BHA Communications Blog
Welcome to the Communications Blog. Here we will bring you some of our insights into racing and the work we do here at the Communications team of the BHA
Tribute to Jamie Kyne Jon Ryan, BHA Director of Communications
21st September 2009
I doubt if many days will capture the essence of the depth and breadth of the people and emotions that make up racing like last Thursday. It was the day of the funeral mass and service of thanksgiving for Jamie Kyne in Malton.
The deaths of Jamie and Jan Wilson in that awful fire in the town continue to leave a deep and emotional effect on racing but especially in Malton. In the Catholic church perched high at the end of a narrow twisting street friends of Jamie gathered for a poignant and moving service. There were the young people who worked with him, who went out with him and Jan. The trainers who used the talented young apprentice, people from Malton who were used to seeing him around and who saw him as one of their own even though he came from Galway.
Then there was Jamie's family, deep in grief, but exuding a strength and pride as they listened to Tom O'Ryan's remarkable tribute to their son.
Afterwards to talk briefly with Jamie's mother and father at the Lodge Hotel was to understand what the service had meant to the family. Gerry Kyne spoke of his son as a young man consumed by a love of sport whether hurling, boxing or the sport he chose for his career, racing. The father spoke of his pride that so many jockeys had come to pay tribute to his son and he spoke of the how filled with action the years of the teenager had been. As Tom O'Ryan said: 'At least three score years and ten is the ball-park figure most of us would hope to be on this earth. Jamie missed out by a colossal 52. It's hard to take in. But it's not how long you're here, it's what you do while you're here that matters most. And Jamie did plenty.'
It was a memorable service with a chance to meet up with a raft of people from the various corners of racing from Kevin Darley to Marten Julian who I hadn't seen since Sunday Telegraph days.
I set off back to London realising that my route went within five miles of Pontefract, the sun had come out and such is the legend that is Norman Gundill I decided to drop in to spend some of the afternoon at the races. It was the ideal thing to do after the service- here was the sport at its Yorkshire best, exactly what made Jamie and Jan want to be part of it.
It was a chance to meet up with the BHA Raceday team on duty, Charles Stebbing on the scales, Alan Dempsey and Louise Williams as stipes, veterinary officer Anthony Stirk and not one but two course inspectors in Peter Hobbs and Nicky Carlisle.
The sun came out, Norman gave me a history lesson on the town of Pontefract and its racecourse and even explained what a group of Chelsea pensioners were doing in their red-jacketed finery (one of the Pontefract directors is involved with fund-raising for the Royal Hospital), Chris Wall was there to enjoy a winner and so was, unexpectedly, Alan Lee from The Times who that morning had written a piece about Malton.
The sun had come out, the crowd was good for a Thursday in mid-September. It was racing at its most traditional and it meant that in one very unusual day I had seen racing from two very different angles.
BHA Director of Communications Jon Ryan Jon blogs about a week in his life, including the Anglo-Irish Jump Awards and a cracking race at Newbury
26th May 2009
"Saturday was spent dodging the showers at Newbury for the Juddmonte Lockinge with half an eye on the screens dotted around dreading what might happen to Arsenal against Man U but it works out as an honourable draw.
The big race was electrifying providing more excitement in 100 seconds than Old Trafford provided in 90 minutes. And it was reassuring to hear that even the trainer and jockey of Virtual didn't think they had won. Jimmy Fortune was convinced he'd been beaten on the line and I walked down towards the winner's enclosure overhearing John Gosden explaining sportingly that his horse had done well and there was no disgrace in coming second is such a close-run race. His conversation was interrupted by the announcement of the result of photo-finish. Sporting explanation became smiling triumph.
Not so happy was Frankie Dettori who had ridden the best part of the last furlong without his whip, accidentally knocked out of his hand by Tom Queally on the third Twice Over. He departed soon after the big race en route for Singapore immaculately dressed as always but without the usual cheery grin.
