‘His was a full life, well lived’: farewell to breeder and respected equestrian
By Sarah Hopkins-Edwards
Gordon (Gordy) Layton Edwards, the breeder and respected equestrian died on 28 December, aged 89.
Gordy was a well-known and popular figure in and around the West Midlands, at race meetings, point-to-points, sales or Somerwood, the stud he and his wife Sarah ran near Shrewsbury.
Gordy was born on 18 August 1936 on a farm in Llanfechain, Powys, the third of three boys and a girl. His first love was showjumping but after his older brother Roy started riding in point-to-point races, Gordy followed suit.
When he and his mother Alice moved to The Lees, at Walcot, Wellington, Telford, in 1964, Gordy was able to develop his own livery yard and set up a small stud to breed and sell jumpers, which helped spread the costs and enabled him to ride. He became a successful amateur jockey, winning more than 100 point-to-points, hurdle races and hunter chases until he hung up his boots in 1980, aged 43.
One of his proudest moments was winning the Fraser Hunter Chase at Cartmel, which was also won by Roy, his sister Sheila Crow, nephew Simon Edwards, niece Lucy Walker and great-nephews Henry Crow and Huw Edwards.
“His riding style was quite traditional,” said his friend and jockey John Wilson. “He rode with a full length of leg and this was brought to the attention of the racing public, when he was riding in a televised hunter chase at Haydock Park in the late 1960s.
“As Gordy started to canter down to the start, the commentator, Richard Pitman, said: ‘Here’s Mr Gordon Edwards riding in a traditional style.’”
Gordy’s best racehorse was his home-bred Scallymuire, who ran in his mother Alice’s colours and won 26 times, was second 19 times and third four times. It was a terrible blow when Scally died prematurely.
Gordy adored breeding thoroughbreds and had many home-bred, point-to-point winners. He was so proud to have bred horses who succeeded in National Hunt, including GunnerBLong and William Of York.
It was often said that Gordy Edwards was a “horse whisperer” because he had such an affinity for horses and they him. More than that, though, he was an animal whisperer. He loved all animals and they loved him, whether they were bantams, Alsatians or terriers, guinea fowl or peacocks.
In 2003, he married Sarah Hopkins, a successful amateur jockey, celebrating with a wedding breakfast in Ludlow and finishing it with champagne at the last fence at Eyton-on-Severn racecourse. While they developed their stud at Somerwood, Sarah won five races on Bishops Hall before switching to dressage.
This was a new discipline for them both and one at which they had considerable success. Sarah won retrained racehorse classes with their home-breds and won at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships with Impression G.
When Gordy struggled to travel, he loved hearing of his great-nephews, Carmen and Will Edwards, succeeding in showjumping, his nephew Huw Edwards’ treble at Stratford’s evening hunter chase in 2025 and following great-nephews Harry and Dan Skelton’s wins, especially on Saturday television. He would proudly announce these successes to all visitors and his carers became adept at racing and horse terminology.
Having made many happy visits to a village near St Tropez, Gordy would have been amused to know that Brigitte Bardot passed away on the same day as he, 28 December.
“His was a full life, well lived. He was well loved and respected,” said John Wilson.