A retired firefighter who started riding seven years ago is combining his passion for eventing and fundraising, as he raises awareness about motor neurone disease (MND) and Alzheimer’s.
Lancashire-based Dave Farrington, who turns 60 in January, became aware of MND when he saw a BBC documentary about 40-year-old former Leeds Rhinos rugby player Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2019. MND is a rapidly progressing disease that affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It affects around 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time, and there is currently no cure. Much-loved Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir died from MND on 26 November, having been diagnosed in 2017.
“Watching the documentary really brought it to the forefront. With MND it’s not just the person with the disease that is affected, it’s their family too,” Dave told H&H.
“My 94-year-old mum Iris has Alzheimer’s, and as they’re both neurological conditions, hearing about Rob just rang bells with me and made me want to do something to help. I don’t think I understood before just how brutal MND was until watching the documentary. Rob is only 40 and should be enjoying his life.”
Dave plans to combine his love of eventing with his passion for fundraising by raising money and awareness for MND and Alzheimer’s throughout the 2023 eventing season with his 17.1hh gelding Greystones Gorgeous George. As part of his awareness campaign he has had his horsebox wrapped in vinyl, picturing Rob Burrows on one side, and Iris on the other.
Dave has raised more than £1,800 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association to date, and donations can be made via his Just Giving page.
“The hope is to do events around the country next year and I hope to get some well-known riders involved too. Ben Hobday and Alex Hua Tian have already said they’ll do what they can to support the campaign. I plan to do some podcasts and get people talking about MND. The hope is one day there will be a cure, but it’s about the research. You need money for research, and this is why the charity needs donations.”
Dave, who served as a firefighter in Manchester for 26 years and retired almost five years ago, started riding aged 52, in 2015.
“We weren’t a horsey family, but my youngest daughter Rachel had lessons as a child. I ended up buying a thoroughbred named Archie, who Rachel later rode. I then bought an Irish sports horse called Oscar and thought I’d best get some lessons,” said Dave.
“I bought George 15 months ago and we’re really building up a rapport together now and have had some good double clears at unaffiliated events this year. I’ve found my passion in eventing. I’ve had motorbikes in the past, but nothing compares to one horsepower, no brakes and a brain, I love it! I can put up with the dressage, I’ve had some falls in the showjumping, but I’m obsessed with the cross-country.”
Dave pictured on George
Alongside his campaigning, Dave hopes to keep building his relationship with George with the goal of the Badminton Grassroots Championships in 2024.
“I’d love to do it. If we made it to Badminton I’d die a happy man,” he said.
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