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photo: Grace Beresford

Yorkshire Rider Chris Dawson is the latest willing victim in our 'Pilots in Profile' series.

Chris is one of the Yorkshire Area's leading Riders, having won the Area title in 2007 and 2009. Prior to the start of this campaign he had notched up 62 successes, 54 of which have come between the flags. His younger brother, John and sister Anna are also winning riders. He is a former member of the Great Britain tetrathlon team.

Date of birth: 3.6.84

Marital status: Single.

Job or profession: I ride three lots each morning for Permit holder John Wade, before heading home and working with the horses on the family farm. I train Pointers, break youngsters and do stud work as we stand two stallions, Dapper and Great Palm.

Are you from a racing background? If not, how did you get started in Point-to-Pointing? Yes. Both Mum and Dad rode in Points. Mum only had a few rides because she said Dad b*****ked her too much. Dad rode all things difficult!

What was your first ride in public? Spectacular View in the Restricted at the Hurworth at Hutton Rudby in 2002. He reared over backwards in the paddock before going on to finish sixth. I'd forgotten my stick so I borrowed Mark Walford's for both my rides.

First winner - name the horse, Owner & Trainer, the date & the course: Pennyman, owned and trained by my Dad, at that same Hutton Rudby meeting on 30 March 2002.

He was a 12-year-old Maiden who'd had a lot of leg trouble. As he legged me up, Dad said "Remember, if he wins, Mac (who helped us with the horses) owes us a bottle of champagne," so I had that at the back of my mind! It was the ninth and last race of the day, in the Maiden division three, part two.

Apart from the first winner, what has been your most memorable ride? Winning a Hexham Hunter Chase on Wynyard Dancer for George and Gill Sunter on my first ride under Rules, in my first season, comes close, but it has to be Always Right at Sheriff Hutton last year.

He jumped great and beat a decent Mens Open field on the bridle, in the fastest time of the day on very testing ground. It was slightly disappointing that he wasn't 100% in himself when he ran in the Cheltenham Foxhunters - he never showed his true running.

Is there a ride you look back on and think "could have done better?" I can think of a few, but I'm sure various Owners and Trainers can tell you a few more!!

For which trainers to you mainly ride? Apart from my own yard, John Wade and Maria Myco.

Who has been most influential on your riding career so far? My parents and family. You need all the support, help and encouragement that you can get and we all help each other...most of the time!

Which are your favourite courses? And for what reasons? Our local track on Mr Wade's land at Mordon. It's where I rode my first double and treble. Both the boss and Maria always love a winner round there, so I tend to have a good book of rides.

What car do you drive? An old-school Rover 200. I treat it as if it's a four-wheel drive Rover - goes anywhere!

Name your perfect night in and perfect night out: In is a hot bath, lounging about on sofa in front of the fire eating a bag of Haribo, then an early night - preferably with female company!

Night out is a meal with friends, a bit of banter and a few laughs, before finding a dance floor somewhere for a bit of boogie! You can't beat a bit of good music to dance to!

Where do you like to go on holiday? Holidays? What are they??

Who would be your ideal travelling companions to the races? Jenson Button, Fergie, the singer with the Black Eyed Peas, Peter Kay and the Prime Minister Gordon Brown. One to get me to the races quickly when I'm late, one to look at on the way, one to laugh at on the way and the last one to bore me to death and send me to sleep on the way back!

What's currently on your iPod? I like music but can't afford an iPod!

What are your favourite films and TV programmes? Ali G Indahouse and Balls of Steel on 4Music channel.

What has been either your own funniest incident, or the most amusing thing you have seen or heard at the races? A few seasons ago I was stuck for a jockey for a horse I trained when a Maiden wasn't split. With not many jockeys available a lad dressed in normal clothing chirped up "I'll ride it." Asking around, it appeared he could ride okay, so off he went to get his stuff.

He came back with a tiny rucksack and when he proceeded to beg, borrow and steal equipment I began to worry. Anyway, he arrived in the paddock with his colours outside his breeches (more worry!) and I told him to drop the horse in as he might be green and to pull up when he got tired.

I legged him up, and at the start he made the running (yet more worry!). But as he was told, he pulled it up when it got tired. He'd given it a nice ride, especially when he jumped off the horse and said to me "Lord, he's some jumper. Good job, mind, I've never jumped a steeplechase fence before"!! Unbelievable!

Who are your biggest heroes in racing? I don't really have any. When I was very young I always used to go to the meetings at Sedgefield and always followed Arthur Stephenson's horses - he trained just up the road from us. I remember leaving early from Primary School to go and watch the dispersal sale, so if I had a hero it would be "W.A."

Which particular horse (in any discipline) would you like to ride? I like the quirky ones with ability so I'd have to say I'd have liked to ride Harchibald. He obviously had all the ability in the world but had to be kidded when it mattered most. I suppose riding him would be a bit of a game.

Apart from race-riding, in what other sports do you participate? Football - I play six-a-side on Wednesday nights for Ajax Treesdown.

Do you have any regrets in your riding career to date? None.

What ambitions do you have in racing? To ride 100 winners.

What is your opinion on December racing? I definitely think it's a good idea. However, more planning needs to be done, especially in the North, to have a steady stream of fixtures rather than odd ones. I'd like to see it become more like in Ireland, with early fixtures then a mid-season break over Christmas.

What are your opinions on the changes in Point-to-Pointing in recent years, and what changes do you think would benefit the sport in the future? The changes made are definitely steps in the right direction, although I think the weights need addressing. Four-year-olds carrying 10st or 10st7lb is just too low. If the horses are strong enough to run they should be strong enough to carry 11st or 11st7lb. It's just encouraging green horses to run with more inexperienced jockeys. In many cases in our Area most four-year-olds carry overweight anyway, so trainers don't seem so bothered about the weight.

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