George Goring is calling time on his sponsorship of team chasing after 36 years.
The Goring Hotel supported individual events, a national series and the championships. His son Jeremy has now taken over the hotel, which marks the end of George’s financial involvement in the sport.
“We’ve sponsored the championships for more than 20 years,” said Mr Goring, who rode in the inaugural team chase at Hickstead in 1974 and has been a key player since. “But I can’t expect Jeremy to fund the sport.”
His Boring Gorings team finished second in two championships. Former member Bob Baskerville called him “a linchpin of team chasing”.
“He always had his horses exceptionally well trained,” said Mr Baskerville. “He fell off his top horse Bugsy once, and Bugsy jumped every single fence up at the front. His horses lasted forever and that speaks volumes for him and the sport.”
Jo Jewell, who also rode in his team, paid tribute to “Mr Team Chasing”.
“He encompasses the true Corinthian spirit,” she said. “It’s down to his generosity that the sport has prospered.”
Mr Goring, 74, rode in his final team chase last year. But the name Boring Gorings — coined when he heard he was nicknamed Boring Goring by American tourist authorities for being the last hotel in England to pay 5% commission to agencies — lives on.
Mr Goring says he is “flattered” that team mate Fred French has asked to keep on the name.
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (9 May 2013)
