By Louise and Andrew Saywell
Former British team member and 1972 Olympian Michael (Mick) Saywell passed away peacefully on 2 April aged 80 with his family at his side.
As a child Mick spent most of his time at his grandparents’ farm near RAF Swinderby. His grandfather William Wagstaffe had been in the yeomanry and was an accomplished horseman who played a massive part in Mick’s formative years in the equine world. Mick’s passion was to ride, firstly ponies, then horses; he attended local gymkhanas and unaffiliated shows. In the early 1960s Stonepark was the first horse to take Mick to the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). His talent took him to the Ewerby yard of John (Jet) Taylor, which led to success on numerous horses. The British selectors started noticing this self-made Lincolnshire lad!
In the 1970s Mick’s famous association with Trevor Banks began. The Banky experience is well documented with British team places in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Dublin, La Baule and Munich. Mick supplied the best British score for the team at the 1972 Munich Olympics with Hideaway; alongside David Broome, Harvey Smith and Ann Moore. The team finished just outside the medals in fourth. David said Mick “had a great sense of humour and when things got tough in the team, he was the joker that broke the tension and kept the peace. He was a very talented jockey too”.
Mick brought the family, Kathy, Nicky, and Andrew, to Jet’s yard and the stud part of the operation started with 20 broodmares, and stallions.
Mick returned to Banky’s Bishop Burton yard and more prolific wins followed. It was the eye-catching grey Chainbridge who took him to victory in the King George V Gold Cup at HOYS, as well as winning the silver spur leading rider title and the 1978 Dublin Grand Prix. The King George win inspired 12-year-old Tim Stockdale to take up showjumping and he begged his hero for a job, flourishing under Mick’s guidance.
Mick and his second wife Vicky moved to Cottam in Nottinghamshire where they set up their yard. Mick rode for different owners during this time as well as coaching many up-and-coming riders. The yard filled with ponies again, for twins Louise and Harry, then horses. Harry preferred motorbikes so Mick was often seen stewarding at motorbike competitions.
Mick enjoyed hunting with many packs. He earnt his hunt buttons by jumping a double of railway gates and regularly rode as second whipper-in for the Blankney Hunt. Mick’s showjumpers certainly had an all-round education. In his younger days he also had a few rides point-to-pointing.
An avid follower of son Andrew, daughter Louise and grandchildren Jake and Isabel’s careers in his sport kept Mick active in his later years. He was a regular in the arena of his Nottinghamshire home or at the ringside with valuable advice and insights to the very end.
Condolences to his wife Vicky, children Nicky, Andrew, Louise, Harry, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Goodnight Mick. RIP. You will be sorely missed.
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