A horse race at Wetherby racecourse is to be renamed the Tom Bannister Memorial Cup, in memory of the hotelier and joint master of the Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt who died in a car accident at just 48 years old in June.
Formerly the Countryside Alliance’s Northern Race for Repeal, the fundraising race will feature 12 local riders, including hunt masters and Mr Bannister’s former wife – racing over a mile.
It will take place on Wednesday, November 27 at 11.30am, before the scheduled card of seven races.
Countryside Alliance regional director Simon Hamlyn said: “Tom was an exceptional supporter of hunting and racing in Yorkshire and a very active member of the Countryside Alliance, so it seemed very fitting to name a race in his memory at Wetherby.
“The links between country pursuits and National Hunt racing are strong and well established, so this year’s Countryside Race Day at Wetherby promises to be an exciting event in the racing calendar. Its success will enable us to continue our campaigning work in promoting and protecting hunting.”
The mounts in the Tom Bannister Memorial Cup are all racehorses currently in training, however the riders will not be their usual jockeys. Instead they will be ridden by members of the Yorkshire hunting community, who are raising money for the Countryside Alliance thorough sponsorship.
It will feature the winners of the last two Northern Races for Repeal – joint master of the Badsworth and Bramham Moor hunt, Wayne Burnell who won at Doncaster in 2011, and Peter Craggs who was joint first with Will Milburn in the 2012 race at Wetherby.
Other riders include husband and wife John and Pam Chadwick, who will be going head to head in the race; Tom Bannister’s ex-wife Maria Bannister; joint master of the Bedale hunt, Matt Ramsden and Vicky Easterby, of the famous Yorkshire racing family.
All-inclusive tickets, which include an admission badge, race card, car pass and high-quality lunch in a private facility within the Paddock Enclosure, are available at £47 per person from Michelle Campbell on 01937 582035.
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