Brian Crawford is retiring this Sunday from his role as Clerk of Course at Garthorpe; a post he has made his own over the last 29 seasons and some 122 race meetings...
Brian has helped established Garthorpe as one of the country’s premier point-to-point courses. His improvements to and management of the ground have been quite exceptional. In particular, he has turned watering and irrigation into an art form, producing consistent safe racing ground in the driest of conditions.
Brian has chosen this fixture to retire at, as it is his favourite meeting when he rises best to the challenge of watering for almost every occasion with runners coming for far and wide in the knowledge that he will ‘deliver’.
In 2013 Brian was awarded to Jim Mahon Industry Award Trophy at the PPORA Awards Luncheon for his long and outstanding contribution to the Sport as a Clerk of the Course and Local Course Inspector.
Before taking on Garthorpe, Brian was a top Midlands based Point-to-Point jockey, riding 50 winners between the flags and 10 under rules, on horses like VULGARION and OKETEE. Brian’s greatest achievement was finishing 5th on 100-1 shot SHAKIN BRIGG in the 1987 Aintree Foxhunters; a race won by Alan Hill on BORDER BURG.
Still a hard-working farmer, Brian and his wife Suzie find time to enjoy watching their Tom Ellis trained point-to-point horses in action.
A presentation will take place at Garthorpe on Sunday after the feature race; when it is hoped that many Owners, Trainers, Jockeys and Supporters will be on hand to recognise the amazing efforts and achievements of Garthorpe’s retiring Clerk of the Course.