Roy Robinson, a proud Yorkshireman with a passion for horses, died on 12 November, aged 91.
Roy was whipper-in for the Derwent for eight seasons and continued as a lifelong follower, on horseback and then in a car, until he was 90.
He was passionate about showjumping, initially as a rider then, following a back injury, as a breeder. During the 1950s and ’60s he was a regular on the northern British Showjumping (BS) circuit, competing alongside Harvey Smith, the Fletchers and the Barkers to name just a few. The highlight of his showjumping career came in 1960 when he competed in two jumping classes at Horse of the Year Show on the home-produced horse King Pin (Manilla). Roy also successfully bred a number of grade A showjumpers, the best-known being Jungle Bunny. Ridden by Lionel Dunning, he competed successfully on a number of British Nations Cup teams.
Roy continued his commitment to showjumping as a trainer and an accredited BS course-builder, right through to his retirement. In 2005, Roy was made a life member of BS for services to showjumping.
Following a back injury Roy became a successful racehorse trainer, owner and breeder, helping to establish the Charm Park point-to-point and was clerk of the course for many years. Alongside this he was a founding member of the Derwent Hunt branch of the Pony Club and in 1996 was awarded the national Cubitt Award and invited to a Queen’s garden party for services to the Pony Club.
Roy was a true horseman, with a wealth of knowledge and skill, which with his time, he was always willing to share to support others in their riding pursuits. Roy will be sadly missed by many across Yorkshire and beyond.
His wife Carolyne predeceased him and he is survived by stepdaughter Elaine McNichol and her two children, to whom he was Grandpa Roy.
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