Nostalgic reunion for the stars of Follyfoot

Based on a novel by Monica Dickens, it was all about a rescue centre for unwanted and ill-treated horses and the people who became involved with it.

For the then 23-year-old Jane Royston, the news that the book, Cobbler’s Dream, was to be turned into a television series meant that she would have a dream job.

Jane was asked to be the horse manager for the series and 40 years on, she still has many treasured memories of that period.

So much so that she decided to write a book to coincide with the anniversary which tells the story of her experiences behind the scenes and also includes interviews with members of the cast.

“I just happened to be in the right place at then right time,” says Jane.

Yorkshire Television was in its infancy then and Jane was working for the education suppliers, EJ Arnold. She used to go to the Mansion in Roundhay Park with her grandmother for lunch, which is where she chatted to a press officer from YTV.

He told her about a children’s series they were filming called Tom Grattan’s War. They needed someone to help the leading actress with her horse riding and could Jane lend a hand? She was delighted. She had her own horse and spent all her spare time riding.

This led to her meeting producer Tony Essex, who, much to her surprise, asked her if she would take on the job of horse manager for the series. He also asked her advice about a suitable location. Jane told him about Hollin Hall, a run down farmhouse on the Harewood estate which she had discovered while out riding. “This was my secret hideaway, which I always imagined I was going to run away to whenever my parents threatened to sell my horse, Austrian Sky,” said Jane.

This became the home of Follyfoot, which took its name from the village near Harrogate, replacing the ‘i’ with a ‘y’. Other locations were also used, including Stockeld Park, Shadwell and Wood Hall.

Stables were built and living quarters were made in the house for Jane and Anne and Vicky Edwards, who worked with her. The barn housed the wardrobe, canteen and make-up departments. Jane then set about finding a horse for the leading actress, Gillian Blake, who played Dora, to ride plus other horses who would feature in shots of the yard and in the riding scenes.

Some were borrowed from local owners and sometimes stunt horses were hired for particular scenes. As horse manager, Jane worked on the day shoots as well as supervising the night shoots which proved exhausting. She recalls that when she broke down in tears one day, the production manager phoned Tony Essex for advice.

His solution was to dispatch a taxi to the farm with a bottle of gin on the back seat for her.

Follyfoot continues to have many fans who watch the DVDs that are still available and this weekend Jane, who lives in Buckinghamshire, and others who worked on the series are gathering in Leeds for a reunion to mark the programme’s 40th anniversary. They will be re-visiting some of the locations and generally taking a trip down memory lane.

Follyfoot Remembered by Jane Royston costs £14.99 and is available from www.follyfootremembered.co.uk.

Whitby’s Walker siblings shine at Bishop Burton to reach national finals

RIDERS from schools across the area competed in the National Schools Equestrian Association North East Regional qualifiers at Bishop Burton College for the chance to represent the region in the national finals.

The top two riders in each of four classes won through to the National Championships to compete against seven other regions in October. Riders from schools including Sheffield, Richmond, Pickering and Malton and Norton were among those competing.

Lucy Gilsenan, from Staintondale, representing Scalby School, had a convincing win to start the day in the 70cm class with her grey mare, Maddy. Brother and sister, Tom and Katie Walker, from Tranmire near Whitby, representing Whitby Community College, were successful in the bigger classes. Katie, on Magnetic Attraction, won the 80cm class and Tom won the 90cm class, with Holly Hodgson, from Whitby Community College, taking fourth place.

Tom also took first place in the final class of the day, followed by Sarah Holmes, from Sheffield High School, and Holly Hodgson in third place.

Lucy, Katie and Tom also competed at the David Broome Winter Championships where they won a number of rosettes for individual riding, plus a third place in the team jumping, competing against over 20 teams from across the UK.

THE British Horse Society is continuing its fight to get the dangers posed by ragwort taken more seriously. Animals die painfully every year as a result of damage to their liver after consuming the toxic plant.

Last year, the BHS launched a nationwide survey to try and establish the extent and location of ragwort. More than 75 per cent of cases reported involved land that animals were grazing on or near.

A total of 13,189 horses were identified as grazing on ragwort infested pasture, with the figure for cattle and sheep approaching 20,000.

The BHS is carrying out another survey in the same week this year and hopes to find out more about how ragwort has proliferated.

The information will be used to encourage better enforcement of ragwort control and to lobby for changes in legislation.

The Society believes that laws governing ragwort are not being enforced.

If anybody spots ragwort during Ragwort Awareness Week, July 11-17, the BHS asks if you can complete a “snapshot survey” which is on their website, www.bhs.org.uk.