I'm in my seventies and grew up in a country called Rhodesia, which is now called Zimbabwe. Pat Smythe was my heroine, and I read several of her books.
I was born in Northern Rhodesia ( Zambia ) and my father trained racehorses in Kitwe and racing was on Sundays at Kitwe Turf club. Age 8 due to black misrule we left to South Africa, and all I had was pony books to read. Mainly from Johannesburg city council Libraries. My favourite was Judith M Beresford who wrote about a pony called Misty. I did see in Johannesburg Harvey Smith ride and Colonel Llewellyn of Foxhunter fame.
I was not brought up in a horsey family but we did watch the show jumping at HOYS & the Royal International Horse Show from 1956 when we first inherited a television so will have watched Pat Smythe competing against the many male military riders who were still prominant at the time, particularly the D'Inzeo brothers who competed in uniform. I married a horse mad lady who well remebers the horses but was just too young to remember seeing PS jumping. I have just packed "Pat Smythe : Bred to Jump" and other books published in the 1960s & 70s that illustrate the famous show jumpers of the era into a box ready for a move of house.
I’m definitely going to have a search on eBay later and get my hands on some Pat Smythe books, especially the ones dedicated to the particular horses she had. Thank you for your comment so lovely to read.
Loved this video, can remember when showjumping was covered a lot on tv. As a child I loved all the paperback pony stories by Christine and Josephine Pullen Thompson and others. Can't wait for another of your videos 😊
I think one book was titled 'Three Jays Against the Clock' and was obviously about showjumping at a gymkhana. I just looked on Amazon uk and they have it and others.
The wonderful Vibart, Andrew Fielder's horse, was also a carthorse cross, but he was a big boy with the biggest kickback you've ever seen. I grew up watching Pat Smythe, Marian Coakes/Mould and Stroller, Annelli Drummond-Hay and Merely A Monarch, David Broom and Mr Softee, Harvey Smith, and so on, in the days when showjumping was big on BBC - only one BBC channel then - and they were all household names. Infinity and Prince Hal were a bit before my time, but Tosca and Flanagan I remember - and I recall reading the book about Flanagan as a child. This has brought back so many memories. Thank you.
Love this message, thank you. I really enjoy reading people’s memories. From reading comments and the research I’ve done this was such an exciting time for the sport. Seems very different now.
There was also Ted Williams of Napantan near Quorn in Leicestershire... He had great success in America in the 1950s aswell as on the 1960s. I remember him in the puissance at the Horse of the Year show in 1969... a massive wall.. the cameras showed just his head bobbing on the approach then nothing as Ted was on the ground!. There was also Caroline Bradley. A marvellous horsewoman. I remember watching her from the collecting ring at the City of Leicester show in 1966 (it was a major show on the circuit in those days lasting 5 days). Caroline rode with determination and flair. Vibert was a handful but there was also another horse at the same time that had been noticed as a bucking bronco at an American rodeo. He was brought over to England by Jack Hobbs and jumped successfully but was clearly the most difficult ride and required a grip of iron by his rider to stay onboard as he bucked between fences.
I read her autobiographies as a kid. I was in love with Prince Hal.
He sounded incredible and I love the fact he was an ex race horse.
I'm in my seventies and grew up in a country called Rhodesia, which is now called Zimbabwe. Pat Smythe was my heroine, and I read several of her books.
From my research she really was so many peoples heroine. ☺️
I forgot to ask, what were her books like?
I was born in Northern Rhodesia ( Zambia ) and my father trained racehorses in Kitwe and racing was on Sundays at Kitwe Turf club. Age 8 due to black misrule we left to South Africa, and all I had was pony books to read. Mainly from Johannesburg city council Libraries. My favourite was Judith M Beresford who wrote about a pony called Misty. I did see in Johannesburg Harvey Smith ride and Colonel Llewellyn of Foxhunter fame.
Harvey Smith is definitely on the list to make a video on.
I was not brought up in a horsey family but we did watch the show jumping at HOYS & the Royal International Horse Show from 1956 when we first inherited a television so will have watched Pat Smythe competing against the many male military riders who were still prominant at the time, particularly the D'Inzeo brothers who competed in uniform.
I married a horse mad lady who well remebers the horses but was just too young to remember seeing PS jumping. I have just packed "Pat Smythe : Bred to Jump" and other books published in the 1960s & 70s that illustrate the famous show jumpers of the era into a box ready for a move of house.
I’m definitely going to have a search on eBay later and get my hands on some Pat Smythe books, especially the ones dedicated to the particular horses she had. Thank you for your comment so lovely to read.
Wow, thank you for the fantastic story. I live in Australia so know nothing about Pat but you bring her to life. Fantastic channel, thank you so much.
Thank you so much ☺️
Loved this video, can remember when showjumping was covered a lot on tv. As a child I loved all the paperback pony stories by Christine and Josephine Pullen Thompson and others. Can't wait for another of your videos 😊
Thank you so much. ☺️
Pat's another rider who I'm too young to have seen compete, but I heard about her a lot!
She was remarkable woman, achieved so much.
I remember one of her books for children about camping with ponies in the New Forest!
Oh sweet. I’m going to have a look on eBay a pick up and few.
I think one book was titled 'Three Jays Against the Clock' and was obviously about showjumping at a gymkhana.
I just looked on Amazon uk and they have it and others.
The wonderful Vibart, Andrew Fielder's horse, was also a carthorse cross, but he was a big boy with the biggest kickback you've ever seen. I grew up watching Pat Smythe, Marian Coakes/Mould and Stroller, Annelli Drummond-Hay and Merely A Monarch, David Broom and Mr Softee, Harvey Smith, and so on, in the days when showjumping was big on BBC - only one BBC channel then - and they were all household names. Infinity and Prince Hal were a bit before my time, but Tosca and Flanagan I remember - and I recall reading the book about Flanagan as a child. This has brought back so many memories. Thank you.
Love this message, thank you. I really enjoy reading people’s memories. From reading comments and the research I’ve done this was such an exciting time for the sport. Seems very different now.
There was also Ted Williams of Napantan near Quorn in Leicestershire... He had great success in America in the 1950s aswell as on the 1960s. I remember him in the puissance at the Horse of the Year show in 1969... a massive wall.. the cameras showed just his head bobbing on the approach then nothing as Ted was on the ground!. There was also Caroline Bradley. A marvellous horsewoman. I remember watching her from the collecting ring at the City of Leicester show in 1966 (it was a major show on the circuit in those days lasting 5 days). Caroline rode with determination and flair. Vibert was a handful but there was also another horse at the same time that had been noticed as a bucking bronco at an American rodeo. He was brought over to England by Jack Hobbs and jumped successfully but was clearly the most difficult ride and required a grip of iron by his rider to stay onboard as he bucked between fences.
Her horse Mattie Brown small but brilliant.
Did she have the horse before Harvey Smith? Having a quick google I see he won the Hickstead Derby twice on Mattie Brown.
Pat Smythe can be seen riding on YT with Pathe movies.
As a boy and then a man I never saw her as attractive.
Yes I have watched it ☺️
Have you thought about uploading these as podcasts as well? I love the old photos, but this kind of thing is just so listenable ❤
Oooo I’d not thought of that! And I really struggle to find enough photos sometimes. Will definitely give it some thought.