BOB
CHAMPION
Bob was born
in 1948 into
a hunting
family. His
father was
huntsman to
the Cleveland
in Yorkshire,
where he started
riding at
an early age
hunting with
his sister
and father.
At the age
of 15 he rode
his first
point to point
winner then
went into
National Hunt
racing with
Toby Balding
at Weyhill,
eventually
riding for
many top trainers
including
Josh Gifford.
Bob's racing
career took
him to America
where he rode
several winners.
In 1979 he
was diagnosed
to have cancer
and was given
6 months to
live. After
several months
of chemotherapy
he returned
to race riding,
coming back
with several
winners both
in England
and America.
In 1981 Bob
won the Grand
National on
Aldaniti,
trained by
Josh Gifford.
He finally
retired from
racing in
1983 having
won some 500
races. Other
major races
that Bob won
during his
career were
the Tote Ider
Chase, The
Hennessy Cognac
Gold Cup,
The Black
& White
Hurdle, The
SGB Chase,
The SGB Hurdle
& the
Whitbread
Trial Chase.
In 1983 he
received the
MBE and also
formed the
Bob Champion
Cancer Trust
which to date
has raised
some ten million
pounds towards
cancer research.
Bob had his
life story
portrayed
in the book
"Champion's
Story"
which was
made into
a feature
film starring
John Hurt.
In August
1996 Bob undertook
“Ride
for Life”which
was a ride
on several
horses from
Hollyrood
Palace in
Edinburgh
to Buckingham
Palace, London
where he was
greeted by
Her Majesty
the Queen.
This was to
raise a million
pounds towards
o new research
unit at the
Royal Marsden
Hospital.
This sum has
now been achieved
and the Institute
of Cancer
have also
donated a
further million
pounds towards
the project.
The new research
unit was opened
in September
2000.
Bob retired
from training
horses in
1999, having
achieved many
winners and
continues
to live in
Newmarket,
Suffolk.
In April
2000 Bob commenced
a pilot scheme
with Northern
Racing College
to encourage
school leavers
to have a
career as
stable staff
and apprentice
jockeys
Bob is an
accomplished
After Dinner
and Corporate
Motivational
Speaker and
in 2000 had
the honour
of speaking
at the Oxford
Union.
[
back
]
|
