Leap racing misplaced one among its best supporters with the demise of my buddy and landlord Paul Barber on Sunday morning on the age of 80.
Everybody concerned with Staff Ditcheat is feeling his loss deeply as a result of day-to-day he took such an curiosity in all the things that occurred within the yard, on the gallops and on the racecourse.
He liked racing with a fierce ardour, loved loads of success on the highest stage and is warmly remembered as a person who helped give so many children a good begin in life.
Paul had a large affect on my profession from the day he selected me from a dozen candidates to coach at his stables under his farmhouse in Ditcheat. From the second Paul gave me the keys to his yard and gallops in October 1991 he backed me to the hilt. What started as a enterprise association swiftly developed right into a friendship that grew stronger with the years.
He instantly promised to purchase me two horses on the subsequent Doncaster gross sales and generously added that he would delay my first fee of lease for six months to assist me .
See Extra Indians, a giant, scopey type, was the primary horse I purchased at public public sale. As we each appreciated him Paul mentioned get on and purchase him.
It turned out that we struck fortunate with See Extra Indians who was my first actually good horse, shortly developed into a cultured chaser, and ran up a sequence of wins together with the Grade 1 Feltham Chase my first Grade 1 winner and the Jim Ford Chase at Wincanton.
We felt he was heading to the highest and it was a tragedy that we misplaced him that summer season in a freak accident whereas turned out within the cider orchard beside Paul’s dwelling.
It took us some time to recover from that day as I believe deep down we each felt our likelihood of profitable a Gold Cup had gone eternally.
Paul had this lengthy held dream that he want to milk 1,000 cows and personal a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. I’m so proud that in time I used to be in a position to prepare him two Gold Cup winners, See Extra Enterprise and Denman and by then, after all, he was milking greater than 2,000 cows.
Over the previous few years he was milking 3,000 cows and we had been making an attempt so onerous to give you a 3rd Gold Cup winner. We hoped Clan Des Obeaux could be the one however he wasn’t suited by Cheltenham and whereas we had excessive hopes of the RSA winner Topofthegame he was so onerous to maintain sound.
Paul Barber was clever past his years within the methods and rhythms of the countryside and fearless in his enterprise dealings as he developed and grew the household’s dairy enterprise in Ditcheat.
From the beginning he took me underneath his wing and in some methods handled me like one among his sons. I definitely noticed him as one thing of a father determine. He taught me a lot about operating a enterprise, particularly within the early years.
Having him round once I wanted recommendation was a giant plus. His benchmark was all the time pay and be paid. That was nearly the perfect tip Paul ever gave me. He all the time maintained any choice was higher than no choice and warned me in regards to the pitfalls of proudly owning too many horses myself. ” Dont have your lodge stuffed with your individual household ” was one other!
One other of his favorite sayings was ‘Delegate my boy. Delegate’.
Wanting again now I realise how fortunate I used to be to have such an astute businessman at my facet to move on sound recommendation from the second I began coaching.
I’ve been fortunate actually that I’ve had two dads. Brian, my father, and Paul who’ve each performed equally necessary roles in my life.
Proudly owning racehorses gave Paul a launch from operating such a profitable enterprise. He liked his horses who had been stabled lower than 100 yards from his home and most evenings he would wander all the way down to the yard to see them.
I do know he obtained huge pleasure from that day by day routine and sometimes he would be part of Clifford Baker and myself as we walked spherical night stables.
We loved so many nice days collectively and even when his well being was failing over the past six months he insisted on going racing to look at a few of his finest prospects. I’m so happy that he was at Sandown on the ultimate day of the season late in April to cheer his a number of winner Knappers Hill to victory the final day he went racing .
Each large day he shared with me, each large winner he shared with me as if it was his personal. He deserved all of the success he had as a result of he was such an amazing fanatic and put a lot into racing and life .
My life won’t be the identical with out Paul Barber. I owe him greater than I can ever say. Thanks Paul for giving me the prospect . RIP
The funeral for Mr Paul Barber will likely be held at St Mary’s Church, Ditcheat, Somerset on Wednesday 5th July 2023 at 2pm.
