Will Ramsay, one of point-to-pointing's last true corinthian amateur jockeys, has finally decided to hang up his boots permanently to dedicate more time to his family.
He still has a broken collarbone sustained when Hermann Clermont fell three out when still in front in the Hurworth Mens Open at Hutton Rudby on March 18, and said: ''I was reminded that day that I don't bounce aged 54.''
For the record, Ramsay (pictured above left winning on Coole Hall at Alnwick in January) made his debut between the flags on Burnswark in the Duke of Buccleuch's Adjacent Hunts Race (10 ran) at Friars Haugh on 23rd March 1991 in which he finished 4th behind Eye Valley (Doreen Calder), Dundyvan (Raymond Shiels) and Panavista (Charles Sample).
He enjoyed his first win on Burnswark at Balcormo Mains on 27th April 1991, beating Fallalaw (Rhona Elliot) by a short head.
Later in the 1990s Ramsay retired temporarily while he was setting up his art business Affordable Art Fair, and then after relocating from London to Scotland he took up the sport again in 2002.
He 'retired' for a second time aged 40 after a heavy fall from Hot 'N' Holy at Sandown Park in March 2009 left him with broken ribs and a punctured lung. His tally at this point was 12 wins from 133 rides under all codes.
After a five-year sabbatical he returned to the saddle in 2014, recording a further 15 wins in the intervening years. Remarkably he had no falls or unseats prior to Hutton Rudby and finished his career on 27 winners (including five under Rules) from a total of 223 rides (including 180 between the flags).
When asked why he loved jump racing, he said: ''The speed, the horses, the jockeys' camaraderie, the thrill of a good jump, the cloud nine feeling when you win and, above all, being around optimists, risk-takers, horse lovers and country folk. All are so genuinely pleased when you have success, because they know how hard it is.''
Will Ramsay, who rode exclusively for the love of the sport (copyright: Grace Beresford)