John Kearton (sometimes written as Kirton) was born at Feetham Holm, Melbecks (which lies in the parish of Grinton), Yorkshire. He was still a boy when he joined training stables at Middleham and his precocious riding skills soon brought him to the attention of various trainers, in particular William Fenwick, who became one of his first principal masters and for whom, in 1764, he rode La Sang at York in the Ladies’ Plate and beat the famous mare Yorkshire Jenny, the 4/6 favourite. The following year on the same horse, he won the four-mile Richmond Gold Cup, just beating Volunteer and Silvio in the most desperate of finishes.
Having won the 1764 Great Subscription at York, Mr Fenwick’s Shuttle and Kearton returned to the course the following year to contest the King’s Hundred. This time there was to be no happy outcome as Shuttle fell, breaking both front legs. The horse lay stricken, and bled to death.
He rode Dainty Davy in the celebrated match between that horse and Sylvia at Richmond in 1765 and won a richly deserved Classic, taking the St Leger on Omphale who had been amiss for almost a year and had only just returned to training.
After a full and successful career in which he had been noted for his great integrity and had won more gold cups than any other jockey of his day, Kearton retired – but Lady Luck, in his case, hadn’t.
In 1809, the last remaining member of a family called Raper died intestate. Kearton – who had never heard of them - was found to be nearest to them in his pedigree and he inherited a large country house and a small fortune. This unexpected windfall gave him great comfort and peace of mind in the autumn of his days.
John Kearton lived to the grand age of 93: for the last few years of his life he was confined to his bed, his knees and hips severely weakened. At the age of ninety, he became totally blind, yet his mental faculties were unimpaired up to the day of his death which occurred on Thursday 18th June 1829, at Reeth in Swaledale.
Omphale – in Greek mythology, daughter of Lardanus, King of Lydia.