<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBob Champion was born into a family with deep connections to the hunt and horseracing. From an early age Champion learnt the art of riding and went hunting with his father \u2013 a huntsman \u2013 and his sister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Champion was a precocious talent and won his first horse race at the tender age of 15, and soon became a part of the National Hunt Racing circuit in England. Bob Champion\u2019s touch with racehorses soon translated into wins in smaller National Hunt races, and he even spent several years running flat races in the United States before returning to Britain to fulfil his ambition of winning the Grand National.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Champion\u2019s dream of winning the Grand National was slow to come true. The jockey raced in eight Grand Nationals but was unable to achieve a winning finish, yet he refused to give up his dream. The at the age of 31 Bob Champion discovered that he had testicular cancer and was given only a 40% chance of survival and six months to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bob Champion, Grand National legend, refused to give in to the disease, and made the decision to continue training and racing. His goal was to enter and win the 1980 Grand National, however his treatment took a heavy toll on him and in 1980 Bob Champion almost died from septicaemia. Despite this setback Champion refused to give up and was soon back at training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1981 Bob Champion, still in recovery and with his cancer now in remission, had the opportunity to ride\u00a0Aldaniti\u00a0at the Grand National. Many people believed that Aldaniti was \u2018crocked\u2019, and after a series of leg injuries few believed him capable of taking the Grand National.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Champion had faith in Aldaniti, and had marked him as a potential Grand National winner after riding the horse for the first time. On April 4th<\/sup> at the Grand National, Bob Champion and Aldaniti achieved one of the most famous Grand National victories winning the race by 4\u00bd lengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe win at the Grand National was the making of Bob Champion. The heroic jockey went on to win around 500 races. He was awarded for his performances with an MBE, and went on to use his reputation to raise funds for cancer research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today Bob Champion Grand National legend\u2019s cancer is in full remission and he spends his time involved in fundraising for cancer research and motivational speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Captain Becher<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\u2018Captain Becher commenced his career on a pony, and was remarkable as well, for the boldness of his riding as for the judgement he displayed in the hunting field.\u2019 Norfolk Mercury, 19th Oct 1864 [obituary of Captain Martin Becher]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain Becher cuts an almost mythical figure in the history of the Grand National. Although never officially recognised as the first Grand National winning jockey, Captain Becher contributed more to the race than any other jockey in its history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A great deal of speculation surrounds the biographical details of Captain Becher. Legend has it that Captain Becher served beneath the Duke of Wellington in Waterloo, although he apparently never participated in the infamous battle of Waterloo. Even then he was renowned for his skill with horses which he had picked up from his father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars Captain Becher was demobbed and found himself without a means of making an income. He soon found himself an undemanding job as the captain of the Buck Yeomanry and turned his attention to his passion \u2013 horseracing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As fate would have it Captain Becher\u2019s path soon intersected with that of William Lynn, the owner of Aintree racecourse. Both men were inspired by the success of the St Alban\u2019s Steeplechase in London, and Captain Becher convinced Lynn to host a steeplechase at Aintree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once Captain Becher, Grand National legend, had ensured that a steeplechase would take place at Aintree, he made himself available as a jockey and was entered into the race as the rider of The Duke. Only ten horses competed in the race, and The Duke won the race over the sprawling Aintree farmland by a single length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The win at Aintree was one of many during Captain Becher\u2019s distinguished career. The Captain won several of the most prestigious steeplechases including the Northamptonshire Chase, the Grand Aylesbury Chase, the St Albans Steeplechase and the Cheltenham Steeplechase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain Becher\u2019s racing career ended at the first officially recognised Grand National at Aintree. At the 6th<\/sup> fence Becher\u2019s mount, Conrad, made the decision not to jump and instead thundered into the gorse, sending Captain Becher over the fence and into the brook running across the landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFollowing this incident Captain Becher, Grand National legend, decided his racing days were over and never raced again. In later years he worked as a racecourse manager, and today the sixth fence at Aintree is named Becher\u2019s Brook in his honour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>George Ede-Edwards<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nGeorge Ede-Edwards was one the most notable jockeys in the history of the Grand National, and his story is a mixture of glory and tragedy. In his youth Ede-Edwards attended a public school at Abingdon where he was introduced to a host of sports and was found to excel at cricket. George Ede-Edwards also learnt the art of horse riding at Abingdon, and upon leaving school was considered to be a well rounded sportsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
George Ede-Edwards\u2019 first involvement in sport as an adult was as a cricket player for Hampshire County Cricket Club. His ability soon earned him the captaincy of his side from 1864 to 1869. Not all of his sporting energy was directed into cricket, Ede-Edwards also fancied himself as an amateur jockey and soon became involved in horseracing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using the pseudonym \u2018Mr Edwards\u2019, George Ede-Edwards competed in the Grand National several times without meeting with success. To make matters worse in early 1868 Ede-Edwards was unseated during a race and sustained life threatening injuries. Yet within weeks Ede-Edwards, Grand National legend, had made a miraculous recovery and in April entered the Grand National with\u00a0The Lamb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lamb was no stranger to adversity either, and although his potential was obvious, many thought the Grey was too small to compete in the Grand National. After training with the Grey for several weeks, George Ede Edwards took The Lamb to victory in the 1868 Grand National, becoming the first jockey to win the race on a grey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
George Ede-Edwards competed in one more Grand National before a fateful meeting after that race led to a chain of events that would ultimately cost him his life. Following the Grand National Ede-Edwards was asked by a trainer to race his horse Chippenham at the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree the following day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
George-Ede Edwards\u2019 friends advised him not to participate in the race as Chippenham was rumoured to be an aggressive, temperamental horse. Nevertheless, Ede-Edwards, on the verge of retirement decided to run one more race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ede-Edwards, Grand National legend, was unseated by Chippenham at the 15th<\/sup> fence and both rider and horse fell. Although Ede-Edwards survived the fall, he was unfortunate to find himself in Chippenham\u2019s path as the horse tried to rise. Chippenham stumbled into Ede-Edwards, crushing his chest. George Ede-Edwards spent the next three days fighting for his life before succumbing to his injuries.<\/p>\n