Seven wives, ten horses and one happy trainer (UK)

Marcus Armytage writing for the Telegraph :

Last week Phil Sharp, a minister practising ‘Biblical Judaism’, shot to fame when his domestic situation – seven ‘wives’, eight children and two more on the way – was splashed across the newspapers.

What is less well known is that he is also a permit-holder, licensed by the BHA to train his own horses. I’m not going to delve into the theology, but a holy man is always a welcome addition to the ranks and, let’s face it, the power of prayer is just about as good as any other cure for horses with bad legs.

He has marginally more horses –10 – than wives, but you’ll not be surprised to learn that staff is not an issue; one wife is full-time in the yard, two work on the stud, his eldest son, Yogi, is his farrier and another, Yoni, is to ride in point-to-points.

Just to recap; Phil had a conversion experience when he was about 20 and over the years has accrued ‘wives’ (Hadass – who flew the nest nine years ago – Judith, Hannah, Vreni, Margo, Chava, Karyn). They don’t go up the aisle, as it were, they just sort of become ‘wives’ on sleeping with him and they all live happily together near Battle, in Sussex.

He’s clearly not the person to ask ‘how’s the wife?’ if you haven’t got half-an-hour to spare. “I don’t advertise my situation,” he said after riding work yesterday, “but people find out. There are some that take pity and say that they can’t cope with one, let alone six. Others tend to be green-eyed with envy about the sex. The shortest time I’ve been together with any of them is five years, so there’s a lot of commitment there.

“As a horse whisperer, I came across a lot of thoroughbreds and I copped the bug,” he added. “I love the challenge and the craft. Every horse is teaching me more and my motive is winners. I’m not a gambler and I’ve no ambition to become a great public trainer, though I wouldn’t object.”

At Huntingdon recently Charlie Studd was riding Pat Will for him and, because of what might loosely be termed tack issues at the start, he refused to ride it. When the jockey returned to unsaddle he was expecting an almighty rocket, but instead the trainer is reported to have said: “Thank you very much,” shaking him by the hand. “God bless you.”

You’ve got to hand it too him, it’s original and very much not from the Mick Channon school of midget chastisement. I think there are lessons to be learned. >> www.telegraph.co.uk