ONE-HUNDRED YEARS’ OLD JOCKEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20426, 5 June 1928, Page 6

ONE-HUNDRED YEARS’ OLD JOCKEY.

A little, wizened old man, with muttonchop whiskers, John Faulkner, the oldest English jockey, celebrated his 100th birthday at Appleford, Berkshire, in March. He lives in a picturesque cottage, surrounded by ploughed fields and country lanes, and he still potters about his garden, despite an accident six months ago, when a mule kicked him and smashed his thigh. Faulkner has a thousand and one interesting reminiscenes of the turf in the great days of last century. At one time he had to ride at 4st 71b, and he has ridden in every kind of horse race — steeplechase, on the flat, hurdles, and at “ flapping ” meetings. He has ridden in the City and Suburban, the Great Metropolitan, and the Cesarewitch —1856. Almost every bone in his body has been broken -while riding or training horses. A drunken sailor ran across the course in the first race that he rode in. His horse collided with the man, and they all went down. The sailor was killed. Another time he bought a horse and rode it at a meeting which used to be held on the site of the present Caledonian Cattle Market, London. After winning the race he sold the animal for £ls. He rode in the Abingdon races up to the age of 70. He has been twice married, and has had 32 children, the eldest being 67 and the youngest 26. Most of his children are connected with horses, either on the turf or on farms.