Brian says he is nearly twice the age of the next oldest person in the Ernest Cooper Macmillan Ride Of Their Lives charity race
63 year-old Brian Theaker is taking on the Ernest Cooper Macmillan Ride of their Lives event.(Image: Brian Theaker)
An East Yorkshire man who spent 25 years in horseracing before becoming a bus driver is now returning the saddle in a bid to raise thousands of pounds of cancer support. At 63 years-old, Brian Theaker is nearly twice the age of his nearest competitor in the Ernest Cooper Macmillan Ride Of Their Lives charity race which will take place in June at York Racecourse.
The former apprentice jockey from Goole will join eleven other amateurs in the centrepiece event of Macmillan’s Charity Raceday, which has raised millions of pounds since its inception. He will cover the nine furlong course on Triple Force which is trained by Craig Lidster and owned by David Barker.
Brian, who has had a hip replacement, is no stranger to challenging charity feats, having abseiled off the Humber Bridge and run a number of 10ks for various causes. And he says he fancies his chances in the Ernest Cooper event, or at least will give the younger riders a run for their money.
“I’ve not ridden a racehorse for the best part of 20 years now, so I’ve been going along to get on one or two – taking them up to a gallop – just to get back into it,” said Brian. “And I’m down the gym about two or three times a week just to build my strength up. It’s all in preparation.
“The riding I’m not too worried about because it’s something I’ve done in the past but the fitness is going to be the hardest part because I’m twice as old as the nearest person in the race.”
Brian, who has also lived in Hull, wanted to go into the RAF after leaving school but his 4ft 8″ stature prevented him. A schoolfriend suggested his size would make him a better jockey and so, despite “never having even been near a horse at the time” he pursued the idea, going to work for renowned racehorse trainer Peter Easterby.
He spent ten years at Mr Easterby’s stables near Malton and also spent a couple of seasons as an apprentice jockey with Colin Tinkler before he became too heavy. Brian left racing completely in 2006 and moved to Hull where he trained to become a driver with Stagecoach.
Having spent more than a decade driving buses, he moved back to Goole where he did school runs until the pandemic. Now he works for East Riding of Yorkshire Council taking disabled children to school across the region.
Each of the riders in the Ernest Cooper race must raise £4,000 to be eligible. Brian has so far raised nearly £1,000 and has secured a sponsor in The Bedding Barn, a stables and pet supply company based at Bugthorpe. He now plans to have the family-run firm’s name embroidered on his racing breeches.
Kit required for the race, including a helmet and body protector, has cost Brian about £1,000. But he says stumping up the cash does not concern him given the good cause involved.
“My grandfather died of cancer and my partner’s late husband also died of cancer. I’ve got a sister in law who has had breast cancer. I think everybody knows somebody who has had it,” said Brian. “It’s nice to think that whatever fundraising I’m doing – no matter how hard it is for me – it will make things easier for someone else.”
You can support Brian’s fundraising effort via his Justgiving page.