants include Josh Newman's Holiday Fund, Scoresby, and Walk in the Wild.
The shorter maiden race, sponsored by the Westminster Society, has attracted 14 entries.
Tim Vaughan's Eile Tara is a strong contender, having improved on her run in March to finish a close second at Higham.
Other horses to watch include Hazy Winter, Sincerely Me, and Western Vision.
The novice riders' race, sponsored by Briarwood Products, has 11 entries.
Rian Corcoran, a leading novice rider, has a choice of three horses, including Jubertilee, Jet Smart, and Up Killoughey.
Acey Milan and veteran Kauto Riko are also expected to perform well.
The ladies' open, sponsored by the Clifton Club, has 11 entries.
Course winner Ninth Wave is set to make his seasonal debut, while Izzie Hill is expected to ride Back Bar, the veteran who won this race last year.
The men's open, sponsored by Maxwell Chartered Accountants, also has 11 entries.
Aintree Foxhunter winner Famous Clermont is expected to confirm his status despite being considered not as good as he was by his trainer.
The Beachcomber Inn restricted race, with 17 entries, includes Luke Price's Echo of Promise and Scoro, who both won their last starts with ease.
Cannington Enterprises Ltd sponsors the finale, a maiden conditions race, and of the 15 entries, Hogan stands out with a strong performance when second at Howick to Avada Kedavra.
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Dominion Post
a day ago
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: Here's the blueprint to how college athletes will one day become trade bait
MORGANTOWN — We are just mere weeks away from the beginning of a new landscape in college athletics. As of July 1, the revenue sharing program stemming from the House settlement will allow universities to begin paying their athletes directly out of a capped pool of roughly $20.5 million for their services. Now, this is not to be confused with Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money, which college athletes have already been earning. Basically, the House settlement was a decision that saw just how much conferences and their individual schools were earning through ever-growing TV deals, ticket sales and the likes and the courts ruled that college athletes deserved a cut. Much like the NFL salary cap, that $20.5 million pool will continually grow over time, as TV deals continue to get larger, as do ticket sales, radio broadcasting rights and such. And it basically opens up a new era of college athletes being official employees of their school. Some will fight against that statement, but the bottom line is college athletes will be handed a paycheck. On that paycheck will likely be the school's logo and official name. It will be signed by the school's athletic director or president or someone in the finance office or some other higher-up from that school. If that's not being considered an employee of the school, well, we all know what it looks like. The bigger question to be asked is whether or not college athletes are now professionals? True, they're not earning anything close to NFL or NBA salaries, but they are earning a salary nonetheless. We are here to tell you today there is but one threshold to cross before we can truly refer to college athletes as professionals. And that day is likely coming. Let's take the example of an NFL player. He's paid a salary, so, too, are college athletes beginning July 1. That player has the right to free agency, so do college athletes with the transfer portal. He has the option to hold out for more money. Well, we all remember the story of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who held himself out of spring drills earlier this year, because he was dissatisfied with his NIL money that was reportedly worth $2.4 million. He ended up transferring to UCLA after Tennessee basically told him not to let the door hit him on the way out. Ladies and gentlemen, the only experience remaining that a pro athlete can undergo that a college athlete can't is being traded. And if that sounds corny, too far-fetched or simply impossible, I want to see a show of hands of how many of us would have thought 20 years ago that college athletes would be earning actual paychecks from their schools. My hand isn't raised. I'm guessing your hand isn't raised, either. You may fire back that there are contracts involved between a player and the school. Beyond that, there are ethics. Let's talk about the contract, which used to be the National Letter of Intent (NLI), which binded an athlete to the school and the school to the athlete for one year. The NLI was eliminated in 2024, in part because officials saw what was coming down the road with NIL and revenue sharing. It's basically a grant-in-aid agreement now that serves as that binding contract, which still comes in the form of a scholarship. The guess from here is that future grant-in-aids will also spell out in more detail the percentages said athlete will earn from revenue sharing and the expectations that will follow in order for the athlete to earn the money. All it would take to officially allow the trading of college athletes is the approval from the NCAA or the NCAA's Division I Council to reword those grant-in-aids. That's it. No congressional hearings. No emergency summits where all the conferences meet at some discreet location to debate the topic. Just the NCAA's approval and some lawyer writing a trade clause into the grant-in-aid agreement. It's more difficult to pay your personal property taxes online than it would be to allow the trading of college athletes from one school to another. Which brings us to the ethical stance. As of right now, public sentiment is rather neutral on paying college athletes. Most fan bases would agree that athletes deserve their cut. The biggest worry right now is how their favorite school is going to afford the payments and compete with everyone else. Trust me, that's going to change over time. As those caps continue to grow and the prices of tickets, hot dogs and beers grow right along with it, public sentiment is going to change. As NIL deals continue to grow to the point where more than just a handful of college athletes earn more