Meet the Team
Mrs Ruth Carr
Job Title – Trainer
I took out a training license in February 2008 and have now trained over 500 winners and had over 960 placed horses. My hands on approach and time spent getting to know every horse’s individual personality and needs brings out the best in each of my equine inmates. The horses spend much of the day turned out in paddocks. Those that don’t mix well go out separately but we have three gangs of geldings that go out together which takes them back to nature and brings out the herding instinct in them – there’s definitely a pecking order!
Born into a family heavily involved in horses, I learnt to ride before I could even walk – on a donkey borrowed from Scarborough beach for the winter! The donkey was upgraded to a Shetland, and I was soon hooked. Riding show, gymkhana and jumping ponies through my early school years, I was soon begging my Grandfather, David Chapman, to ride his racehorses. It soon became a daily routine to bike to Granddad’s and ride a couple on the gallops before catching the bus to school.
I couldn’t wait a day too long for my first race ride, and on my actual 16th birthday I was lucky enough to have a ride in an Amateur Riders Race at Redcar. There were 28 runners and State Governor, a horse trained by David Chapman (Grandad) and owned by his brother John unfortunately finished last! Undeterred, and after lots of perseverance and hard work, I went on to ride 28 winners on the Flat, 8 over Hurdles and about 20 Point to Point winners during my racing career.
I represented Great Britain in a Euro America Competition, having rides at Lonestar Park and Laurel Park in America and 2 rides in Germany. I also rode in the Lady Riders Challenge Series in Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava. In 1997 I rode 13 winners in all, 9 on the level, both Turf and All Weather, making me leading Amateur Rider on the flat. My proudest moments were when riding winners against the professional jump jockeys – especially the men!
I assisted my Grandfather, David Chapman for fifteen years before taking the license when he decided to retire in 2008. Those years were spent learning his unique training methods. The importance of treating every horse as an individual has been greatly impressed on me – how to make their time enjoyable, the importance of varying their routines, and how to keep them happy in their minds. Grandad held a trainers license for over 40 years.
He trained hundreds of winners – nobody seems to know the exact amount. He was the first trainer to turn horses out and lunge them as part of their day to day training routine – a method that was used by many trainers including the late Dandy Nicholls who was Stable Jockey to the yard in the 1980’s. Grandandd trained horses that have been household names.
These include Soba -13 wins, Glencroft– 17, Chaplins Club – 24, No Submission – 23, Tempering – 22, Takhlid – 20, Soaked – 19, Redoubtable – 21, Sharp Hat – 24, Paddywack – 21, and Quito – 20. These 11 horses have won more than 200 races between them!
Sadly Grandad passed away in May 2011 but is still remembered greatly by all who knew him, still continually referred to by the racing commentators and journalists.
I really enjoy the being up close and personal with the horses whether that is riding out in the rain, feeding at 9pm every night or getting them in from the paddocks on a Sunday! I’m involved in every aspect of the training from riding, lunging, starting young horses, driving horses to the races, as well as dealing with entries, owners, purchasing new stock from the sales, updating social media, our website and writing our monthly e-newsletter.
James Sullivan
Job Title – Stable Jockey
Jimmy first rode for us as an apprentice in 2010 and has ridden us over a hundred winners since then! He is brave in the preliminaries and starting stalls and strong in a finish but Jimmy is also very patient with horses and will always give a fractious horse a soothing word and a pat down the neck rather than pick his whip up.
Charli Parker
Job Title – Groom/box driver/rider
Charli joined us in May 2023 for riding, box driving, racing duties and helping the team with all the usual yard work. Favourite horses – Brother Dave and Woodstock
Julie Kelshaw
Job Title – exercise rider/box driver
I met Julie when we both rode in the 2016 Macmillan Charity race at York racecourse. Julie comes in several time a week to ride out and has now taken on travelling horses to the races! Favourite horses currently in training; Reigning Profit and Darwell Lion
Millie Atkinson
Job Title – Groom/box driver
Millie joined us December 2021 having worked for the late Lynn Sidall and then a stint as a vet nurse assistant. Her duties include lunging and the usual yard duties as well as going racing. Millie is particularly good at turning horses out and is now regularly winning best turned out awards at the races.