Godolphin's Simon Crisford shrugged philosophically about the fallen whip and refused to blame the incident for the narrow defeat taking the 'that's racing' approach. Even with endless TV replays it's impossible to tell if the result might have been different.
Monday brought the fourth annual Anglo-Irish jump awards, and the publication of a set of ratings that had chief handicapper Phil Smith eulogising, quite rightly, over the current state of jump racing. The headlines the next day said it all with most picking up on Kauto Star being compared to Arkle and liberal use of the words 'golden era'.
Watch our sensational 2008/09 season highlights video
The lunch proved a great success as trainers Messrs Nicholls, Henderson, King and Mullins stepped up to receive their awards after what was a great year for the sport. Sadly AP McCoy was absent but his trip to Newton Abbot was worthwhile with a double. His Champion Jockey award was handed over by the new PJA chief executive Kevin Darley to JP McManus's daughter Sue-Ann Foley. JP himself was disarmingly relaxed and frank about his recent treatment for prostate cancer saying that it was 'all very inconvenient but I feel better than ever' as his Binocular was named top two mile hurdler.
For the first time Pony racing was involved in the awards and their champions Hector Worsley and Becky Brisbourne were guests and showed no signs of nerves as they went up to collect their awards from Kevin Darley. They seemed to have a good time and Becky said: 'It's the best day of my life....'
Tuesday it was a lunchtime meeting with Ben - Clissitt that is, the sports editor of Guardian News and Media. Both their newspapers , the Guardian and Observer, do racing well. Indeed most of Fleet Street does, but it would be nice if we could get more copy in amongst the racecards on some of the nationals, I know it frustrates the racing writers hugely.
The evening saw the Horseracing Sponsors Association holding their annual event at the Turf Club. They got a good turn-out not least with both the Levy board chairman and chief executive in attendance.
Wednesday and Jonathan Garratt from Scottish Racing who is in 151 for a meeting drops by for a chat - on his way from one meeting to another . He had hoped to spend a quiet few minutes in the corner of the office working on his laptop but a succession of BHA staff coming by to talk to him about matters Scottish wrecked those plans. One of the good aspects of working in Shaftesbury Avenue are the 'chance' meetings with people like Jonathan. They tend to happen here quite a bit and when we move half a mile or so up the road to High Holborn in a couple of months our new offices will play an even bigger role as a London 'home' to racing.
On the press front a quiet week so far after the publication of the ratings on Monday but beware complacency. In any case with the Derby festival looming and then Royal Ascot you can bet it won't stay quiet. I then headed to Sandown Park for one of their seven evening meetings this summer and only 20 minutes from Waterloo - as always there was a great crowd and it is a fantastic meeting."
Tribute to Jamie Kyne
Afterwards to talk briefly with Jamie's mother and father at the Lodge Hotel was to understand what the service had meant to the family. Gerry Kyne spoke of his son as a young man consumed by a love of sport whether hurling, boxing or the sport he chose for his career, racing. The father spoke of his pride that so many jockeys had come to pay tribute to his son and he spoke of the how filled with action the years of the teenager had been. As Tom O'Ryan said: 'At least three score years and ten is the ball-park figure most of us would hope to be on this earth. Jamie missed out by a colossal 52. It's hard to take in. But it's not how long you're here, it's what you do while you're here that matters most. And Jamie did plenty.' 
It was a chance to meet up with the BHA Raceday team on duty, Charles Stebbing on the scales, Alan Dempsey and Louise Williams as stipes, veterinary officer Anthony Stirk and not one but two course inspectors in Peter Hobbs and Nicky Carlisle. 
Not so happy was Frankie Dettori who had ridden the best part of the last furlong without his whip, accidentally knocked out of his hand by Tom Queally on the third Twice Over. He departed soon after the big race en route for Singapore immaculately dressed as always but without the usual cheery grin.
For the first time Pony racing was involved in the awards and their champions Hector Worsley and Becky Brisbourne were guests and showed no signs of nerves as they went up to collect their awards from Kevin Darley. They seemed to have a good time and Becky said: 'It's the best day of my life....'