money than their coaches or college presidents, public sentiment is going to change. As more and more stories like Iamaleava's become more common in college sports, public sentiment will change. Right now, everyone knows college sports is a big business, but the general feeling is sort of like, 'Well, it's not that big of a business.' That's going to change, believe me. And when that five-star quarterback who made more money as a freshman in college than most of us will earn in our lifetimes suddenly turns into a bust, ethics be damned. If your school could get a starting safety and right tackle for that bum, you pull that trigger in a heartbeat. Because these are no longer just college kids. That may have been the proper thing to call them since the 1950s up until about two or three years ago. But a handful of them are no more just college kids any more than the wishbone offense is innovative. Texas Tech softball pitcher NiJaree Canady will earn $1.2 million next season in NIL money. That's on top of whatever the school will pay her in revenue sharing. Come on, is she just a college kid now? They are paid professionals now. Sure, in some cases, they are still 19- and 20-year olds, but some will become 19- and 20-year olds who can afford things at 21 that most of us could never dream of affording in our lives. That's not the proper definition of a college kid. It may not only be unethical, but also against the rules, to even consider trading a college athlete right now, but it may not always be that way. The view from here is that day is coming sooner than you think.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Trump travel ban, new revenue-sharing model create uncertainty for international college athletes
Moses Jean-Pierre is the son of two Haitian immigrants. He grew up near Boston, where his mother would cook for any child in the neighborhood who looked hungry, regardless of whether the family knew them. His parents were the 'cornerstone' of their West Cambridge, Mass. community, Jean-Pierre said, and so before his parents died in 2017 and 2019, he promised them he would honor their roots and continue giving back to Haitian communities. About a decade ago, Jean-Pierre founded Hoops for Haiti, a nonprofit that mentors youth in Haiti and Haitian communities in the U.S. and elsewhere. The organization offers basketball and other initiatives in education and mental health to facilitate better opportunities, including high school and college athletics in the U.S. Advertisement 'Some of the kids already come from trauma in Haiti, and coming here legally, this was their dream,' Jean-Pierre said. 'I've never seen them so happy to have an opportunity.' That mission has encountered sudden and significant change due to Haiti's inclusion in a recent proclamation issued by President Donald Trump that restricts travel to the U.S. Haiti is one of 12 fully restricted countries; another seven have partial restrictions. 'It's been very, very, very difficult within this process because I get the tears, I have some students who have gone through so much,' said Jean-Pierre. 'For me and some of those other kids who are in Haiti, I have to start looking at, 'Maybe the U.S. is not the place to go right now.'' Jean-Pierre's focus is on one of the 19 newly restricted countries, but his sentiment extends to a much broader group of young people facing similar uncertainty: international college athletes. Advertisement The travel ban features exceptions for athletes traveling to the U.S. for major sporting events such as the ongoing Concacaf Gold Cup or next summer's FIFA World Cup, but international college athletes are not specified in the listed exemptions. The Trump administration described the restrictions as 'necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments' and enforce immigration laws, among other reasons. Trump in the proclamation cited visa overstay rates as a reason to restrict travel from Haiti. The restrictions came during a U.S. pause on all new student visa applications, which was lifted on Wednesday, and just as college sports is establishing a new financial model under the recently approved House settlement, which allows Division I schools to begin sharing revenue directly with college athletes on July 1. International college athletes, the vast majority of whom are on F-1 student visa classifications, are eligible to receive revenue sharing under the terms of the settlement. But schools and athletes will have to consider how this new system aligns with student visas that do not authorize employment, against a backdrop of heightened attention on U.S. immigration. As written, the U.S. travel restrictions, mostly for countries in Africa and the Middle East, should directly impact only a small percentage of current international college athletes. The most recent NCAA data estimates there were roughly 23,000 international college athletes across all divisions in 2023-24. That equals about 4 percent of all college athletes, only a sliver of whom hail from the 19 restricted countries. The NCAA's data on athlete country of origin, last updated in 2022, counted athletes from 12 of the 19 impacted countries, but only two produced more than a dozen athletes that year: Haiti (24) and Venezuela (126). Canada, for comparison, had the most international students with 4,408. Advertisement In addition to the travel exceptions for athletes and team members to major sporting events, there are also exceptions for existing visa holders, and anyone currently in the U.S. on a visa should not be at risk of being detained, even if their visa has lapsed since last entering the country, according to immigration attorneys. Any additional exceptions, including the designation of major sporting events, will be at the discretion of the Secretary of State, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State. Because of the caveats for existing visa holders, the international college athletes most likely to be impeded by the ban would be those who need a U.S. visa, either new athletes or current athletes from the banned countries who might have traveled home for the summer on an expired visa. Many others, however, are feeling the ripple effects. Jean-Pierre described his inability to bring a 6-foot-8, 16-year-old athlete to a high school in Florida due to the travel ban, despite nearly a year of planning and just before his visa was expected. Advertisement 'Right now the change has been the disappointment of this kid coming to a school in Florida that's predominantly a lot of Haitian kids and an opportunity to assemble with his community in the U.S. and (not only) get an education but be a productive member of society,' Jean-Pierre said. 