Alan Norman
Article by Chris Pitt
Alan Norman was a northern-based jump jockey who rode between 1954/55 and 1964/65 and rode 14 winners during his career. Most of them were for County Durham owner-trainers and permit holders, such as Colin Taylor, from Low Raisby Farm, Kelloe, near Ferryhill, who provided Alan with his first winner, Sky Moon, at Sedgefield on February 5, 1955.
That was Alan’s sole success of the season but he rode three winners the next, all within the space of a month on novice chaser Petros, trained by Bill Powell at Stockton-on-Tees.
Similarly, all of his four wins in 1957/58 were gained on one horse, a hurdler named Khorene, owned and trained by Darlington-based permit holder Ray Davies.
He rode only one winner in 1958/59, Umpire, trained by Jack Calvert at Hambleton, near Thirsk. There were two in 1959/60, both courtesy of juvenile hurdler Nobblynees, owner-trained by another Darlington permit holder, Joe Richardson.
There was just one success in 1960/61, Sea Pirate at Catterick, then none at all for the next two seasons.
By the start of 1964 Alan had joined the burgeoning string of Bishop Auckland trainer Arthur Stephenson and he rode a winner for him on Five Per Cent Esq at Newcastle, March 7, 1964. However, the following month he was severely cautioned by the stewards for riding “a most injudicious race” on Stephenson’s Hya in the Yarridge Novices’ Hurdle (Div 1) at Hexham on April 25. Hya finished third, beaten two and a half lengths.
Joe Richardson supplied Alan with what was to be his sole success of the 1964/65 campaign, on the grey novice hurdler Parjo at Catterick, January 1, 1965. Alas, that New Year’s Day victory failed to herald a new dawn for Alan, who rode no more winners and relinquished his licence at the end of that season.
Alan Norman’s 14 winners were, in chronological order:
1. Sky Moon, Sedgefield, February 5, 1955
2. Petros, Sedgefield, March 10, 1956
3. Petros, Ayr, March 17, 1956
4. Petros, Carlisle, April 2, 1956
5. Khorene, Hexham, September 28, 1957
6. Khorene, Hexham, May 5, 1958
7. Khorene, Sedgefield, May 10, 1958
8. Khorene, Hexham, May 26, 1958
9. Umpire. Hexham, September 29, 1958
10. Nobblynees, Southwell, December 21, 1959
11. Nobblynees. Catterick, January 2, 1960
12. Sea Pirate, Catterick, December 3, 1960
13. Five Per Cent Esq, Newcastle, March 7, 1964
14. Parjo, Catterick, January 1, 1965