Life-sized steel horse in honour of North Yorkshire farmer

GRAHAM Clarke is not a great fan of equestrian pursuits but it has not stopped him from having a life-sized horse made out of steel take pride of place on his North Yorkshire farm.
Metal work artist Stego Parker near his sculpture at Low Swainby Farm, Pickhill. Admiring the artwork is Daphne Bourne-Arton, Master & Huntsman (MFH) of the West of Yore Hunt and her hounds.Metal work artist Stego Parker near his sculpture at Low Swainby Farm, Pickhill. Admiring the artwork is Daphne Bourne-Arton, Master & Huntsman (MFH) of the West of Yore Hunt and her hounds.
Metal work artist Stego Parker near his sculpture at Low Swainby Farm, Pickhill. Admiring the artwork is Daphne Bourne-Arton, Master & Huntsman (MFH) of the West of Yore Hunt and her hounds.

Mr Clarke, 57, may have more of an affinity with the sheep and cattle on his 1,200-acre plot at Low Swainby Farm, Pickhill, however he and his family wanted to have a lasting tribute to his late father, Henry Clarke, installed above his final resting place.

Mr Clarke junior called upon the services of salvaged metal artist Stego Parker to produce the sculpture and his creation was unveiled yesterday. Straddling a dry stone wall, the horse has hinged joints so that it can be manipulated into different positions and it will soon be added to by a steel jockey.

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The artwork is a fitting tribute to Mr Clarke senior, who died aged 88 in October last year. He farmed in Pickhill either side of a stint as an engineer, running Pickhill Engineering which made welding equipment.

The late Henry Clarke.The late Henry Clarke.
The late Henry Clarke.

It was in his 50s that Mr Clark began to enjoy riding racehorses and competing in point to point, with a point to point win at Bedale among his triumphs.

Around the same time he became a keen huntsman and shooter too.

His son Graham said: “I’m very happy with the sculpture - though dad didn’t like a lot of publicity. It was later in life that he got into point to pointing, racing, shooting, yatching and hunting but whatever he seemed to do he seemed to be successful at it.

“I can’t stand riding or horses myself but when the sculpture has a jockey on it, it will give more of a silhouette and it’ll look really good.”

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