'And to have that taken away is very disheartening. But I'm not gonna give up.' The athlete, whom is not naming because he is a minor, said in a message that he was 'devastated' to hear about the ban and isn't sure what's next. He will remain in Haiti for the time being. 'I felt bad and that saddened me because I finally saw an opportunity to do something big with my talent to help my family,' he wrote of no longer being able to attend school in Florida, where he was planning to play basketball. 'I will continue praying and trusting God, but for now I am lost.' Others affected by the travel bans have been hesitant to speak out publicly on the matter, even if they are currently in the U.S. One current international Division I athlete told in a social media message that he is currently stuck in Canada and 'not allowed to enter back into the United States.' made multiple requests to speak with current college athletes from countries included in the travel ban, but each was declined due to the sensitivity of the situation. Advertisement The NCAA has not publicly spoken about the travel and visa restrictions and declined to comment for this story. Recent reports indicate that the travel ban could expand to as many as 36 additional countries, most of which are in Africa. That includes Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana, each of which was estimated to have more than 70 NCAA athletes as of 2022. South Sudan is also on the list of 36 additional countries, just months after the U.S. State Department took actions to revoke existing visas and halted the issuance of new visas for South Sudanese passport holders. Announced during the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball Tournament in early April, that ban made headlines regarding then-Duke freshman Khaman Maluach, a native of South Sudan. Maluach has since declared for the NBA Draft, which will be held next week in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he is expected to be a top-10 selection. Maluach was recruited to Duke through the NBA Academy Africa, a training center in Senegal for top African prospects. The NBA told it is currently advising Maluach on the visa and immigration process, as it does for all international players and draft prospects. According to the NBA, it does not have any active players or projected draft picks from the 19 countries with travel restrictions, but the league and its international academies work closely with the State Department and abide by U.S. law and policy. Advertisement Multiple immigration attorneys told they are advising international college students on the matter. 'I do not want my international athletes traveling abroad unless it's a true emergency,' said Ksenia Maiorova, an attorney with Green and Spiegel law firm who advises universities, athletic departments and international college students on immigration issues. 'It's just not worth the risk.' Beyond the existing restrictions and possibility that more countries could be added, the nearly month-long pause on processing student visa applications likely created a backlog that could slow the overall process in the immediate future, along with the new State Department directive that applicants will be asked to make their social media accounts public and screened for perceived 'hostility' directed at the United States. The Trump administration is also in a legal battle with Harvard over an edict to bar all international students from attending the university. And according to Maiorova, a valid visa does not guarantee admission into the United States. Advertisement 'In addition to the bans, you have to consider that a student-athlete could just be denied entry on a valid visa even if there is no ban,' she said. 'They present themselves at the border, have a conversation with a (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) officer, and that officer determines whether or not to admit. If that officer determines for whatever reason the student-athlete is not maintaining their status or in violation of U.S. immigration law, they could refuse admission and revoke the visa and send them back. There's no real due process in that scenario.' Aaron Blumberg, an attorney with Fragomen law firm who also advises universities and students on immigration issues, added that even though the pause on student visas has been lifted, it still increases the possibility that any international student, regardless of country, may not secure a visa as quickly as they had hoped. 'The pause happened in the heart of peak season to obtain a student visa,' said Blumberg. 'I'm sure there are summer workouts starting for programs that might not have every international team member in time.' The House settlement has introduced another potential concern. Most student visas offer very limited labor and employment authorization on U.S. soil. Prior to the settlement's approval, this forced international college athletes to find creative workarounds in order to collect name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation from third-party entities, such as former Kentucky men's basketball player Oscar Tshiebwe completing his NIL deliverables during an offseason trip to the Bahamas in 2022. Advertisement Terms of the House settlement alter that landscape by allowing schools to distribute revenue sharing directly to athletes beginning next month. Some legal experts argue that international athletes are eligible to receive those funds because they are considered royalties or passive income (as opposed to labor), which is allowable under a traditional F-1 student visa. NCAA president Charlie Baker told Yahoo Sports last week that he believes international college athletes can receive revenue sharing from schools, but that the NCAA 'still has some work to do' and is seeking legal counsel. Sources familiar with the House settlement and newly created College Sports Commission oversight told that schools are eligible to distribute revenue sharing to international athletes as they see fit, but it is a school's responsibility to evaluate how that could impact an athlete's visa status. 