Green Howards enjoyed the Animal Allies exhibition over the annual Green Howards Weekend, spotting friends and well-known figures. Roddy Bailey tells us more about one of the photographs featured:
“I was delighted to see the film clip of Major Leslie Petch with the Cleveland Foxhounds. In the clip is his First Whipper – in and Kennelhuntsman, the famous Bob Champion whose son (also Bob) rode Aldaniti to win the Aintree Grand National in 1981. Bob subsequently suffered from cancer from which he recovered with triumph and formed the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. Their story was made into a film in 1984 called ‘Champions’ starring John Hurt as Bob. Major Leslie Petch was an old friend of my family and a well-known figure around Teesside and a key official at York Racecourse.”
Roddy also shared a poem with us, ‘The Horse’ by Ronald Duncan which has been used at Remembrance Day events involved in Mounted Infantry units:
The Horse
Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is laced with muscle, and strength by gentleness confined.
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent, there is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
England’s past has been borne on his back.
All our history is his industry; we are his heirs; he our inheritance.
