Geoffrey Basil 'Bunny' Tarry, who has died at the age of 95, was a leading owner, trainer and breeder of point-to-pointers in the South Midlands.
Quietly spoken, but instantly recognisable at the races by his brown stockman's coat – and always a check shirt and tie – Tarry also stood several stallions including St Columbus, who sired Grand National winner Maori Venture, and Crested Lark. Mares he either bought or bred went on to produce multiple winners, but he was never in a hurry with his horses, and they were often left unbroken until the age of five or six.
Among the best were Fine Lace who won 29 races, her half-siblings Grecian Star and Grecian Lark, True Bloom, who won four hunters' chases and was third in Aintree's Foxhunters' Chase, Spartan Lace, Bright As A Button and Saybright. Lucky Christopher, who was not a homebred, did not win a maiden race until he was nine, but he went on to win 25 point-to-points and a hunters' chase, and provided Tarry's granddaughters Rosie and Lucy with their first winners.
One of four boys raised initially on a tenanted farm at Canons Ashby where cart horses were the tractors of their day, Tarry rode to school and back on a pony, popping out at lunchtime to hand his steed hay. He also had an affinity with a carthorse mare, who, when sold to a neighbouring farmer, escaped back to find its former owners three times.
Tarry finished education at 14, a year after war with Germany had been declared, but being destined for a life in farming he did not join up. Instead he became his village's nightwatchman, taking up a position on Potato Hill. Later he spoke of the horror of seeing the sky light up as Coventry was bombed by the Luftwaffe on one particularly destructive night in November 1940.
Seven years later he married Sheila, and after failing to find a council house for his impending family he bought a little farm near Brackley, eventually moving to Manor Farm at Preston Capes in 1961. He lived there until he died, having grown it to 450 aces while running a successful mixed farm alongside his breeding and racing interests. He took pride in selling beef to Waitrose.
Heather Kemp, a successful amateur who later became a Point-to-Point Authority Board member, lived opposite Tarry and learned to ride on a pony at his farm. Kemp, who owned, trained and rode the Tarry-bred Lily The Lark, who won 15 point-to-points, says: "Bunny's breeding operation got going after he bought some mares from Lucy Jones who lived in Somerset. They included Ebony Bloom – from whom he bred True Bloom, who was a close third in the [1991] Aintree Foxhunters' Chase – Ebony Girl, Manor Lady and Bright Exploit. He later went back to Lucy to buy Spartan Lace, who won 22 races, and Grecian Lace from whom he bred Fine Lace.
"Rather than pay stallion fees to cover his growing band of mares he decided to get his own stallion, and when John Thorne died he took on St Columbus." Thorne had stood Spartan General, sire of the brilliant hunter chaser Spartan Missile, who went on to finish runner-up in the Grand National.
Flaming Minstrel the first schoolmaster
Tarry and Sheila raised five children, namely Geoff, Roger, Jimmy, Moira and Faith. Once Roger and Jimmy were old enough to ride in point-to-points their father went to Leicester horse sales and bought a schoolmaster called Flaming Minstrel who gave both boys their first rides. Roger grew too tall and heavy for the sport, but Jimmy rose to the top, riding 200 winners which included a five-timer at Mollington. He finished third on his father's favourite horse, homebred True Bloom, in the Foxhunters' Chase, and was also involved in one of the closest finishes to the men's championship, when in 1994 he headed to Umberleigh in North Devon for the final meeting of the season having ridden 20 winners. Also there were Nigel Bloom and Damien Duggan, who were one ahead.
Bloom could call upon the double champion pointer Melton Park in the opening race, but had to settle for second with Tarry and Duggan filling the next two places. Jimmy hoped to draw level in the restricted race, but Lucky Christopher finished third, and then, in a barely believable final race of the season, Tarry was knocked out of the saddle after Larks Tail made a blunder, and Bloom won on National Gypsy to take the title.
Jimmy Tarry on Fine Lace who won 29 races for Bunny
The following season Jimmy was favourite to come out on top, but after a couple of falls – one of which broke his thumb – he took second in the championship with 25 wins, five behind Alastair Crow.
Bunny, who loved watching wrestling and boxing on the television, suffered from glaucoma and began losing his sight in his mid 70s. That did not stop him riding, and for the next ten years his granddaughter Rosie would help him into the saddle before getting on another horse to chaperone him around the lanes. He also milked a house cow which provided milk and cream for the family into his 80s.
His daughter, Moira, says: "From humble beginnings Dad achieved so much. There were ups and downs, but many happy times, and while he never ran a glamorous yard the horses had to fit in with the farming life.
"People from all backgrounds came here to buy horses from my father, and every horse we raced and then retired lived out its life here on the farm."
Tarry was predeceased by his wife, but is survived by his five children and and by seven of his nine grandchildren. He also leaves eight great grandchildren.
His funeral takes place tomorrow, Friday March 4, at Preston Capes Church at noon.