'The (revenue sharing) agreements use all this magic language to make it sound a lot less like compensation for the availability of the student-athlete to play sports at a certain school,' Maiorova said. 'They don't call it a salary or employment or labor, but it can be construed as compensation for their services as an athlete.' Maiorova's concern is that the Trump administration or the Department of Homeland Security could interpret revenue sharing with international athletes in this way, and possibly even target certain universities, which could then trigger student visa issues across the country. Advertisement 'Some schools don't seem to be aware of how close they might be to triggering those (labor) provisions,' said Maiorova, 'because they are getting advice that as long as they refer to the revenue sharing as royalties or passive income (for international athletes), they will be fine. Which, in my opinion, is horrendous legal advice.' It's why Maiorova and Blumberg are advising college athletes to seek alternative, work-approved visa designations such as P-1a visas for athletes who are internationally recognized or O-1 visas for people with 'extraordinary ability.' But those options are more expensive and tougher to get approved. Maiorova is currently representing Last-Tear Poa, an Australia native and women's college basketball player who recently transferred from LSU to Arizona State. Poa filed a lawsuit in Louisiana against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after her application for a P-1a visa was denied last year. '(University) compliance departments have gotten comfortable pushing the envelope with NCAA enforcement, but DHS is not the entity you want to play that game with,' said Maiorova. A State Department spokesperson said that each visa applicant is reviewed individually based on U.S. law, and that the department cannot comment on or anticipate how the House settlement will or will not affect visa adjudications. For inquiries about the status of student visa holders in the U.S., the State Department defers to the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), USCIS and the White House directed requests for guidance on the matter to the State Department. 'There are so many different things all going on at once that are making it really challenging for international students, for colleges and for their athletic teams,' said Blumberg. 'That could be a continuing trend for the foreseeable future.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. College Football, Men's College Basketball, Women's College Basketball 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Ottawa Charge, Toronto Sceptres filling in rosters with PWHL player signings
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Charge have re-signed forward Rebecca Leslie to a two-year contract extension and forward Taylor House for another year. They were the first players to sign with the Professional Women's Hockey League team this off-season. Elsewhere in the PWHL, the Toronto Sceptres extended forward Maggie Connors of St. John's, N.L., for another season. Leslie, who is from Ottawa, had a goal and two assists in 27 regular-season games, and also contributed two goals and an assist in eight playoff games for the Charge. The 29-year-old scored two goals and had nine points for the Sceptres in the PWHL's inaugural season. 'Since joining our team last season, Rebecca has been an instrumental part of our team on and off the ice,' Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld said Wednesday in a statement. 'She's been heavily involved in the community, and she was one of our best forwards during our run to the PWHL Finals. She's an experienced leader in the locker room. She's got good hockey sense and she's been great on the penalty kill. We're thrilled to keep her home for the next two seasons.' The Charge reached the five-game Walter Cup final before falling to the Minnesota Frost in four games. House, from Joliet, Ill., made the Charge as a training-camp invite and began last season on the team's reserve list. Once activated, the 26-year-old had a goal and an assists in 15 regular season games, and appeared in five playoff games. Leslie and House return to a Charge lineup that has seven other players under contract for the PWHL's third season, including captain Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, Gabbie Hughes and Katerina Mrazova, defenders Jocelyne Larocque and Ronja Savolainen and goaltender Gwyneth Philips. But a couple former Charge players signed elsewhere Wednesday. After two seasons in Ottawa, forward Natalie Snodgrass of Eagan, Minn., headed to expansion PWHL Seattle on a one-year contract. She compiled two goals and six assists in 44 games with the Charge. Jincy Roese of O'Fallon, Mo., agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Sirens after two years as alternate captain for the Charge. Roese also represented the U.S. in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. Toronto's Connors had two goals in 30 regular season games and added a goal and an assist in four playoff games. Connors accrued three goals and three assists in 24 games in her rookie season after Toronto chose her 62nd overall in the first PWHL draft. 'With her skill set, her potential and the fact she has been in our environment for the past two seasons, we believe Maggie will have a great season ahead,' Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury said in a statement. Also, the Boston Fleet signed American forward Liz Schepers to a two-year contract after she won a Walter Cup with the Frost. The Fleet signed French forward Chloe Aurard to a one-year deal. The PWHL draft is June 24 in Ottawa. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
