Early Days

Bryan Smart - The early days

Bryan does not come from a racing family - in fact his story is really one of unlikely but fortuitous events and meetings which led him to become the successful trainer that he is today.

Born in Royston near Barnsley his father and his grandfather were coal miners and his mother worked in a shirt factory. Even from an early age Bryan was certain he was not going to follow the family tradition and go down the mines but he did find an affinity with the pit ponies and many a time he could be found riding them around the field with a bridle made of string and no saddle. Although his friends thought it a little strange his parents encouraged him to ride and he soon joined up with a dealer near his home who took him on the Northern show jumping circuit where he learned to ride all sorts of horses and ponies.

Bryan rode a number of winners for Mrs Pitman as an amateur before turning professional. Corbiere was one of the notable horses he rode winning six races on him in his early career. Other successes came in The Massey Ferguson Gold Cup on Bueche Giorod and the Midlands Grand National on Whatafella. Bryan became a key member of Mrs Pitman's team at Weathercock house and would often start work at 5am to feed and check the horses before going racing and was responsible for the feeding and medical care of her team of horses as well as being stable jockey. During the summer months Bryan worked for Ken Cundell and also broke in yearlings for Paul Cole.