Harvey Smith

Such a character! In the 80s I show jumped a lot and he was a larger than life figure. I clearly remember one horse, IIRC (Sanyo) Shining Example, stable name Norman who he had trained to lie down on command. He used to let him lose to graze in the stable/lorry park areas and would shout across to him "Lie down Norman" and the horse would immediately lie down.
 
EventingMum said:
Such a character! In the 80s I show jumped a lot and he was a larger than life figure. I clearly remember one horse, IIRC (Sanyo) Shining Example, stable name Norman who he had trained to lie down on command. He used to let him lose to graze in the stable/lorry park areas and would shout across to him "Lie down Norman" and the horse would immediately lie down.
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eahotson said:
He was quite a character.At one of the Horse of the Year comps he came into the ring in the bareback stakes in a fully tacked up horse.The commentator reminded him that it was the bare back stakes and he took off his jacket and shirt.!!!
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I remember that too, and the Hickstead incident! He was a household name in the 70's. Huge personality.
 
I grew up in South Yorkshire, and my dad would drop me off at local BSJA shows for the day. The the riders would bring out their young horses in these shows, Smith, Fielder, Whittaker, Fletcher, and I would spend my day wandering around the collecting ring and horse boxes and later helped steward the collecting ring. This was before I got cynical about showjumping. Oh to be fourteen again on one of those days.
 
I don't remember him actually being banned, but I remember he had a reputation for questionable methods. Much preferred David Broome! I do remember Mike Saywell getting a ban and being really shocked as I hadn't thought he was like that.
 
I didn't know who he was until I went to a SJ lesson and the old bloke referred to my horse as 'looks like something that's come out of Harvey Smith's yard'.. Hope that was intended as a compliment!
 
blitznbobs said:
One of the funniest thing I’ve ever seen is Geoff billington doing impressions of the likes of Harvey smith and Annette Lewis … can’t remember if it was Olympia or Hoys or somewhere else but it was side splittingly funny (and his horse was a saint)
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He also did one of John Whitaker.It was when he was riding Milton and he came in on a white pony.
 
I think it was Sanyo Tone ended up round our way in retirement doing some local jumping as Tone. Was always fun to compete against him as big of an equine celebrity

I can’t remember him being banned, although he got into trouble over giving a v sign to the judges at the Hickstead Derby. I think he forgotten to bring the trophy back having the previous year and said he would just re-win it. That’s if memory serves me right.
 
Many years ago Harvey Smith was booked to do a presentation at the riding school my friend went to, so we both went along. He was to chat with the audience and answer questions and then do a riding demo. The riding school had a social club, which had a bar. Harvey Smith was quite late to come into the indoor school and it was quickly obvious that he'd made use of the bar. He sat and mumbled answers to the questions posed to him and eventually a horse was bought in for him to ride. After a couple of circuits of the school he turned to a jump - about 2' 6"- and the horse lumbered over it. By that stage there were already a few empty seats. My friend and I looked at each other and got up and left. I've seen a few demos over the years but I shall always remember Harvey's.
 
My mum used to be Massarella's cleaner at Almholme Grange before I was born. Malcolme Pyrah and David Broome always used to give her a lift home. She used to take me to the GYS every year and Mr and Mrs Massarella, David Broome and Malcolm Pyrah always remembered her and always had a chat with her. I was only a little girl but I felt like the most important person in the world.
 
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