Favourite horses; Newyorkstateofmind and Darwell Lion
Chrissie Sykes
Job Title – Racing Secretary
Chrissie joined us in October 2019: new to the racing industry but well experienced in all types of office management Chrissie free’s up Ruth’s time allowing her to concentrate on the horses, planning their campaigns and communicating with owners. She runs the Sweepstake and looks after the Racing Club Members and other owners too, as well as organising Open Mornings.
Emelia Abbishaw
Job Title – groom/boxdriver
Emelia joined us in February 2023 having worked in other equestrian disciplines. Her role will include lunging, all the usual yard duties and going racing. Favourite horses: Swiss Ace and Jojo Rabbit
Bunnie Everett
Job Title – groom/boxdriver
Bunnie rejoined us in March 2024 having spent some time travelling. Her role includes lunging, all the usual yard duties and going racing. Favourite horse: Hard Solution
Becky Warner
Job Title – Groom
Becky joined us in autumn 2021 and is on the yard during school hours to help us with all the yard work including lunging, turning horses in and out, putting them on and off the walker, putting rugs on and off, mucking out, haying and sweeping. Favourite horses: Foreseeable Future and Digital
Honey Warner
Job Title – weekend assistant
Becky’s daughter is a great extra pair of hands on a weekend when the same amount of work needs doing in less time meaning the full time members of staff get some time off! Favourite horses: Shotley Royale aka Henry.
Keegan Routledge
Job Title – weekend assistant
Another extra pair of hands on a weekend when the same amount of work needs doing in less time meaning the full time members of staff get some time off! Favourite horse: TBC
Richard Clark
Job Title – Yard Farrier and Brother
Rich is my brother and has been a qualified farrier for 20 years. He had a handful of rides as an amateur on the flat, winning on Sharp Hat twice. He has also ridden 10 Point to Point winners. He rode Quito on his second run for us and finished 4th!
Catriona Moon
Job Title – Vet
Catriona trained with us in 2017 to ride Tanawar in the Macmillan Charity Race at York, finishing 3rd. She carries out all the routine veterinary work in the yard, including flu jabs and castrating the colts.
Mrs Marion Chapman
Job Title – Racing Yard Co-ordinator and Grandmother
Grandma’s many years of experience in the racing world makes her a great sounding board for difficult problems, and she loves to be involved entertaining owners, helping out at Open Mornings, as well as attending as many local meetings as she can possibly get to. She took over Grandad’s brown and orange colours and is proud to see her horses on the racecourse sporting them.
Mr Stephen Clark
Job Title – Raceday Assistant and Father
My father is a great asset on busy racedays, transporting horses to the races, saddling and helping out. Having worked for Grandad, ridden as a conditional jockey and held a permit trainers licence – he has plenty of experience!
Mrs Angela Clark
Job Title – Photographer, Media and Mum
Mum puts together our Newsletter, and her fantastic photos bring colour and style to the website. Along with Dad both are great at helping entertain owners at our Christmas Open Morning as well as the smaller syndicate mornings. Favourite horses, Bobby Joe Leg and Brother Dave of course!
Mr Roger Carr
Job Title – Maintenance Manager and Husband
The Horse Racing industry was new to Rog when we met but he is now an important part of the yard, building new boxes, the gallop, a walkway, planning ways to make the yard work easier and general maintanence work. He also helps out feeding and getting horses in from the field when everyone is away racing. He enjoys coming to the races too if he has any time left! Roger has his own Plant Hire business constructing gallops, arenas, lunge pits, shed bases, farm tracks and roads, digging ponds and ditches.
Click here to find out more. Favourite horse in the yard – Hostelry.
William Hill
Job Title – Yard Sponsor
In July 2023 we welcomed William Hill to Mowbray House as our yard sponsor.
William Hill needs no introduction. Founded in 1934; their businesses include sports betting, online casino, online poker, and online bingo.
To be able to include this sponsorship as part and parcel of having a horse in training here at Mowbray is a real perk. The benefit is hugely valued by our owners as it allows them to register for and reclaim the VAT charged on the purchase price of their horse, training fees and other associated costs.
We look forward to working with the William Hill team, seeing their logo on our colours and paddock gear!
Minnie
Job Title – Pest Control Manager
Everyone who visits the yard meets Minnie! Her favourite pastimes include eating, barking at strangers, chasing cats, sun bathing and killing an odd mouse!