Lady Halifax takes up York charity race challenge at the age of 69

The Countess of Halifax, president of Macmillan Cancer Support, will bid to prove the old adage that age is just a number when she takes part in her first charity race at the age of 69 at York on Saturday.

Lady Halifax, who has been involved with the charity since the late 1970s, has been riding out at Richard Fahey's North Yorkshire yard and plans to ride in the Ernest Cooper Macmillan Ride of their Lives in front of her husband, three children and seven grandchildren.

She first sat on a horse as a child and rode out with the Buccleuch Hunt in the Scottish borders, but admitted that riding a racehorse over a mile and a furlong was a different matter altogether.

“It’s all completely mad isn’t it – to wait until you are 69-and-a-half to ride in your first race,” she said. “I have had lots of
moments wondering what on Earth I’m doing!”

“I was very worried, I won’t lie,” Fahey said. “When she said she
was going to ride in it I thought she was bonkers.”

After first thinking of riding in the York race last summer, Lady Halifax approached Fahey who agreed to support her ambition after some groundwork with Jacqueline Coward, the granddaughter of Mick Easterby.

“I saw that I needed a lot of practice and the Cowards were amazing to me,” said Lady Halifax. “It’s such a friendly, happy place to go and because Jacqueline is an amazing horsewoman the horses are really adorable to ride. The Cowards couldn’t have been kinder and more welcoming – it was brilliant.”

Lady Halifax: rides up to four lots a dayCredit: York racecourse

Lady Halifax returned to Fahey's yard in March and now rides up to four lots as part of the string. She paid tribute to the staff at Musley Bank, saying: “They’ve all been friendly. I've really enjoyed riding out and enjoy chatting to all the lads and lasses. That’s been fun, getting to know them.”

Fahey said: “I think it’s an incredible achievement if she gets there – which I think she will. It’s just a huge effort by her and I’m really impressed by what she’s doing. She's got her confidence now and knows the routine, knows what’s happening. She's becoming part of the yard.”

To donate to Lady Halifax visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/camilla-halifax.

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