26 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Show Jumping
Franks Waters & The Golden
Age of Show Jumping
By Lauren R. Giannini
A
horse-crazy youngster idolizes show jumping stars,
dreams about growing up to be just like them and works
hard to learn the horsemanship to excel – that describes
Frank Waters to a tee. Today, he is just as passionate about show
jumping even though his life took an unusual turn. He was on
course to achieving his goals, riding and training jumpers, when he
developed extreme sensitivities to horses and airborne allergens
associated with equine environments.
“My allergies got so bad – I reacted to everything they injected
into both arms,” Frank recalled. “I was sneezing, coughing and
wheezing. I suffered severe asthma attacks. The doctor told me
if I didn’t get away from horses immediately that the strain on my
heart could kill me by the time I was 30.”
His riding career came a screeching halt, but Frank turned
the lemons life had dealt him into lemonade. “I was in my early
20s – I was devastated,” he recalled, “and that’s what led me
into announcing.” Before long he found himself in demand as a
commentator at British horse shows. As his new career took off,
he realized that he was still an integral part of the equestrian world.
Frank did his homework, accumulating all sorts of interesting
information about the riders and horses. It wasn’t long before he
became known throughout England as the “man with the golden
voice.”
Youthful Dreams
From the 1950s onward, after the military no longer dominated
Olympic equestrian events, civilian elite riders were hailed as
heroes and treated like movie stars, thanks to the British press
and televised show coverage. Frank and other kids of his horse-
crazy generation grew up with BBC-fueled dreams of equestrian
glory.
“I began riding with Mary Bowler when I was six,” Frank said.
“I attended St. Anne Convent School and they held a garden fete
every summer to raise money for the convent. Bowlers Riding
School was in Formby and they came to the fete with two ponies,
Toby and Johnny. I was told to help Mary give pony rides. I spent
the whole afternoon in my element with the ponies and Mary.
Within a week I was going to her riding school and eventually
I worked full-time for her. Mary celebrated her 80th birthday in
October. She was like a second mother to me.”
In his book
The Golden Age of Show Jumping,
Frank chronicles
his grand adventure in 1962 when he traveled alone by train from
Formby to Liverpool in order to board the midnight express, drawn
by a steam engine, for its six-hour journey to London’s Euston
Station. There, he boarded yet another train for the brief ride
to Wembley station in the heart of London. He walked with his
suitcase to Empire Pool, the venue for his destination, the Horse
of the Year Show. He felt awed as he watched riders schooling
Early 1970s: Frank Waters doing the commentary for Horse of
the Year Show and his mentor Dorian Williams (foreground), the
voice of the BBC.
Frank Waters announcing the Challenge of Champions show in
Wellington.
Photos courtesy of Frank Waters
Editor’s Note: Frank Waters, a horse show announcer
who became known throughout the horse world as
the “man with the golden voice,” has written a soon-to-
be-published book called
The Golden Age of Show
Jumping
– a fascinating look at a horse show era of the
past.
Sidelines
staff writer Lauren R. Giannini had the
opportunity to interview Frank and gather photos from his
life and his book. We hope you enjoy this story and have
the opportunity to read Frank’s book.
Continued on page 28
