A service for leading amateur rider Peter Brookshaw, who died recently at the age of 92, will take place at Shrewsbury Crematorium tomorrow at 2pm.
Brookshaw won the 1950 Aintree Foxhunters' Chase on Hillmere, and seven years later took the Lady Dudley Cup on Prospero. In 1962 he landed the Grimthorpe Gold Cup on Brass Tacks.
He was part of a racing dynasty which included his brother, Tim, a professional who won the jockeys' championship in the 1958/59 season. When Tim suffered severe spinal injuries in a fall in 1963, followed a few months later by a similar injury to Paddy Farrell, journalist John Lawrence, later Lord Oaksey, set about creating the Injured Jockeys' Fund.
Peter, who eschewed invitations to become a professional, was born and lived in Shropshire. His sons Peter Jr and Steve (pictured above, flanking their father, with Steve on the right), rode successfully in races, both won the Lady Dudley Cup and had a good deal of success on horses bred by their father and mother, Gwen. One such horse, Mickley Seabright, landed the 1975 Lady Dudley under Peter Jr, who three years later rode him to finish fifth in the Grand National – a month later they won a hunters' chase at Haydock.
Steve won the 1980 Lady Dudley on Major Star, and in 1997 trained Lord Gyllene to win the Grand National. Steve's daughter, Heidi, a trainer of pointers, landed last season's Grimthorpe Gold Cup with the Huw Edwards-ridden Ballyrath.
Another of Peter Brookshaw Sr's grandchildren, Richard Burton, whose late mother was Judy Brookshaw, will read the eulogy at tomorrow's service. Burton was Fuller's men's champion on four occasions, and rode 414 pointing winners, a British record which stood until last season when surpassed by Will Biddick.
Service for John Willis
A familiar face at meetings in the West Midlands and Welsh Borders, John Willis, has died at the age of 74.
An agricultural nutrition specialist, he was the man behind the mic who carried out the role of announcer and MC at post-race presentations, a role he undertook at point-to-points, harness racing and dog shows.
A service for Willis, who had been suffering from cancer, will take place at Powick Church in Worcester on Thursday (September 26) at 1pm, followed by a private committal at The Vale Crematorium.
John Willis, announcing at Hereford, March 2019