Pamela Ballantine

I'm from Belfast and I first got into racing through watching Grandstand (on BBC) with my mum, my brother and my wee sister on Saturday. We would all pick a horse, and nobody was allowed to pick the favourite, and it was sixpence in. Then I think we might have gone up to 5p or 10p and whoever's horse came closest to the front got the money! It was just a bit of craic and a very good way to spend a Saturday afternoon. My dad was out playing golf and thinking that his wife and children were up to nice pastimes at home.

My mum had ponies and horses and I remember her taking me to a riding school when I was only very small and I fell off, and it put the fear of God into me! My wee sister came along and she was seven or eight and wanted to learn to ride. Mum had found out about Mitchells Riding School in Comber. David Mitchell, of course now with his partner Hammy, breeds some fantastic horses. It was his dad that was the owner of the riding school. The boss said the wee ones might be a bit small but this one, and pointed to me, is sort of the age. I might have been about 12 and mum explained that I was terrified and he did not like the sound of that. He said the wee one can come along if you bring the big one! He basically took me for solo lessons on a bombproof 30-year-old horse to build up my confidence. I just loved it.

My grandfather, Joe Shaw, was actually a bookie. I never knew him - he was in his sixties in 1932 when my mum was born. I have a tribute to him from way back in the day. It was written in the "Sport" Dublin, September 27th 1919 and I have his badges. He obviously never let a great war get in the way of a good time because I have his badges from Leopardstown from 1914 through to 1918! Mum died about six years ago and she had given me his badges. They are just in a beaten-up cigar box that I want to get out and display someday. They are beautiful badges. One of his badges is a hand painted enamel badge from Sandown from the 1890s. He was actually a trainer as well, he bred and trained greyhounds and trained horses on the Lisburn Road (Belfast) when it was a field. We think he and his friends founded Celtic Park (greyhound track in Belfast).

I've always loved watching the horse racing on the television. I got involved in a syndicate over 20 years ago with various friends including the Dunlop family, Jim Nicholson wine merchant and Peaches Kemp as well. We bought a horse called Fleur Du Chenet that Arthur Moore had. We were called the More Wine Syndicate. Knowing how much we kept Jim Nicholson in business, it was a good name! She had a second and a third, but then unfortunately did a leg. Her first day out on 20th October 2000 in Fairyhouse was my birthday and Conor O'Dwyer was on board. Then the Dunlops bought her outright as a broodmare.

About 10/12 years ago, I had been talking to Colin McBratney and said to him that I would love to get back involved. As it happened, I had an uncle who passed away some time before and he didn't have any kids, so he gave his nephews and nieces a memory in his will. A cheque came through that I wasn't expecting and it just happened to cover a share of a horse that Colin had. There were very unkind comments about the horse - he would have been deadly in a chase over a mile and a half!

In the interim, I had also ridden in the charity race for Shane Broderick at Down Royal in 1997. I had known Mike Todd (former racecourse manager at Down Royal) for years and he rang me one day about the charity race for Shane and asked if I would be interested. I said 'why not' and then thought I haven't been on a horse in I don't know how long. I was about a stone heavier than I am now and I had six weeks to get fit and get to riding capabilities, so I rang Brenda McMillen and she took me every day for about five weeks. Then I got the horse from Paddy Graffin which was called Frankie Willow. I went up to Paddy for a week and rode Frankie out and off we went to the race. I found it terrifying! It was two miles and my legs went after a mile and the only thing that held me on the horse was knowing that my horse was a front-runner and liked to hug the rails. I clung on for dear life until I crossed the finish line in second and then I fell off. It turns out I chipped a bone in my back as well. It was a brilliant experience, it really was. I have since met Shane on numerous occasions and he is such a star.

Mike asked me if I would be interested in doing a bit of the parade ring announcing and that sort of stuff at Down Royal. I said I would give it a shot. Then Richard Lyttle asked if I fancied doing Downpatrick as well. I do enjoy it and the friendships that you make at the racecourses. There's a camaraderie, everybody loves and cares for the animals. If somebody has a misfortune, or something happens, you can see the racing community crowding around and supporting them. They are equally as happy when the wee man wins or the big man wins.

Balgowlah won at Downpatrick (in 2019) for a syndicate I was involved in with Colin and Caerleon Kate won there as well for us (in 2018). The first one winning in my name was Billable Grant which was fantastic on St Patrick's Day at Down Royal last year. To call myself into the winner's enclosure was an absolute hoot! Having him come in in my colours was just unbelievable.

In terms of my broadcasting career now, I'm only in the studio one day a week. A lot of work is outside work and working with crowds. Recently, I was working at a table quiz at Crumlin Road Gaol for Crimestoppers looking at the Chief Constable sitting there in front of me in jail!

Horses are so empathetic, they just seem to know what you need or what you want. June Burgess is doing some fantastic work down in Ballygraffan (Comber) to do with the educational learning with horses, the equine therapy. I'm now chair of the Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders and we have been supporting some of the schemes that she has been doing. I think the racing industry is a fantastic industry, there is something for everyone even if you have got a passing interest in the outdoor life and animals.