York | Archive | 2001 | March | 15
From the Evening Press, first published Thursday 15th Mar 2001.
An ancient horseracing tradition descended into farce today amid arguments over the foot and mouth crisis.
Two rebel riders from Selby forced a double race at the centuries-old Kiplingcotes Derby after a heated stand-off on the East Yorkshire course. The Derby has been run over four miles on the Wolds near Londesborough on the third Thursday in March since 1519.
It has never before been cancelled, and the rules say that if it is not run, it must stop forever.
The event was called off this year because of the foot and mouth crisis, but, to preserve tradition, a lone farmer was planning to lead a horse over the course.
But Ken Holmes and Moira Emmett, from Cliffe, near Selby, vowed to compete in a separate race today, despite trustees of the horse race urging them to think again.
Mr Holmes, a nine times winner of the race, said: "We are going to run the race because we feel we have to keep this tradition alive.
"Of course we recognise that foot and mouth is a terrible crisis.
"But I am very confident that my horse won't be spreading it, no more than the official horse."
Mr Holmes said: "Prizes don't mean anything to us, but the historic tradition of this race does.
"We will race the course together. The official horse can walk it alone."
Trustee Guy Stephenson said Mr Holmes's breakaway race would not be officially recognised.
He said: "Mr Holmes said that his horse won't spread foot and mouth, but how are we to know that?
"We haven't invented foot and mouth and we would love to have seen the proper race today with 12 horses running the course.
"But we have taken the sensible option because we thought there was too much risk of spreading it.
"We are the trustees of this race and competitors need to stick by our rules. Mr Holmes is not doing this and his race will not be recognised by us."
A suspected case of foot and mouth was found at an East Yorkshire farm today - just a few miles from the site of the Derby.
A farm at Kilnwick, south-west of Driffield, was placed under tight restrictions during tests on animals, thought to be sheep.
All animal movements were banned within an 8km (five miles radius.
The Derby is only about 8kms away, but the Ministry of Agriculture said it would not intervene. Unless a horse came from within three kilometres of the suspect farm at Kilnwick, the Ministry had no powers to step in.
Meanwhile, farmers in the Tadcaster area breathed a sigh of relief after a nearby farm was given the foot and mouth all-clear. Restrictions were placed on the farm at Thorner earlier this month amid concerns that animals might have contracted the disease, but tests have now shown the worries to be unfounded.
There are just two confirmed cases so far in Yorkshire - one at Hawes in the Dales and another near Bradford.
Updated: 17:04 Thursday, March 15, 2001
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