Edward Craig-Tanner

1881-1936

Edward Craig-Tanner was born in Shropshire in 1881. A stockbroker by profession, he farmed land at Eyton-on-Severn, on which stood the well-known point-to-point course, where the first meeting was held in 1921.  He was a talented amateur rider whose services were much in demand, both in point-to-points and under National Hunt rules, riding 29 winners in the latter sphere including the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase in 1927. 

The first good horse he owned and rode was The Gaekwar, on whom he won point-to-points at Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn’s and at the Wirral Harriers in 1912. They made their debut under rules when finishing eighth in the 1913 National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Seven days later, they won again at Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn’s before landing the Tenant Farmers’ Hunter Chase at Tarporley Hunt in April. Nine days later, they won the Bryn-y-Pys Chase at Bangor-on-Dee. 

His next good one was Cupid’s Dart, whom he bought for 125 guineas after watching him win a three-mile selling chase at Ludlow in April 1925. Edward rode him to win five consecutive races, beginning with an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Wolverhampton in March 1926 and, a week later, a hunters’ handicap chase at Colwall Park. After a year off, they won a hunters’ handicap chase at Shirley Park in March 1927. The following month they won the Local Farmers’ Chase at Tarporley Hunt before coming home ten lengths clear at the Wenlock Hunt fixture in May. 

However, his best horse was undoubtedly Seti The First, a brown gelding by Pericles out of Blair Anchor. Edward rode him to win the 1925 Lady Dudley Challenge Cup at Crowle, the Gold Cup of point-to-pointing, just getting the better of Major E. M. Vaughan’s horse Money by three-quarters of a length. 

The following year, Edward and Seti The First finished third in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Following that effort, they finished third at Bangor-on-Dee and then won a hunter chase at the Tanat Side Hunt meeting at Llanymynech by 15 lengths in May. 

In February 1927 they won a hunter chase at Derby before finishing second, beaten three lengths, to Pippin II in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’ Chase. Later that month, Seti The First and his owner-rider negotiated the four and a half miles of the Liverpool Foxhunters’ course to be the only competitor of the 15 starters to complete the course without falling, finishing a distance clear of three remounters, including Pippin II, who came in third. 

After winning a hunter chase at Wolverhampton by a distance in March 1928, Seti The First and his owner took part in the Grand National but were among the 40 of the 42 runners who failed to finish. However, the following month they were back to winning ways, landing a hunter chase at Colwall Park by a distance. 

In 1929, they finished second in both the Cheltenham and Liverpool Foxhunters. After finishing fourth in the 1931 Liverpool Foxhunters, George Owen rode Seti The First to win a hunter chase at Bridgnorth. Sadly, the horse collapsed and died in the unsaddling enclosure. 

Edward’s last good horse was Brockton, on whom he won point-to-points in 1934 at both the North Shropshire and South Shropshire meetings, held on his farm at Eyton-on-Severn, and also at the Wheatland and the Wirral Harriers. By that time, he was something of a veteran rider, being in his early fifties

Edward Craig-Tanner died just two years later, on October 20, 1936.