Beryl receives the Pony Club's '˜unsung hero' award

There was a surprise for Pony Club stalwart Beryl Millam when she was presented with its '˜Daks unsung hero' award at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
SUS-160517-193807001SUS-160517-193807001
SUS-160517-193807001

Her career has ranged from caring for Grand National legend Aldaniti to a lifetime teaching children and after the presentation she told the Observer she wouldn’t change a thing: “I have met so many people and been to so many places. The children have been a great part of my life over many years and I love teaching them - just to see a big grin on their faces when they achieve something is a reward in itself.”

Beryl, who now lives in Billingshurst, came to West Sussex in her late teens and has been involved in Pony Club ever since.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She helped with the training of the Chiddingfold Branch Mounted Games team that qualified for one of the first Prince Philip Cup Championships at Horse of the Year Show and has been training the teams ever since.

In the late 1960s she went to work for the Embiricos family at Barkfold in Kirdford, where they ran a National Hunt stud. She also helped with the childrens’ ponies and horses and, through this, became involved with the Lord Leconfield Pony Club branch.

Mr and Mrs Embiricos owned Aldaniti who, in 1981, won the Grand National ridden by Bob Champion.

Everyone knows the story of Bob recovering from cancer and Aldaniti from a serious leg injury. But it was Beryl as head groom, who looked after the horse during his long convalescence before returning to be trained for the National. When the story was turned into the film ‘Champions’ Beryl worked with producers to perfect it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 1987 Aldaniti was ridden over five weeks for the Bob Champion Cancer Trust from Buckingham Palace to the Grand National at Aintree with Beryl escorting Aldaniti throughout. She has helped to raise over £935,000 for the Trust.

Her citation read: “The many events Aldaniti attended would have been unthinkable without Beryl. She was always a great team member and a joy to work with, a heart of gold. She has a wonderful rapport with children. Their parents have a high standard of tack and turnout, having learnt themselves,the ’Beryl way’.”

Get your Midhurst and Petworth Observer newspaper for just 38p per week for a year!

Your Midhurst and Petworth Observer newspaper costs £1.05 each week - BUT if you buy a year’s subscription before June 4, 2016, you can enjoy a massive saving which works out at just 38p an edition.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Subscribe and read your favourite weekly, the Chichester, or Bognor Regis, or Midhurst & Petworth Observer, for 12 months for a one off advance payment of £19.76 - that works out at just 38p a copy for an entire year!

And as a valued subscriber you’ll continue to receive a 20% discount even after the initial 12 month offer has ended.

Once you’ve subscribed we’ll send you dated coupons to use instead of cash when paying for your Observer.

To take advantage of this fantastic offer simply click here and enter the offer code - 277PA-CMO.

Hurry though as offer ends on June 4, 2016.