By anyone’s reckoning, Jim Squires is one of the people who contributes most to the sport of
point-to-pointing and one of its unsung heroes. Born in Brighton, brought up in Somerset and
now a fixture on the West Mercian scene, Jim plays numerous roles and, in his own words,
“I’ve had a go at most jobs apart from jockey, doctor and vet!” Jake Exelby spoke to him
recently to find out more about what he does and – more importantly – why he does it.
Tell me about your background
I’ve been involved with racing all my life. My dad and grandad worked in racing yards and
hunt service. When I was born, my dad was with the South Down hunt kennels, then moved
to the Grove & Rufford in Nottingham, then the Mendip Farmers, so I grew up going pointing
at places like Nedge, Larkhill, Didmarton and Woodford.
I was kennel huntsman for the Albrighton Woodland until the ban and my involvement in
pointing’s grown since then. It’s all Judith’s fault (Judith Healey, Jim’s long-term partner is
just as ingrained in the sport and is joint secretary of the West Mercian Area). She, along
with Nickie Sheppard and Robert Killen, really got me into it.
What do you do for a living?
I’ve been a cattle farmer for the last ten years and do a lot of odd jobs, including fencing.
That’s how I started fence building – I cut 3,500 bundles a year and started at Chaddesley
Corbett, then for other courses, as well as trainers like Kerry Lee, Henry Daly and Matt
Sheppard
What roles do you perform in the sport?
I now build the fences at Chaddesley Corbett, Shelfield Park, Maisemore Park, Eyton-on-
Severn, Bitterley and Knightwick. I’m Clerk of the Course at seven meetings and Assistant at
the others on those courses. I’m West Mercian Area Chairman, stand-in as a steward when
required and help Philip Smith-Maxwell with the horse ambulance, including at the
Cheltenham Festival.
What motivates you to put in so much work on a voluntary basis?
I feel a bit of a fraud answering this, because I get paid for the course building, though I
probably don’t charge as much as I should… but don’t tell Judith that!
I’ve always enjoyed hunting so much and was brought up to put something back. It’s
become part of my life and has taken over – not by design, it just happened. Judith and I talk
about pointing seven days a week, 365 days a year. I’m probably going to have to start
saying ‘no’ as I’m too old to keep going at this pace!
Can you think of anyone else who contributes as much as you?
There are lots. Jane Allfrey is fixture secretary at five meetings and owns and trains pointers
of her own. Nickie Sheppard (joint Area secretary with Judith) is another who talks racing
seven days a week and Graham Potts, the chief vet, is dragging the sport kicking and
screaming into meeting its health and safety requirements.
Then there’s Philip Smith-Maxwell, who’s always looked after horse welfare in the area.
Every course needs someone like him – it doesn’t just happen. I remember going with him to
Trecoed last season as they don’t have a horse ambulance in Wales. It took us five hours, there were seven races plus the pony racing, then it was another five hours back. That’s
some dedication, especially as he’s 70.
In the past two years, you’ve been awarded both the Michael Connell and Jim Mahon
awards for services to the sport. How does that make you feel?
Very humble and quite embarrassed, as I feel there’s a hell of a lot more for me to do and I
haven’t scratched the surface. There are others who deserve awards more than I do.
What else has been the highlight of your time in the sport?
Horse-wise, it would be The General Lee winning his first race for us at Coldharbour. It was
totally unexpected as he was a 12/1 outsider, and I can’t describe the feeling. He was a tiny
little horse with a heart of gold.
Then there was an experiment I did last year, putting on the Wheatland meeting at
Chaddesley Corbett single-handed – every job from building the fences to setting up the
running rails, to asking the stewards if it was OK to race after all the snow and rain we’d had.
Would I do it again? Possibly, if the chips were down.
And funniest moment?
After racing at Andoversford, there was a horse upside down in a two-horse box. There were
six of us – we got the partition out, got the horse onto a mat and were pulling him down the
ramp when the rope broke. Six of us old gits ended up flat on our backs and the horse just
walked away.
Do you have any pointers this season?
We’ve got Blackijo Dagrostis, who runs in Judith’s family’s colours, with Nickie Sheppard –
one’s enough for us to cope with. The aim? For him to turn six in January and get out of
those Young Horse Maidens to have a chance of winning a race! He’s a bargain basement
horse, but in a very good yard.
Which has been your favourite horse (not one you’ve owned)
I grew up watching Double Silk, home-bred and trained by Reg Wilkins. He went from
winning a Maiden to the Foxhunters and I always knew everything about him.
Round here, there was Upton Legend – a cracking little mare – Lady Myfanwy, who had lots
of battles with The General Lee, and Findlay’s Find. I remember Dave Mansell (who rode
him) cussing me one day at Chaddesley Corbett because I’d watered too much!
Do you ride yourself?
I hunted, but never rode in points. I’ve always been too big to be a jockey and enjoy food too
much!
Which jockeys/trainers do you admire?
Nobody works harder than Philip Rowley and he’s had some good times. He deserves
respect for getting from where he started to what he’s achieved now.
There are plenty of good jockeys, but you’ve asked me to name one, so James King. I’d trust
him to tell me exactly what’s going on and he wins races that perhaps others couldn’t.
What's your favourite course (outside West Mercian)?
I’m totally envious of Larkhill – it must be like running a course on astroturf compared to
most tracks! They always do a fantastic job, and I wish I looked after a course like that.
What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
Ban Easter! It absolutely destroys the fixture list and does the sport no favours. Two or three
meetings always make mega-money but because it moves every year, somebody has to
race the weeks before and after.
I also think pointing’s too slow to change. Look at what Pottsy’s doing with horse welfare – if
he had hair, he’d have pulled it out by now! You can’t bury your head in the sand and have
to maintain the social licence (for horse racing). The BHSA needs to work out where it’s
going.
What are your non-horsey hobbies?
I love listening to cricket and, whatever I’m doing, it’s on – from T20 to the County
Championship. I grew up in Somerset when Ian Botham, Viv Richards and Joel Garner were
playing, and Jack Leach is my favourite now. I also enjoy watching the Grand Tour cycling. Mark Cavendish has been a hero all the way through and Chris Froome has been fantastic for the sport in this country.
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