Teeside-born Paul Burke was based at Middleham and Malton and rode about 200 winners in Britain and abroad, mostly as an apprentice in the late 1980s.
Paul was apprenticed to Mick Lambert near Malton, and rode for many other trainers including Colin Tinkler, Mark Johnston and James Fanshawe.
His biggest win was on Ski Captain for Paul Howling in the Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle.
Paul wanted to see the world and rode in Japan, India and Dubai where he rode a big winner, Bonny Scot. In his first season riding in India, he had six winners from forty rides.
He went to America in 1997, working for former top jump trainer Michael Dickinson for six months before joining a breaking yard, schooling and preparing young horses for sales and also keeping his hand in riding work.
Travelling in a horse transporter in April, 2000, Paul Burke was killed in a road accident in Lexington, America. He was 35.
The truck was being driven by former jockey Danny Wright. Paul fell from the vehicle, hitting a metal post-box. He died from massive chest and head injuries.
Paul's best friend was Flat jockey Tony Culhane and the pair were inseparable during their time as weighing-room colleagues on the northern circuit.
Culhane said: "I was devastated when I heard the news. We were always together and he seemed settled in America, where he was riding work in Kentucky for Danny Wright.
"The lifestyle out there suited him and I actually rang to speak to him on Saturday night and ended up leaving a message on his answerphone.''
