RIP Fred Welch

[SJFAN]

Sad to see (obituary on the BSJA website) one of SJ's great characters has died. As well as being a fine horseman (though he said he was "uneducated" he was influential in launching the careers of Mark Armstrong and Tina Fletcher (then Cassan), and with his wife Sue (also a former international rider) remained active in the sport as an owner, breeder and dealer. He was a crowd pleaser - would talk to spectators and always looked to be enjoying his sport. One of my favourite memories of him was at Wembley when having taken a fall from his good chestnut mare Baroness, he got up and whistled to her so that she came over to him instead of him walking over to collect her.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

RIP Fred, I used to read about him in old editions of H&H and horse annuals. Great character!

 

[swellhillcottage]

Sad to see this - many years ago when working for my old boss we used to take the horses over to him to school and that was when Peter Charles was riding for him !!

Sharonxx

 

[SJFAN]

Goodness, how did I forget to mention Peter? He was there for quite a while.

 

[bahumbug]

How very sad, condolences to Sue and the family. Also Fred and Sue were staunch supporters of Nick Skelton - remember Showtime? A great character, such loss to the show jumping world. RIP Fred.

 

[Pebbles]

RIP Fred Welch - remembered as a hugely influential character from my working pupil days on the sj circuit - great memories

 

[Doncella]

RIP Fred, a real character.

 

[NickyP]

So sad to hear the news, Fred taught me a lot in my pony & young rider years. He had a good character & a fine chap to work for. Used to have some cracking comments!! Very honoured to have known him. My thoughts go Sue & his son.
Thankyou Fred.

 

[Maesfen]

Another of the Old School gone, such a shame, a lovely man, always very friendly. Condolences to family and friends.

 

[bahumbug]

Oh dear, did no one notice the first thread, when Fred actually died, in March? Actually I must have missed H&H that week too...perhaps admin an put a link up to the news/obit?

 

[yeeharider]

OHEEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ALL REMEMBER ARE WE ALL SO OLD

 

[JenniBenson]

I was reallly lucky to work for Freddy for two years from 1993-1995. I am so sad to hear of his death. I was a green South African girl looking for a grooming job because of my passion for horses and eagerness to learn when Freddy was desperately looking for help having been let down by grooms, he picked me up from the railway station in Basingstoke and he asked if I was a groom or a jockey. I had ridden in South Africa so he put me on a horse to see how I rode and I ended up working for him for two years competing on his dealing horses as his first jockey- what I learnt from him in those two years!! I know own a warmblood breeding stud in South Africa with 170 horses (some very good jumping ones) - I am sure Freddie would have been pleased to see where the very green, ignorant girl who arrived at his doorstep who he taught so much has ended up! RIP Freddie - thankyou for everything you taught me, you have left a huge legacy and affected many lives. Jenni Bothwell.

 

[bahumbug]

I am sure Freddie would have been pleased to see where the very green, ignorant girl who arrived at his doorstep who he taught so much has ended up! RIP Freddie - thankyou for everything you taught me, you have left a huge legacy and affected many lives. Jenni Bothwell.

That's a wonderful story, maybe you should write a letter to H&H? Having known Fred, am sure he would have been pleased. Did you write to Sue? Best wishes to you

 

[Doncella]

As I said in a previous post H&H really must bring back the whole page obituary. The passing of Fred Welch is just the beginning, we are entering a decade where unfortunately more of the 'old school' will be riding over the rainbow bridge and in some cases we will never get to know.

 

[Sun]

I was reallly lucky to work for Freddy for two years from 1993-1995. I am so sad to hear of his death. I was a green South African girl looking for a grooming job because of my passion for horses and eagerness to learn when Freddy was desperately looking for help having been let down by grooms, he picked me up from the railway station in Basingstoke and he asked if I was a groom or a jockey. I had ridden in South Africa so he put me on a horse to see how I rode and I ended up working for him for two years competing on his dealing horses as his first jockey- what I learnt from him in those two years!! I know own a warmblood breeding stud in South Africa with 170 horses (some very good jumping ones) - I am sure Freddie would have been pleased to see where the very green, ignorant girl who arrived at his doorstep who he taught so much has ended up! RIP Freddie - thankyou for everything you taught me, you have left a huge legacy and affected many lives. Jenni Bothwell.

Jenni, I met you back then ) you had been working for Fred for a short while when we came to stay for a week or so with my old boss's horses to stay for training before heading off to Europe for a CSIO/Nations cup. I remember we watched you jumping a young horse, and Fred told us what a cracking rider you were, he had high hopes for you!, riding with longer stirrups than you would expect a show jumper to do, but elegant with it is as I remembered you x

well doen on your achievments, and RIP Fred, I somehow expect he will, what a great life & legacy x

 

[no1Uno]

I rode for Fred for 2 1/2 years and he was a great teacher. I never would have competed on the European SJ teams if it weren't for him behind me all the way.
He was a hard task master and had a glare that was worse than any *******ing. That's when you knew he was REALLY mad!
I have many memories of being in Wildmoor, using the horses to herd the cattle being one of them!
I loved all of the horses that he bought for me to ride (bar a handful!) and wish that I had them now!
The way I train my horses nowadays is for the most part down to Fred's coaching. It's a great legacy.

 

[SJFAN]

I reckon Fred would have been proud to have 2 of his former riders play such a huge part in this afternoon's Nations Cup victory.

 

[bahumbug]

I reckon Fred would have been proud to have 2 of his former riders play such a huge part in this afternoon's Nations Cup victory.

Indeed!